PProperty Newbie JasonBeginnerFirst-hand experienceJust bought my first rumah, still shell-shock from S&P and legal fee, I share the mistakes.
A few tricks that actually work for me. One, book WAY ahead, the cheapest seats are the first batch released, usually 3 to 6 months out, and they sell out fast. Two, be flexible on dates, use the "low fare" calendar view, flying Tuesday/Wednesday or super early morning (the 6am flights nobody wants) is way cheaper than weekend. Three, travel light and DON'T add baggage/meal/seat unless needed, the base fare is cheap but the add-ons are where they get you, that RM19 ticket becomes RM90 after 20kg bag. Four, watch the big sales (they do them regularly) and follow their app notifications. Five, clear your browser cookies or use incognito, prices sometimes creep when they see you keep checking the same route. And book direct on the app, avoid third party sites that add markup.
FFresh Grad Wei XiangBeginnerFirst-hand experienceJust grad from UM, still figuring out PTPTN repayment and first job offer, can share la.
Set up price alerts on Google Flights and Skyscanner for your route, they notify when price drops. Also compare Batik Air and Firefly, sometimes cheaper than AirAsia for the same route and they include baggage. Don't assume AirAsia always cheapest after add-ons.
The add-ons are the real trap lah. Base fare RM50 looks cheap then bag RM50, seat RM20, insurance auto-tick RM15, meal RM18, suddenly RM150. Untick everything you don't need and only bring cabin bag if short trip. I fly KL to Penang with just backpack, total damage under RM80 return if booked early.
For ASEAN trips, being flexible on the airport helps. Flying into Don Mueang instead of Suvarnabhumi, or Clark instead of Manila, often much cheaper with AirAsia. And avoid school holidays and long weekends, prices double easily. Travel off-peak, save a lot.