Located in the heart of the Southwest, most people don’t consider Phoenix to be a huge hub for airplane traffic. Sure, it’s one of the biggest metropolitan areas in the country, but it is often overshadowed by the huge cities in California and Texas.
What some frequent travelers are discovering is that there are plenty of cheap flights from Phoenix popping up not only within the United States, but internationally as well. Airlines are looking to fill planes to certain destinations, and are willing to offer great deals if a person knows when and where to look.
Why are cheap flights from Phoenix becoming more of the norm?
Believe it or not, there was a time when Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport was not very busy 12 months out of the year. It mostly saw a lot of traffic when retirees were moving down south for the winter, and then going back to their home cities right before spring.
By the 1960s, Phoenix started evolving into a truly major city. It grew in population over 300% in one decade, and hasn’t looked back since. That is, until about a decade ago when the recession impacted growth. The city is still recovering a bit from the recession’s impact, but seems to be trending in the right direction.
The Phoenix metropolitan area is the 11th largest in the country, and it’s the gateway to everything in Arizona and surrounding states as well. Not only do people living in Arizona count on the airport, but millions of tourists a year as well.
Due to its growth, the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is now a hub for a few airlines, most notably American Airlines. That is a major contributor to cheap flights, as so many planes are coming in and out of the airport from cities all around the United States. Some people are flying direct from Phoenix, while others are catching connecting flights. With so many seats to fill, some flights are desperate to find last-minute travelers.
Monitoring airline prices
The internet has made monitoring airline prices so much easier than ever before. Consumers are much smarter, especially those who travel frequently. People have started to pick up on when prices are likely to drop, and what days work best to book.
Having a few go-to apps can keep a person locked in when planning a trip. There are even apps that provide alerts so that people no when ticket prices drop below a certain level.
What makes the Phoenix area so enticing?
Phoenix is not only the capital of Arizona, but the biggest city in the valley of the sun. People are attracted to its warm weather, the variety of activities all year long and the cost of living. Even though it is becoming more expensive to live in Phoenix, it’s still cheaper than many major cities.
Any city that has a good amount of tourists coming in and out will always have their fair share of cheap ticket prices. This greatly benefits those who live in Phoenix, because some cities have multiple flights per day.
Using Phoenix for different legs of a trip
Savvy travelers will take a look at all the flights from Phoenix, and realize that they can sometimes play the system to save money. For example, sometimes it’s cheaper to fly from Phoenix to Los Angeles, and then fly out of Los Angeles to the real destination. Since the Phoenix to Los Angeles flight is very short, most people are fine with putting in the extra bit of travel time to save significant money.
It also works in reverse. More often than not, flights out of California become pretty expensive. One way to combat those prices a bit is to get a short flight to Phoenix, and then go from there.
Staying loyal to popular airlines
Anyone who flies out of Phoenix regularly has taken American Airlines and or Southwest Airlines. It pays off, in the long run, to use the same airline over and over again, because a person can start to collect points towards future travel.
Despite Phoenix being such a large airport, a good amount of air traffic comes from these two major brands. Since they have a strong presence all over the country, it makes sense to save money and build up perks along the way.
Remember, stay diligent
Most cheap flights from Phoenix aren’t just going to fall in a person’s lap. A little bit of effort is needed to find a great deal. Use all the tools available these days to increase the chances of saving hundreds, if not thousands of dollars.
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