How to fly in economy with comfort and not overpay

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Promo

Bonus - tips from Lifehacker's editors on how to organize the perfect trip.

We at Lifehacker love to travel - both for work and just like that. We also know how to count money and do not want to overpay. Using the example of the new tariff line, the editorial staff tell what they pay attention to when buying air tickets.

When traveling, each of us has our own needs: for someone, only the price is important, and someone is not ready to sacrifice comfort, but still wants to save money. The new line of S7 Airlines fares takes into account the desires of different groups of travelers - the main changes have been made to the economy class. It now has not two, but: - Economy Basic, Economy Standard and Economy Plus. You can choose the option that meets all your requirements, and at the same time do not overpay for unnecessary services.

Economy Basic: to travel more often and cheaper

This option is suitable for those who just want to get from one city to another and not waste money. One of the main advantages of the fare is the low cost of the ticket. In addition, S7 Airlines includes a minimum of necessary services: it is allowed to take hand luggage weighing up to 10 kg into the cabin, and during the flight they will offer standard meals. If you return from vacation with luggage or want to choose a seat in the cabin, you can pay for the services separately. You can exchange a ticket for 3,000 rubles - the main thing is to have time to do this before departure.

I try to travel as often as possible. 28 days of vacation can easily be split into 4-5 trips, especially if you take only 2-3 days, but "dock" them for the holidays, and you can also go somewhere for the weekend. Over the past two years I have been to Finland and Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Germany and Turkey.

For me, the main plus of budget travel is the opportunity to see more and travel more often, sacrificing less significant comfort. And also a huge satisfaction from saving and my own ingenuity: I just love to bother with routes, look for options, this is an excellent exercise for the brain.

Here is an example of a saving that is literate in my understanding. If the budget for transport is small, I'd rather buy a cheaper ticket, without luggage, perhaps even with a transfer, but I'll go to a couple of neighboring cities.

In addition, there are several life hacks that allow me to save money on my travels. Perhaps they will help you too. First, subscribe to travel newsletters, as well as airline news - so you will immediately receive information about all promotions and special offers. Keep your data ready to make a purchase in a couple of minutes, if you suddenly find a good ticket: just save the data of the passports of the participants of the trip to yourself in Telegram or notes.

Secondly, immediately buy round-trip tickets, they are much cheaper than the sum of their cost separately.

Thirdly, do not refuse long daytime transfers if such tickets are cheaper: you will have time to see a new city. And in general: be flexible. For example, slightly shift your vacation if you see that tickets for neighboring dates are more profitable than for the ones you have chosen.

The main thing is to save wisely. If you plan to fly late in the evening, calculate the cost of a taxi and a night at the hotel: they can negate all the benefits.

As for luggage, on a short trip like a weekend, a backpack is usually enough. Documents, a cosmetic bag and a first-aid kit, a smartphone with a charger, a T-shirt instead of pajamas, and a change of linen are easily placed there. It's better to dress in layers than trying to stuff a few warm jackets into your backpack.

It seems to me that luggage is needed only if you are flying for two weeks or planning to carry liquids. In the first case, you can spend money on luggage, in the second, you can think about whether you really need these liquids. Paying to have your shampoo fly with you isn't very smart. You can take a solid one or buy everything on the spot. And if you are flying to a wine-growing region and plan to bring a couple of bottles, they may not cost much more at the airport than in the city. But in this case, you can take them in your hand luggage.

Economy Standard: so you don't have to choose between price and comfort

This tariff is suitable for families with children, as well as for everyone who does not want to spend a lot of time and effort choosing services. S7 Airlines already has everything you need, such as free seat selection and standard meals.

The tariff allows you to carry baggage weighing up to 23 kg, and you can also take a bag up to 10 kg into the cabin. By the way, equipment for skiing and snowboarding is not prohibited to take with you additionally - it will be delivered free of charge.

If plans have changed, the ticket can be exchanged for 1,000 rubles, and returned for 2,000 rubles. There is also a free return for the certificate, which is worth spending throughout the year for any dates and any directions, even if you are issuing tickets for another passenger.

Masha Pcheolkina Chief editor of special projects and twice a mother.

We always rest together - with my husband and two children. It's more fun for us. Traveling with a large family is quite expensive, but we try to get out somewhere at least a couple of times a year. Over the past two years we have been to Italy, Spain, Turkey, Greece. This year we managed to go to St. Petersburg, we were planning Kazan, but it did not work out.

Usually we fly economy - four tickets and so cost a pretty penny. Organization of rest is not given to me very much in advance - a maximum of a month and a half. We try not to buy tickets for flights that are too early or too late. Firstly, it’s hard, and secondly, early in the morning and late in the evening you are usually terribly hungry, and snacking at the airport is terribly expensive.

But I am always ready to pay extra to choose places nearby. If the flight is long, then even for food (hungry children - it's just awful!). But it's great to have these options by default.

From the obligatory in my suitcase - a first aid kit, a charger for the phone and washing accessories (what can I do, my children brush their teeth only with paste with a painted rabbit). Everything else depends on the duration and season of the trip.

I advise you to take a first aid kit on any trip with a child. At a minimum, it should contain an antipyretic, antihistamine, enterosorbent and a patch. And it is better to consult with your pediatrician: he will help you not to forget all the medicines that are important for your children.

In my carry-on luggage, I always take a moisturizer and eye drops, warm socks (it is uncomfortable to sit in sneakers), headphones, a snack (salty sticks, dryers, lollipops), wet wipes and antibacterial hand gel, as well as a folder where all the documents are.

I never take a hairdryer with me - if it is not in a rented apartment or hotel, the hair itself can dry out - and an iron (even a travel one) or a steamer. It doesn't matter if your T-shirt is wrinkled or not, if you are walking around Paris.

Economy Plus: to receive the same services as in Business Class, but without overpayments

The fare from S7 Airlines is the same business class, only with a seat in the economy cabin (yes, that happens!). If you fly often, love comfort and value your time, then estimate it for sure. The fare already includes free seat selection, including Extra space, business class check-in and priority boarding. Luggage includes a bag or suitcase weighing up to 32 kg and carry-on luggage up to 10 kg, and on board you will be offered special meals free of charge.

If you need to fly out earlier or later than planned, this will not be a problem: just exchange your ticket without any additional payments. And if you fly with transfers, you can while away the time between flights in the business lounge - the service is included in the ticket price. Alternatively, you can return your ticket or exchange it for a certificate before or after departure - and yes, it's free too.

Rodion Scriabin Advisor at Lifehacker and CEO at KB Palindrome. Knows everything about business trips.

I travel and fly quite often for work. This year is not representative, and in the past I have had 46 flights. This year I started counting, counted 10 pieces, but then I realized that it was futile.

The most frequent routes I have are Moscow - Ulyanovsk, Moscow - Orenburg and, probably, Moscow - St. Petersburg. In Ulyanovsk, Lifehacker's office, in Orenburg - my mother, and in St. Petersburg quite often some kind of movement happens. Usually business trips last two or three days, no more. Most often I fly on Thursday evening, on Friday at the place, and on Saturday - back. I fly to Ulyanovsk for a week, because there is a lot of things to do, and I missed everything.

I am going on business trips and other short trips quickly. The most important thing is to know how many days you are flying. Since I travel quite a lot, I have almost everything ready in advance. There is a separate travel cosmetic bag, which I do not use in everyday life, there is a separate superpack of chargers for all my devices - also only for business trips. That is, in general, I usually put on comfortable clothes, take with me a cosmetic bag with hygiene items and a pack with chargers, a laptop, a tablet, a pair of T-shirts, socks and underwear - and that's it, I'm ready.

I am still not up to business, I do not yet have a gold card in any airline, so I usually take economy. I always buy Extra Space, because I have very long legs, and my knees have a hard time on long flights. Usually I take a seat A by the window near the left side, because it is a little freer there. I also like it when in the opposite direction I fly in the same place - this is my pen. If I understand that it will take a long time to fly, then I choose a special menu - I am a vegan. I always call the airline three days before departure and ask me to schedule a special meal. It's great if it is already included in the ticket price.

I always sleep on the plane. For many flights, I'm used to not wasting time: I sit down in my seat, fasten my seat belt, fall asleep before takeoff and wake up with landing. The same works on long flights, but there is a nuance. If the flight is to New York, Punta Cana or Vladivostok, then the day before I do not sleep all night: I work, I close some cases. Then I get on the plane, switch off for 12-13 hours and arrive in a great mood. No jet lag, solid buzz.