Traveling is not a cheap pastime. Planning beforehand will allow you to purchase tickets to the chosen location at a much lower cost. Whether you are traveling from NYC to Punta Cana, Madrid, Tahiti, Paris, or any other location, these simple-to-follow tips will help you save money when traveling.

1. Travel on workdays

Traveling on working days, especially Tuesdays and Wednesdays, is a great way to save money on airline tickets. Because fewer people are traveling on the workdays, you can save a lot of money by planning ahead of time.

2. Choose a less popular departure time

Early morning flights may be less expensive because few people want to get up at 4 a.m. The same is true for really late or less popular time slots. There is a reason why early-hour races are unpopular — they require arranging transportation to the airport and additional planning.

3. Find a great flight search site

A good flight search site will provide the necessary information, offer the best rates, allow you to compare the airlines and best days for departure, and even enable you to set up notifications when ticket prices for your preferred location drop.

4. Be flexible with dates

Planning beforehand will allow you to be more flexible with the trip dates. It may appear counterintuitive, yet pricing differences between days can often be significant. Use flight search sites — Skyscanner, Kayak, and Expedia — and look through the selected month to discover the cheapest flight options.

5. Choose smaller airports

Many major cities have two or more airports. Consider flying to secondary international airports instead of the major ones. You will save more money, and staying in hotels and hostels will be less expensive.

It is never too soon to start planning a vacation. By traveling on less popular dates, choosing smaller airports, and being flexible with the travel dates, you will save money when traveling.