Booking a flight should be simple. Enter your departure point, destination and travel dates into a search engine, choose the cheapest option and pay.
In practice, I never choose a flight based on price alone. After years of experience and quite a few flight bookings, I look at the whole journey: how quickly I need to arrive, where I would be connecting, whether the connection time is realistic, what the baggage will cost and whether a cheap ticket creates additional expenses along the way.
The cheapest flight is not always the cheapest journey. Nor is the fastest connection necessarily the best choice in every situation.
How quickly do I really need to get there?
The first thing I consider is how quickly I need to reach my destination. If I am travelling for work and the programme begins at a specific time, the duration and reliability of the journey matter very differently than when there is no strict schedule waiting for me on arrival.
A direct flight is usually the easiest and fastest option, but connecting flights can be considerably cheaper. If I have time, I am perfectly happy to spend a few extra hours travelling. A longer connection can even provide a welcome break: enough time to eat, walk around and get some work done without having to run from one gate to another.
Time, however, is not always worth exchanging for money. If saving a few dozen euros means two connections and an entire day spent travelling, I start calculating the value of my time as well. Particularly on a business trip, a few additional hours at the destination may be far more valuable than the amount saved on the ticket.
Not all connecting airports are the same
If several routes are available, I also look carefully at the connecting airport. The airport can have a surprisingly large effect on how easy or stressful the entire journey becomes.
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) has long been one of my favourites. It is enormous, but I understand its logic and usually find transfers reasonably straightforward.
The walking distances can be long, however, so connection times should be considered in relation to your own walking pace and mobility.
Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG), on the other hand, is almost an airport of horrors on my personal list – despite being the main airport of a city I greatly love. The combination of terminals, shuttle buses and security checks makes me leave plenty of time for a connection, preferably at least three hours and sometimes even longer. CDG can take you almost anywhere in the world, but if I can choose another route without an unreasonable price difference, I often do.
And then, of course, there is Riga International Airport (RIX), the connecting airport that is closest and most important to me.
From Tampere, Riga provides onward connections across Europe and beyond. It is compact enough to make transfers generally easy, without requiring the same mental preparation as some of Europe’s largest hubs.
The scheduled connection time does not tell the whole story. One hour at a small and familiar airport may be perfectly sufficient, while the same hour at a major hub can mean rushing through passport control, security and a terminal transfer.
An early flight can become surprisingly expensive
Flight prices can vary significantly even within the same day. An early morning flight may be inexpensive because its departure time is inconvenient for many passengers. On other routes, the first flight of the morning can be the most expensive because business travellers want to arrive before the working day begins.
When comparing prices, I always consider what the departure time means in practice. If a cheaper morning flight requires a hotel night in the departure city, it may no longer be the least expensive option. The hotel, meals, transport and parking can add up to as much as the flight itself – sometimes even more.
Paying a little extra for a later departure may save a lot of extras. On a business trip, it may also reduce daily allowances and parking expenses.
Instead of comparing two flights, I compare two complete journeys:
- the flight fare
- baggage and seat selection fees
- transport to and from the airport
- a possible additional overnight stay
- meals and other expenses during waiting time
- the time spent travelling
- how well the itinerary can withstand disruption.
Once these are all included, the order of the options can change completely.
It is worth checking the business-class fare
This is something many people overlook: I often check the cheapest business-class fare as well.
On a busy flight or close to departure, the lowest economy booking classes may already be sold out. The remaining economy fare can then cost almost as much as the cheapest business-class ticket – and occasionally business class may even be less expensive.
On European flights, the business-class seat is usually the same as in economy, with the middle seat left empty.
The fare will generally include checked baggage, seat selection, lounge access, onboard service and more flexible conditions for changing the booking.
I have travelled to trade fairs with several pieces of luggage and found that a business-class ticket including the baggage allowance was cheaper than buying an economy ticket and adding the extra bags separately. Instead of comparing only the name of the travel class, it is worth checking what the total fare actually includes.
I prefer to book directly with the airline
I travel frequently and generally try to purchase my flights directly from the airline. For a straightforward journey operated by one airline or carriers within the same partnership, I find this the simplest option.
The reason becomes particularly clear when something does not go according to plan. If a flight is cancelled or the schedule changes, dealing directly with the airline responsible for the booking is usually easier than handling the situation through an online travel agency acting as an intermediary.
I still use flight search engines and online travel agencies to compare prices and discover possible routes. Once I find a suitable itinerary, I usually check the same journey on the airline’s website and compare not only the price but also the fare conditions and what is actually included.
One more tip: whenever possible, pay for your flight by credit card.
It gives you extra protection if the airline or travel agency goes out of business and your flight is not operated. In Finland, you can then also ask your credit card provider for a refund. This is particularly important with flight-only bookings, as they do not have the same insolvency protection as package holidays.
One booking does not necessarily mean one ticket
Travel agencies can still be useful. They may combine flights from different airlines in ways that are not available through the airlines’ own websites, making the journey cheaper or offering routes you might not otherwise find.
However, you need to check the details carefully, especially when booking through an online travel agency. Flights shown on the same booking confirmation are not necessarily issued on the same ticket. The airlines may have no agreement to transfer you or your baggage to the next flight.
The connecting flight may even depart from a different airport. In Paris, for example, you might arrive at Charles de Gaulle and depart from Orly. In that case, even three or four hours may not be enough.
If the itinerary includes a self-transfer, check-in for the first flight will not normally cover the next one. If you have checked baggage, you will need to collect it at the connecting airport and check it in again. Even with hand baggage only, you may have to pass through immigration and security again. The exact process depends on the airport, terminals, final destination and whether you can check in for the next flight in advance.
If a delay causes you to miss the next flight, arranging and paying for a replacement will usually be your responsibility. Some online travel agencies offer their own protection for self-transfer connections, but always read the terms carefully before booking.
Sometimes I build the itinerary myself
I occasionally buy flights deliberately on separate tickets, particularly when the journey includes low-cost airlines that do not have agreements to transfer baggage to another carrier.
In that case, I leave enough time to collect my bag, check in again and pass through security if necessary. I also allow for the possibility that the first flight may be delayed.
Separate tickets can offer considerable savings and make possible routes that would otherwise not be available. At the same time, they place more responsibility on the passenger.
The more important the journey and the tighter the schedule, the less willing I am to build a fragile house of cards.
If an important meeting begins the following morning, I would rather not leave the success of the entire journey dependent on a self-transfer.
There is rarely a perfect flight
Booking a flight ultimately means making compromises. On one journey, price matters most. On another, speed is the priority. Sometimes the most important consideration is minimising the risk of something going wrong.
Sometimes I choose the cheapest flight. Sometimes I pay more for a direct connection, a better schedule or one additional evening at home. Sometimes I take the longer route because I am not in a hurry and the saving is significant enough.
The important thing is to understand what you are paying for – and what you receive in return.
The price of a flight is only one number. The real cost of a journey is a combination of money, time, effort and, occasionally, how many nerves you are prepared to sacrifice to reach your destination.
Note: This article was originally written in Finnish and translated into English with the assistance of AI. The English version has been reviewed and edited by the author.