Looking for cheaper flights? Know the downsides

(WHTM) — Now is the time to book flights for the holidays, though some of the cheapest seats may have “strings attached.”

Flights are starting to get expensive, so you may be tempted to go for a cheap basic economy seat. We tried it and found some downsides.

With the average domestic fair sitting over $300, a “basic economy” fare may look tempting.

Shannon Nesmith is okay with flying as cheaply as possible.

“I think its a good thing if you are going on a short trip and you are getting there very quickly,” she said.

So, when I recently needed to fly to Newark, New Jersey, I decided to book a $229 round-trip on United in basic economy.

Regular economy would have been $299, $70 more.

Now, to me, the worst part of basic economy was I would not be able to use the overhead bin.

So, everything I took had to fit into a small bag under my seat. That means you have to pack very carefully, and forget about taking hoodies or blue jeans.

Once at the airport, I headed to the gate to learn my seat assignment, because you can’t get a seat at booking time.

On top of that, I am in group six, which means I get to board the plane last.

And did I mention sitting back by the restrooms?

Luckily, my tiny bag fit under my seat, so I was not hit with any surprise extra fees.

So, know the downsides:

• No advance seat assignment;
• Last to board the plane;
• Only one carry-on bag, and you may not be allowed to use the overhead bin;
• No earning Delta Skymiles, AA Advantage, or United Mileage Plus points.

And, in many cases, no ticket changes.

Would I do it again? Maybe, I’m cheap.

But, Tayeeb Beydoun isn’t so sure.

“The price is great, but you got to pay extra for baggage you take with you. It’s not worth it,” he said.

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Basic economy can save you money, as long as you know the downsides and don’t show up with a big bag. That way, you don’t waste your money.

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