1. Ignore the myths
The first thing you should know about finding cheap flights is that there are no magic bullets or ninja secret tricks to do it. There are many myths online about finding cheap flights. In fact, you’ve come across many airlines in your search for the best airline tickets.
They are all lies they will mislead you. Most websites employ terrifying reporters who recycle common, outdated myths. Below are the most common ones that are not 100% correct.
Buying a fare on Tuesday (or any other specific day) is not cheap.
There is no evidence that incognito searches lead to cheaper deals.
There is no exact date or time frame in which airfares can be booked.
They can’t predict airfares, and sites that do predict are basically making educated (and possibly wrong) guesses.
Airlines use advanced computers and pricing algorithms to determine prices based on time of year, passenger demand, weather, major events/festivals, time of day, competitor prices, fuel prices, etc. raising. These so-called “tricks” no longer work. The system is too smart. let her die Don’t listen to people who say otherwise. People who speak to you have no idea what they are talking about. These myths are 100% misleading.
2. Be flexible with travel dates and times
Airline ticket prices vary greatly depending on the day of the week, time of year, and holidays such as Christmas, New Year, Thanksgiving, and the 4th of July. August is the travel season in Europe and everyone wants to go and travel to warmer places during the winter months when the children are out of school.
In short, if you fly when everyone else is flying, your ticket will be more expensive.
But what if you want to go in mid-August? Are you out of luck on Christmas in Hawaii? I wish you good luck! The price will be the highest.
The solution is to fly out of season. Please look for another date so that you can take advantage of the best days. The more rigid the plan, the less likely a deal will be found.
It’s also almost always cheaper to fly mid-week than weekends, as most people travel on weekends and airlines raise fares. Fares will be cheaper if you go on long holidays or long holidays. Early morning or late-night flights are cheaper because fewer people want to travel (who wants to get up early?!). Prices go up usually on Fridays and Mondays as most business travelers fly.
When searching for Google flights, simply click on the date field to expand the calendar view and instantly see the cheapest dates for flights within a two-month window. This Austin to NYC search shows that the rates on certain days are double his on other days.
Airlines are not stupid. They know when festivals, holidays, major sporting events, or school holidays are coming up and raise their prices accordingly.
Be flexible with dates and times.
3. Flexible destinations
Even if you can’t be flexible about when you fly, at least be flexible about where you fly. Both are best, but if you really want to save money and get cheap flights, you need to be flexible about at least one.
Our flight search engine makes it easy to find the cheapest flights anywhere in the world. No more manual searches for each city every day. Sites like Skyscanner and Google Flights offer exploration tools that allow you to enter your home airport and view a world map with all your flights. This way you can easily compare multiple destinations without having to consider all possible options. You’ll find interesting destinations you never thought of!
4. Use low-cost airlines
A few years ago, if you wanted to fly intercontinentally, you were mostly stuck with traditional, expensive airlines…that’s no longer true. Today, low-cost airlines allow you to fly almost all over the world. Though, this might not be comfortable and you have to pay for premium upgrades like checked baggage and meals, but it surely brings the world to your doorstep.
List of the most affordable airlines in the world:
Canada
Flair Airlines, Swoop, Air Canada Rouge, Porter, Air Transat, Sunwing, WestJet
United States
Southwest, Allegiant Air, Frontier, Spirit Airlines, Sun Country Airlines, JetBlue
Asia
Air Asia, Jeju Air, Hong Kong Express, Scoot, Peach Air, Spice Jet, Spring Airlines, Nok Air, T’Way Airlines, Cebu Pacific, Lion Air, VietJet Air, IndiGo
Europe
Vueling, Ryanair, Easyjet, Eurowings, Norwegian Air, Wizz Air, Transavia
Australia/New Zealand
JetStar, Middle East, Pegasus, flyDubai, Air Arabia
Just be careful with the fees. That’s how they make money! Low-cost airlines often charge for checked baggage, carry-on baggage, boarding pass printing, credit card usage, and whatever else is possible. Be sure to add on the cost and fees of your air ticket to make sure the price is lower than the major airlines.
You should also check the location of the low-cost airline’s airport at your destination. These airlines most often fly to and from airports that are located far from the city.
5. You don’t always fly straight
To use this method, find out how much it costs to drive straight to your destination. Then open Google Flights and enter the continent of your destination to see prices at nearby airports. If the difference is more than $150, find out how much it costs from the second airport to the main destination (cheap flight or train if not too far). Use Rome2Rio to find the best transportation between nearby airports and major destinations. This can also be done for departure. It may be cheaper to fly from a nearby airport. I often research other airports to see if it’s cheaper to take a plane/car/train there and then fly to your final destination.
If you book separate legs, please ensure that there is at least 3 hours between connections. This will give you space in case there is a delay because your second flight isn’t waiting for you (I booked it with another airline, so it doesn’t matter if it’s delayed). Most insurance companies require at least a 3-hour delay before making a claim, so even if you leave the 3-hour buffer you will still be eligible for a claim.
This method is more labor intensive as you have to figure out many different routes and check different airlines. But it can lower the price of your flight, and if you can save a few hundred bucks, it’s worth the extra effort.
Note:
Delayed flights to/from Europe may require additional compensation (600 EUR or more). How to find out if you can claim alimony!
6. Beware of special offers
Before you start looking for a particular lamp, make sure you’ve signed up for our newsletter. Join his website’s mailing list for airlines and last minute deals to get access to the best deals. Sure, 99% of them may not fit your itinerary, but by keeping an eye out for offers, you’ll never miss a great opportunity.
In most cases, cheap flights are only available for a limited time frame (usually 24 hours). If you don’t constantly scour the web for deals, chances are you’ll miss them.
If he hadn’t signed up for an air travel website, he would have missed out on a $700 round trip ticket to Japan (usually $1,500 for him) and his $500 ticket to South Africa.
In addition, airline newsletters often offer frequent flyer bonuses. If you’re a travel hack, those points and miles can lead to free flights and great upgrades.
7. Remember Not All Search Engines Are Created Equal
Finding the best deals requires searching multiple websites. Many of the major search sites do not list low cost airlines or hide foreign airlines. Because these airlines don’t want to pay booking fees. Others do not list non-English booking sites. In addition, some only show prices pulled directly from the airline. In short, not all flight search sites are created equal and they all have their strengths and weaknesses.
No search engine is perfect, so you need to do your research. Even the best ones have their drawbacks. However, there are a few favorites that I always use first because they tend to show the best results consistently. The best websites for finding cheap flights for me are:
Makemytrip – the best booking site. It has a great UI (and a great mobile app).
Google Flights – A great search engine that lets you check fares for multiple destinations.
8. Combine Airlines
Bookings made directly with an airline are only available on that airline and its partner airlines. That means you have limited options when it comes to finding the perfect itinerary or saving the most money.
That’s usually enough. However, if you’re looking for greater savings, try booking your ticket with a different airline. For example, if you fly from New York to Paris, you may have a stopover in London. It’s easy to book both routes as one ticket, but you probably won’t save any money.
Instead, book a flight from New York to London as one ticket, and a ticket from London to Paris on another airline. So you can search for the best bargains. It’s a hassle, but the savings (and flexibility) are worth it. This is what most third party booking websites such as Kiwi.com do. We match your trip with every flight we can find to ensure you get the best price.
If you’re looking for the cheapest possible fare and you’re not happy with the prices you find on the airline’s website, try booking separate legs. You might win a great deal!
9. Spend points and miles
If you want to travel somewhere, you need to sign up for a travel rewards card. Airline rewards programs are the best way for avid travelers like me to get free flights, travel rewards and free hotel stays. We offer flight upgrades, generous welcome bonuses, credits for rideshare services like Uber and Lyft, access to free events, airport lounge access, and more.
Regardless of flight frequency, you must be enrolled in the Rewards Program. No additional costs.
If you spend your money wisely and collect points and miles (the art of “travel hacking”), you can travel the world for a small amount of money (often for free).
10. Book early (but not too early)
Airfares continue to rise as departures approach, but the sweet spot is when airlines start raising or lowering airfares in response to demand. Don’t wait until the last minute. The best time to book a flight is about 2-3 months before departure, or about 5 months in advance if you arrive at your destination during peak season.
How to find cheap flights around the world:
1. Ignore the myths
The first thing you should know about finding cheap flights is that there are no magic bullets or ninja secret tricks to do it. There are many myths online about finding cheap flights. In fact, you’ve come across many airlines in your search for the best airline tickets.
They are all lies they will mislead you. Most websites employ terrifying reporters who recycle common, outdated myths. Below are the most common ones that are not 100% correct.
Buying a fare on Tuesday (or any other specific day) is not cheap.
There is no evidence that incognito searches lead to cheaper deals.
There is no exact date or time frame in which airfares can be booked.
They can’t predict airfares, and sites that do predict are basically making educated (and possibly wrong) guesses.
Airlines use advanced computers and pricing algorithms to determine prices based on time of year, passenger demand, weather, major events/festivals, time of day, competitor prices, fuel prices, etc. raising. These so-called “tricks” no longer work. The system is too smart. let her die Don’t listen to people who say otherwise. People who speak to you have no idea what they are talking about. These myths are 100% misleading.
2. Be flexible with travel dates and times
Airline ticket prices vary greatly depending on the day of the week, time of year, and holidays such as Christmas, New Year, Thanksgiving, and the 4th of July. August is the travel season in Europe and everyone wants to go and travel to warmer places during the winter months when the children are out of school.
In short, if you fly when everyone else is flying, your ticket will be more expensive.
But what if you want to go in mid-August? Are you out of luck on Christmas in Hawaii? I wish you good luck! The price will be the highest.
The solution is to fly out of season. Please look for another date so that you can take advantage of the best days. The more rigid the plan, the less likely a deal will be found.
It’s also almost always cheaper to fly mid-week than weekends, as most people travel on weekends and airlines raise fares. Fares will be cheaper if you go on long holidays or long holidays. Early morning or late-night flights are cheaper because fewer people want to travel (who wants to get up early?!). Prices go up usually on Fridays and Mondays as most business travelers fly.
When searching for Google flights, simply click on the date field to expand the calendar view and instantly see the cheapest dates for flights within a two-month window. This Austin to NYC search shows that the rates on certain days are double his on other days.
Airlines are not stupid. They know when festivals, holidays, major sporting events, or school holidays are coming up and raise their prices accordingly.
Be flexible with dates and times.
3. Flexible destinations
Even if you can’t be flexible about when you fly, at least be flexible about where you fly. Both are best, but if you really want to save money and get cheap flights, you need to be flexible about at least one.
Our flight search engine makes it easy to find the cheapest flights anywhere in the world. No more manual searches for each city every day. Sites like Skyscanner and Google Flights offer exploration tools that allow you to enter your home airport and view a world map with all your flights. This way you can easily compare multiple destinations without having to consider all possible options. You’ll find interesting destinations you never thought of!
4. Use low-cost airlines
A few years ago, if you wanted to fly intercontinentally, you were mostly stuck with traditional, expensive airlines…that’s no longer true. Today, low-cost airlines allow you to fly almost all over the world. Though, this might not be comfortable and you have to pay for premium upgrades like checked baggage and meals, but it surely brings the world to your doorstep.
List of the most affordable airlines in the world:
Canada
Flair Airlines, Swoop, Air Canada Rouge, Porter, Air Transat, Sunwing, WestJet
United States
Southwest, Allegiant Air, Frontier, Spirit Airlines, Sun Country Airlines, JetBlue
Asia
Air Asia, Jeju Air, Hong Kong Express, Scoot, Peach Air, Spice Jet, Spring Airlines, Nok Air, T’Way Airlines, Cebu Pacific, Lion Air, VietJet Air, IndiGo
Europe
Vueling, Ryanair, Easyjet, Eurowings, Norwegian Air, Wizz Air, Transavia
Australia/New Zealand
JetStar, Middle East, Pegasus, flyDubai, Air Arabia
Just be careful with the fees. That’s how they make money! Low-cost airlines often charge for checked baggage, carry-on baggage, boarding pass printing, credit card usage, and whatever else is possible. Be sure to add on the cost and fees of your air ticket to make sure the price is lower than the major airlines.
You should also check the location of the low-cost airline’s airport at your destination. These airlines most often fly to and from airports that are located far from the city.
5. You don’t always fly straight
To use this method, find out how much it costs to drive straight to your destination. Then open Google Flights and enter the continent of your destination to see prices at nearby airports. If the difference is more than $150, find out how much it costs from the second airport to the main destination (cheap flight or train if not too far). Use Rome2Rio to find the best transportation between nearby airports and major destinations. This can also be done for departure. It may be cheaper to fly from a nearby airport. I often research other airports to see if it’s cheaper to take a plane/car/train there and then fly to your final destination.
If you book separate legs, please ensure that there is at least 3 hours between connections. This will give you space in case there is a delay because your second flight isn’t waiting for you (I booked it with another airline, so it doesn’t matter if it’s delayed). Most insurance companies require at least a 3-hour delay before making a claim, so even if you leave the 3-hour buffer you will still be eligible for a claim.
This method is more labor intensive as you have to figure out many different routes and check different airlines. But it can lower the price of your flight, and if you can save a few hundred bucks, it’s worth the extra effort.
Note:
Delayed flights to/from Europe may require additional compensation (600 EUR or more). How to find out if you can claim alimony!
6. Beware of special offers
Before you start looking for a particular lamp, make sure you’ve signed up for our newsletter. Join his website’s mailing list for airlines and last minute deals to get access to the best deals. Sure, 99% of them may not fit your itinerary, but by keeping an eye out for offers, you’ll never miss a great opportunity.
In most cases, cheap flights are only available for a limited time frame (usually 24 hours). If you don’t constantly scour the web for deals, chances are you’ll miss them.
If he hadn’t signed up for an air travel website, he would have missed out on a $700 round trip ticket to Japan (usually $1,500 for him) and his $500 ticket to South Africa.
In addition, airline newsletters often offer frequent flyer bonuses. If you’re a travel hack, those points and miles can lead to free flights and great upgrades.
7. Remember Not All Search Engines Are Created Equal
Finding the best deals requires searching multiple websites. Many of the major search sites do not list low cost airlines or hide foreign airlines. Because these airlines don’t want to pay booking fees. Others do not list non-English booking sites. In addition, some only show prices pulled directly from the airline. In short, not all flight search sites are created equal and they all have their strengths and weaknesses.
No search engine is perfect, so you need to do your research. Even the best ones have their drawbacks. However, there are a few favorites that I always use first because they tend to show the best results consistently. The best websites for finding cheap flights for me are:
Makemytrip – the best booking site. It has a great UI (and a great mobile app).
Google Flights – A great search engine that lets you check fares for multiple destinations.
8. Combine Airlines
Bookings made directly with an airline are only available on that airline and its partner airlines. That means you have limited options when it comes to finding the perfect itinerary or saving the most money.
That’s usually enough. However, if you’re looking for greater savings, try booking your ticket with a different airline. For example, if you fly from New York to Paris, you may have a stopover in London. It’s easy to book both routes as one ticket, but you probably won’t save any money.
Instead, book a flight from New York to London as one ticket, and a ticket from London to Paris on another airline. So you can search for the best bargains. It’s a hassle, but the savings (and flexibility) are worth it. This is what most third party booking websites such as Kiwi.com do. We match your trip with every flight we can find to ensure you get the best price.
If you’re looking for the cheapest possible fare and you’re not happy with the prices you find on the airline’s website, try booking separate legs. You might win a great deal!
9. Spend points and miles
If you want to travel somewhere, you need to sign up for a travel rewards card. Airline rewards programs are the best way for avid travelers like me to get free flights, travel rewards and free hotel stays. We offer flight upgrades, generous welcome bonuses, credits for rideshare services like Uber and Lyft, access to free events, airport lounge access, and more.
Regardless of flight frequency, you must be enrolled in the Rewards Program. No additional costs.
If you spend your money wisely and collect points and miles (the art of “travel hacking”), you can travel the world for a small amount of money (often for free).
10. Book early (but not too early)
Airfares continue to rise as departures approach, but the sweet spot is when airlines start raising or lowering airfares in response to demand. Don’t wait until the last minute. The best time to book a flight is about 2-3 months before departure, or about 5 months in advance if you arrive at your destination during peak season.