How to Find Cheap Flights: Top Tips and Strategies

Imagine scoring a $350 roundtrip flight to Europe or flying cross-country for less than the cost of dinner out — it’s totally possible when you know how to find cheap flights! But with airfare prices changing daily and endless travel sites to scroll through, finding a true deal can feel overwhelming.

As a frequent traveler, I’ve spent years mastering the art of flight hunting; I’ve tested dozens of tools, I’ve tracked trends, and I’ve learned when (and when not) to book. And now I’m sharing my best tips and strategies to help you find the cheapest flights possible, no matter where you’re headed.

Ready to save big on your next trip? Let’s dive into how to find cheap flights without spending hours glued to your computer.

Tips for Finding Cheap Flights Every Time

1. Try to Be Flexible

The best way to find cheap flights is to keep your travel dates flexible. If you don’t have to stick to a schedule, then you’re able to fly on whatever days and whatever times are cheapest.

Being flexible isn’t always easy; sometimes you’re flying for work, or you have limited days you can take a vacation, or you have to be at your destination by a certain time. But if you do have the liberty of being flexible, that will help out a lot!

And if you want to be really flexible, let the cheap flights tell you where your destination will be! If you’re flexible about where your vacation will be, then you can simply pick the cheapest destination.

2. Search in Secret

The internet knows where you’ve been and what you’re looking for. When you search a route multiple times, the website tries to scare you into booking by showing you increasing prices — you think the price is going up, so you should book now before it goes up more!

Don’t be bullied by the internet!

Go into incognito mode and open a private browser window. These “private browsing” and “incognito windows” clear your cookies each time you re-open a private window, so the internet doesn’t remember your previous searches and can’t try to trick you out of your cheap flights.

So start with a fresh incognito window and then start a new flight search.

3. Use the Best Flight Search Engines and Compare Their Prices

Not all flight search engines are created equal. Some have more inflated prices so they can take a larger cut of the sale.

My favorite tool to use is Skyscanner, but it’s always a good idea to compare prices across sites so you know you’re getting the best price. Here’s a little about the top flight search engine sites and how they help find cheap flights:

Skyscanner

Skyscanner searches a bunch of different airlines and presents them to you in order of cheapest price, shortest trip, or best value.

They also have a great feature where you can search by month and find the cheapest dates to depart and return within that month, or search by cheapest month to find the overall cheapest time to fly.

Check out my guide to using Skyscanner to find cheap flights.

Dollar Flight Club

Dollar Flight Club is a free flight alert newsletter that will send you flight deals from your selected departure airport.

That way, you can snatch up flight deals when they’re delivered right to your inbox.

Google Flights

Google Flights also compares airlines for you. What I like here is that you can look at a graph of typical flight prices for a date or time period.

Their price history info can tell you if a ticket price is lower or higher than usual, so you know if you’re getting a good deal.

Airfarewatchdog

Airfarewatchdog finds mistake and sale prices. You can set up an alert for your destination of choice, they’ll email you whenever a sale or any discounted fare pops up, and if the price is right, you can book your flight.

This is how we got a great price for a trip to London.

Expedia

With Expedia, you can compare ticket prices at a glance from their large inventory of carriers and earn rewards on every booking when you become a member.

Orbitz

Orbitz is another top-rated tool for finding cheap flights that allows you to compare ticket prices easily.

CheapOair

CheapOair is a great site for finding discount flights and flight deals to destinations all around the world.

4. Use Airline Miles and Points

If there’s an airline you use a lot, sign up for their rewards program. You can earn miles on your trips that you can trade in for free flights and upgrades. I’m a Delta girl myself, and it’s the best option being based in Atlanta.

You can also sign up for credit cards that earn you miles as you spend. I don’t personally do this, but I have a lot of friends who go this route. And again, those miles can be turned into free trips and upgrades.

5. Book Budget

Economy class is obviously going to be the cheapest option on any airline. If you’re traveling light (just a small carry-on) and don’t need all the bells and whistles of snacks or other amenities, budget airlines are your best bet. These flights are so cheap because they don’t offer much else.

Budget airlines can be a good option if you have a short flight and don’t have any checked baggage.

6. If You Know Where and When, Then Book Now

Flights don’t usually get cheaper the closer to departure. In fact, most airlines will jack up the price for last-minute bookings, typically because business people buy last-minute flights and they’re willing to pay the price.

So if you know where and when you want to go, book the cheapest flight you can find now rather than later.

How to Find Cheap Flights FAQ

• How to Use Tripadvisor to Find Cheap Hotel Stays
• How to Use Hotels.com to Save Money on Your Travels
• How to Use Booking.com to Save Money on Hotels
• How to Use VRBO to Save Money on Vacation Rentals
• How to Use Skyscanner to Find Cheap Flights
• Why You Should Use Viator to Book Tours for Your Next Vacation
• How to Use GetYourGuide to Book Tours for Your Next Vacation

Cheers!

Paige

What are your best tips for finding cheap flights? Share them in the comments below!