There’s a secret that airlines don’t want you to know: you may have paid 50% more for your flight seat than the folks around you. It can happen even if you thought you had done everything properly to book the cheapest flight. You’ve probably spent hours comparing various search engines, searching through numerous airlines, and scrolling through vacation dates, and it still didn’t make any difference.
Airlines use a variety of smart tactics and hidden algorithms to determine their prices, which causes them to change frequently. Because airline prices fluctuate continually, it is impossible to predict when the lowest prices will be found. If you don’t know how and where to get cheap flights, we’ve created a list of 12 insider tricks on how to get cheap flights.
How to Find Cheap Flights?
Pick the Cheapest Time to Book
The first tip on how to get inexpensive flights is to choose the cheapest time to book your ticket. January, February, August, and September are the cheapest months to fly. On average, flights are cheaper on weekdays, and the best days to get a good deal tend to be Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. This is because fewer people travel these days. On the contrary, air travel prices begin to increase in anticipation of holidays: April, May, June, and October, while December is pinpointed to be the most expensive month.
Beware of Additional Fees
When comparing flight prices, take into account any hidden surcharges. Budget airlines usually attract passengers with apparently very reasonable base prices. Most promotional fares contain hidden fees for selecting a seat, handling luggage, and offering services while in the air. Taxes imposed by airlines can also be a large percentage of an airline ticket price.
Before you make your final payment, check what is being included in your purchase. Check your ticket for any irrelevant add-ons; if there are hidden fees or services that you need aren’t included, look for other flights that would better fit your needs.
Find Cheap Flights With Search Engines
Looking around and doing your research is the best way on how to find affordable flights. The good news is that there are a great number of free tools that allow you to compare airline tickets quickly and easily. Besides that, these tools also help you track the lowest fares on all routes, allowing you to plan ahead of time without relying on sales or flight finders. Below are some search engines that you can use to get a cheap flight booking.
- Google Flights
The key highlights include the Explore Page, which displays a world map with (almost) real-time costs for your route (so you can easily locate the cheapest place). You can use the filters to select airlines, durations, pauses, connecting flights, and even interests. The second feature is the calendar function, which appears once you’ve chosen your destination. It highlights the cheapest dates in green and occasionally recommends even cheaper alternatives.
- Skyscanner
Skyscanner is one of the simplest sites to use. You will only need to add your destination, departure city, and travel dates. They also have flight filters, such as choosing flexible tickets only, adding nearby airports, and nonstop flights only.
Besides using these sites to find cheap flight tickets, you can also take advantage of their price alert tools. Set up price alerts for your chosen destination and receive notifications when prices fall, enabling you to get cheap airline deals as soon as they appear.
- Momondo
A meta-search engine works in the same way as Skyscanner and all other travel comparison websites. It gives you a graph of the cheapest days to fly based on the dates you have selected. The site will help you estimate when to book, what is the cheapest day of the week to fly out, and even what airport will provide the cheapest flights. You can also filter your search to find the quickest route, if that is more important to you.
Avoid Last Minute Book
People often believe that last-minute deals are actually a budget-friendly choice, but in practice, they usually aren’t. Statistics have shown that last-minute ticket buyers are business travelers who don’t worry about the expense since their company pays. Airlines are aware of this trend and set their prices accordingly. Basically, airlines apply different rates for a single seat, and their algorithms modify these prices based on current demand.
Then, how to get cheap tickets? The best way is to book in advance, sometimes up to a year in advance. This advice is especially relevant if travel is planned around academic breaks or near major holidays, like Christmas.
Split A Direct Flight into Connecting Flights
You can also save hundreds on flights by splitting tickets. This works better specially when you plan for a long journey. Though the total trip time would probably be longer than the direct flights, you can enjoy an extra mini holiday to some extent. If you are not in a rush, it would be worthwhile to check cheap flight tickets.
Simply cancel the “Direct Flights Only” option while comparing flights and see if there are cheaper connecting flights. You might find significant savings by creatively planning your route and booking separate flight tickets. It does require some research but can be well worth the effort, and is certainly one effective method for how to find cheap airfare.
Looking for Error Fares
Have you ever seen a ticket price so low you thought it couldn’t be real? That’s likely an “error fare”—a mistake in airline pricing systems. These super cheap tickets often result from unnoticed errors and disappear quickly, as airlines aren’t keen on letting you snag such great deals. Knowing how to get discounted flights involves keeping an eye out for these error fares and acting quickly when you spot them.
Purchase an “Open Jaw” Ticket
Imagine you’re planning a trip. You fly from Los Angeles to New York (let’s call that “leg one”). Now, instead of returning to L.A. directly from New York, you decide to fly back from Boston (that’s “leg two”). Voilà! You’ve just crafted an open-jaw itinerary. In short, open-jaw flights involve different departure and arrival cities. When fares to a specific city are high, you can save money by using an open-jaw ticket to fly into a nearby, cheaper destination. This is a clever way of how to find cheap flight tickets.
Go Incognito When Booking Flights
To find cheaper flights, consider browsing in incognito mode. Airlines track your search history to adjust prices based on demand. If you repeatedly check the same flight, prices may rise as airlines assume you’re more likely to buy.
To avoid this, clear your search cookies or use an incognito browser window. This hides your browsing history and location, potentially helping you see more consistent flight prices.
Book Flight & Accommodation Combo
Booking flights, hotels, and even car rentals through online travel agents can often lead to extra discounts when these services are purchased as a package. Occasionally, you may discover that a bundled deal for both travel and lodging costs less than the flight by itself.
Besides being cheaper, it offers greater security. For instance, during the pandemic of 2020, travelers who had booked flights and accommodations independently found it very difficult to get refunds from airlines upon cancellation of their trips, since the flights were still operating. On the contrary, people booking package holidays found getting a refund easier than that due to the laws regulating package travel.
Ship Your Luggage to Lower Airfare Baggage Costs
Checking luggage with airlines can get pretty expensive, especially when one has a couple of bags to check-in. For those who are looking to save money in an extreme way, shipping luggage to the destination could be an option to consider. A number of companies currently offer this service.
Shipping your bags in advance can be more cost-effective than paying for them on the plane. It’s not only about saving money. Sending your luggage in advance will save you the hassle of carrying luggage to and from the airport. It also helps families with the elderly and people with disabilities.
Consider Booking Through an OTA vs. Direct Booking
Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) are companies that facilitate flight bookings online. They act as intermediaries between airlines and consumers, offering a platform where you can search for and purchase flights.
Reservations through OTAs usually offer lower costs compared to buying directly through the airline itself. Sometimes, an OTA obtains ‘exclusive’ fare options from certain airlines, allowing them to sell add-ons such as checked luggage that are cheaper than the airline’s price despite the base ticket being the same.
However, with OTAs, you can face a lot of difficulties like very strict cancellation terms, tedious modification of reservations and oftentimes there is no luggage included, and some don’t even allow you to add it.
On the contrary, direct flight bookings usually have more ‘friendly’ policies regarding cancellation and delays, easier online management of bookings (including choosing seats or adding bags), and much better customer support compared to what you might get from an OTA.
Book Through Travel Agents for Students
Some travel agencies have earned their reputation for reliability in handling student travel to get students to their desired destinations. These agencies are organized to support individuals in finding the most affordable ways to make their dream travel come true. Booking through them instead of alone could also unlock some excellent student discounts.
Find Cheap Flights Summary
If you don’t know how to get cheap flights, the tips above summarize what you need to do to book affordable flights. Searching for the cheapest flights to various destinations need not be a challenging job. One can find reasonably cheap flight tickets using flight comparison websites, booking tour packages, setting price alerts, not booking flights at the last minute, being flexible regarding travel dates, and so on. Watch out for added fees, and try to book your flights just at the right moment. With a little persistence combined with some good luck, you will be ready for your next adventure in no time and at a fraction of the price.
FAQs About How to Get Cheap Flights
It depends. If an airline adds online service fees to their ticket prices, you might find lower fares by purchasing tickets at the airport. However, not every airline charges a fee for online bookings.
Yes, but it depends on various factors, including the demand for the flight or route when you book in advance. Typically, airlines offer lower prices when flights are first released, so booking early does help you secure a better deal.
You can find last-minute cheap airline deals using search engines at flight comparison sites such as Skyscanner, while tools like Google Flights can also help you find budget-friendly tickets.
