The small-airport strategy for cheaper fares and awards

Reading Time: 3 min

If you’re lucky enough to live in a city like New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, or Atlanta, you have nonstop flights to virtually anywhere in the world in your own backyard. And since these are such major hubs, you can choose from a wide variety of airlines when you’re ready to book a flight. That means that prices stay competitive, and with so many options, you’re bound to find one that works for your schedule.

But what if you live near a small airport? For instance, my hometown airport in Wilmington, North Carolina (ILM) doesn’t currently offer any international flights. There are just nine gates, and it normally takes me about 30 seconds to get from the car, through security, and to my gate. Although it’s growing rapidly, it’s a long way from being a real gateway to the Southeast, which makes flights from Wilmington typically quite expensive.

So, I book positioning flights to help save on airfare. Here’s everything you need to know about positioning flights and how they can help you save hundreds on your next trip.

The one workout that travels with you

FROM OUR PARTNER AT SIMPLE Hotel gyms are hit or miss. Walking isn't — and if you've ever logged 20,000 steps wandering a new place, you already know the feeling. ​Simple builds a personalized step target around your actual metabolism and lifestyle​, so the walking you're already doing (in Rome, at the airport, around the block) starts adding up to something. No treadmills, no restrictive plans.

Get your walking target

When you search for airfare, you likely use your favorite search tool, like Google Flights, and enter your home airport and the airport you want to fly to. You might browse through flight options, compare dates, or play around with your destination.

However, if you live near a small airport, you might struggle to find an affordable flight, leaving you forced to overpay or skip the trip. Instead, you can book a positioning flight — a short domestic flight that takes you to a hub so you can book a cheap flight or circumvent otherwise prohibitive rules and restrictions. It's a close cousin of flying into nearby airports to save money.

For example, one of the many positioning flights I’ve booked actually had nothing to do with cost. I travel full-time with my cat, Isabelle, and certain U.S. carriers have destination restrictions for traveling with animals. I’ve never been able to fly directly from Wilmington to Colombia. Instead, I fly from Wilmington to Miami on American Airlines, then recheck my suitcase and fly from Miami to Colombia on Avianca. It’s more cumbersome, but taking a positioning flight allows me to visit destinations that would otherwise be inaccessible.

In case you missed it...

​Turn your worst-earning expenses into 5x rewards

Let’s say I wanted to book an Italian end-of-summer holiday. To fly from ILM to Rome (FCO), I’d spend $980 on a basic economy ticket with Delta Air Lines. I’d also have a three-hour layover in Minneapolis (MSP) on the way there and an almost seven-hour layover in Atlanta (ATL) on the way back — not exactly direct.

Or, I could fly nonstop from New York (JFK) on Norse Atlantic Airways for just $447.

Of course, I’ll need to get to New York, so I could book a flight on American Airlines for $243. In total, I’d spend $690 on my flight, which saves me $290.

Is it a bit more of a headache to book separate reservations, especially with a checked bag? Yes, but if the goal is to see the world at a fraction of the cost, positioning flights can make long-haul travel more accessible.

You can also use the positioning flight strategy on award redemptions. For instance, Iberia recently offered 40% off award tickets between Madrid and New York, Washington, D.C., and Boston. That means you could have booked a transatlantic flight for as low as 9,600 Avios each way in basic economy.

However, if I wanted to book a trip from Wilmington, I’d have to book a ticket that transits through one of these hubs, and I’d spend a whopping 33,000 Avios one-way. Instead, I could fly round-trip to Washington, D.C. on American for just 9,000 Atmos Rewards points. In total, I’d spend 18,600 miles on my trip, which saves me 14,400 miles — plenty for another trip in the future.

Ostrichpillow Go memory foam travel pillow with bag and washable cover

Experience a new level of travel comfort with Ostrichpillow's high-density memory foam that molds seamlessly to your neck, providing optimal support and neck alignment while traveling.

Get it at Amazon