Youll not be surprised to hear that, when it comes to your round the world travel budget, its your plane tickets that eat up the most pounds. So, it stands to reason that this is where you can make the biggest hit if youre hoping to save money on your trip. I mean, why pay more if you dont have to?

Air fares are a complicated topic. They go up. They go down. And, often you can be sat on a plane next to someone whos paid a totally different price to you.

Most of the time, this cant be helped. But, there are a few ways to give yourself the best chance of a good deal. Weve listed a few below.

Book in advance Booking early usually gets you a better price.

Avoid the rush Try to stay clear of July, early August, Christmas and Easter. Remember, the peak season at your destination may not be the same as in the UK. Also remember its extremely tough to get flights back to the UK during January.

Be flexible with airports Countries usually have secondary airports that are cheaper to fly to than their primary destination. This may result in additional costs though (like internal travel), so remember to factor this into your budget.

Be flexible with dates Air fares can vary from day to day. Are you able to travel a day earlier or later than planned if it gets you a better price?

Fly during the week Flights are popular around weekends and this includes Fridays and Mondays. Try to book flights on Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays if you can. On occasions you can get a deal if you fly on a Saturday (yes, we know this is a weekend day).

Unsociable hours If youre willing to fly early morning or late at night, this might help you save.

Is flying the best option? Flying isnt always the best option when it comes to your budget. Have you look at other ways of travelling, like trains or buses?

Dont delay Once you find the deal youre looking for, book it. Theres nothing worse than getting what you want, only to lose it again.