Are your fingers cramping up after hours of surfing the Internet for the perfect flight? Are you getting lost in a sea of quotes while trying to find the best airline deal? Well, shopping for the best flight doesn’t have to be a jumbled, stressful mess. A ton of sites promise the best deals, but we’ve come up with some ways to help you save big when booking your next flight.

Know When to Buy
Of course you’re excited about your next trip. If you’ve been dreaming about going to Paris for years and your time is finally on the horizon, you better believe you’re going to start flight-browsing as soon as you’ve got the dates in mind. But remember: While there’s nothing wrong with shopping ASAP, you don’t always want to buy ASAP. If you’re traveling domestically, airlines offer the cheapest seats about four months prior to your departure. If you’re winging your way across the Atlantic (or another international locale), start looking about five months in advance.

Take Advantage of Frequent-Flyer Programs
If you’ve already started to take a liking to a particular airline, it could be beneficial to you to take the relationship a step further. If you haven’t already, join your favorite airline’s frequent-flyer program and start saving. If you travel often, you could easily rack up miles that could be used on future destinations. Plus, if all that travel earns you elite member status, you’ll gain extra rewards like early boarding and free checked luggage.

Choose Weekday Departures
When you think about umbrella-filled cocktails and entertainment on the beach, you’re probably thinking about a Saturday, not a Tuesday. But when it comes to airline travel, the best bang for your buck comes during the weekdays — flying in and out on weekends will cost you. If you can spare the days off, say no to Friday-Sunday tickets and opt for a weekday flight instead. Specifically, Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the best days to fly. You’ll enjoy not only a cheaper flight, but probably fewer crowds as well.

Once you’ve bagged a bargain, take another step toward a stress-free trip by brushing up on unexpected itinerary changes that could arise and how to deal with them.

Now that you’ve gotten your travel shopping skills in high gear, purchase your pre-flight hotel with ParkSleepFly and avoid the stress of getting to the airport on time!