The one thing that I love possibly more than traveling around the world is doing so at a great price. In most situations, points and miles help me do just that. But earning the right amount of points on a budget can be challenging. When you work on a cash budget and primarily use cash back credit cards, how can you be sure you’re getting the best price on airfare?
If you haven’t already added Hopper to your smartphone, you’re going to want to download it sooner rather than later. Registered users will soon find “Secret Fares” delivered when they happen.
How Hopper Secret Fares Work
The company announced Secret Fares in May 2018, in a collaboration between the company and select airlines. The data-driven company is hoping to snare more users and increase bookings by exciting frequent flyers with cheap airfares.
Secret Fares work when an airline announces an unpublished fare exclusively through the app. Users are then alerted about the new fare via push message. Aside from the cost savings, the best part about the program is that everything is disclosed up front. When you book a Secret Fare, you will know the airline, departure time and arrival time before you book. This allows you to decide if the fare is the best for your money.
The savings can vary from itinerary to itinerary, but Hopper says most Secret Fares are $500 off the published price. In examples posted to their website, the actual savings ranged from $154 to over $2,000 from the published price.
But why would airlines choose to release an unpublished fare through the app instead of other online channels? Hopper says their app has the widest reach online, targeting primarily leisure travelers. As a result, they claim more flyers are apt to book on a Secret Fare when it comes up, resulting in full airplanes for the airlines.
Why I love Hopper Secret Fares
Since their launch, I’ve been a huge fan of Hopper for the ability to track flight prices over time. Based on their data collection model, I can see when fares are predicted to be at their lowest and ultimately book my next adventure when the price is right.
Secret Fares give me even more insight and opportunities to travel abroad. Living in a hub city, I can now get alerted when a super-low fare is announced and decide to see somewhere new on any airline with the swipe of my fingers. Although I may not have complete control of where the Secret Fares will take me, it gives me another opportunity to grab my passport and be a foreigner for the weekend.
The Downside to Hopper Secret Fares
Everything in life comes with downsides. Even with the excitement of Secret Fares, there are some parts that don’t have me as thrilled for the experience.
Let’s start with the fact that the Secret Fares are limited to international routes only. In the next six months, my flights are particularly limited to domestic routes – meaning in the short term, this may not help me.
In addition, some places advertised with Secret Fares require a visa before arrival. Unless I’m planning a trip to a destination for which a Secret Fare is available, I may not necessarily have the time to secure landing rights before I go.
Finally, with the rise of basic economy fares on international routes (particularly those to Europe), the potential of getting a great fare on limited rules negates the value for me. Hopper has not made it clear if they will offer basic economy seats via Secret Fares – meaning you should read twice to make sure you’re getting the right low fare before you book.
Even though the program is still young, there’s a lot of potential for Secret Fares. If you’re looking for an international trip at a great price, now might be the time to give Hopper a try.
Are you going to start looking for Secret Fares? How do you search for airfare? Let us know in the comments below!
Written by Frugal Travel Guy @ https://www.frugaltravelguy.com
Written by Frugal Travel Guy @ https://www.frugaltravelguy.com