How to Find A Cheap Flight
The question I get asked most frequently is "How do you find such cheap flights?" For example, not long ago, I flew from San Francisco to Madrid round trip for $290. I also found a round trip ticket from San Francisco to Bogata, Colombia for $206. (I didn't buy that one because it conflicted with a trip I had already scheduled.)
While it may seem like I'm just lucky (and in some cases I am), it takes a fair amount of work and A LOT of flexibility to snag cheap airfares. So here are some of my tips for how to find a cheap airfare. And keep checking because the landscape can change from minute to minute.
One more bit of important general advice -- whenever possible, you should book directly with the airline you will be flying instead of through a travel website (like Expedia or Kayak) or through a consolidator. If you have a problem with your flight, it may be much easier to resolve the problem directly with the airline instead of having to deal with the intermediary. That being said, sometimes the airline's fare doesn't match the one your find through a travel portal. In that case, weigh the risk and make your decision. Saving a few bucks probably isn't worth it. Saving a lot of money may be.
When to Fly
If you're looking for a cheap airfare over Christmas or Thanksgiving or during the height of summer vacation, good luck. You may find a bargain, but it's a lot harder.
Instead, you should look to travel during the off season or shoulder season. I LOVE the off-season. I've been to Spain in November and France in February and have had great trips. It's cooler and less crowded than peak season. And it's LOTS cheaper (both airfare and accommodations).
Be sure to check expected weather conditions before you book. For example, you may find a cheap flight to India during the monsoon season, but then you'll be in India during the monsoon season. Then again, I took a very rainy trip to Australia during the alleged dry season and a sunny trip to Northern Spain during the rainy season. So, go figure.
Basic Economy
Most of the cheapest fares are "Basic Economy" fares. Basic Economy fares have strict limitations. They do not include a checked bag, and your carry-on items are usually limited to a small bag that can fit in the overhead bin and an even smaller personal item (purse, small backpack etc.) that can fit under the seat in front of you. If you want to check a bag, the fees are sometimes outrageous. So, buyer beware!
Regardless of what you plan to take with you, you should check the website of the airline you plan to book for its baggage policies. Some airlines have even more restrictions. For example, they may have limits on weight or dimensions for the bags. Sometimes the airlines are strict and sometimes you can get away with a minor deviation from the rules, but if you're not compliant, you're playing roulette. If the airline is being strict, the fees for non-compliant luggage can be painful.
In basic economy, you also generally don't get to pick a seat in advance, and there are restrictions on refunds and changes.
Websites and Apps
Google Flights
Google Flights https://www.google.com/travel/flights is a great place to start your search for inexpensive flights and to compare dates for travel. When you plug in your destination, it will bring up a calendar showing the exact fares for available dates. Sometimes changing your flight by a few days can result in substantial savings. It also allows you to set up an alert that will track flight prices for specific dates and destinations.
Also many large cities/regions have multiple airports (think New York with JFK, LaGuardia and Newark). Be sure you search all options. If you're booking a connection with separate tickets, check to make sure that you won't have to change airports. And make sure you go to the correct airport. I can't tell you the number of times I've heard stories of people going to the wrong airport.
Another cool Google function is Google Explore. You can connect to it through Google Flights. If you are flexible as to your destination, you can plug in dates and it will tell you how much it will cost to fly to various destinations. You have the ability to narrow the searches to a region (like Europe or Japan) or by price or by flight time. But review the suggested flights carefully. For example, I was suggested a super cheap flight from San Francisco to Boston, but it required three stops and took 35 hours. There was a nonstop for only $30 more. Money well spent as far as I'm concerned.
Again, with Google, you should try to book your flights directly through the airline and not through the consolidators that are often suggested.
Skyscanner
Skyscanner https://www.skyscanner.com/ is a comprehensive flight search website. It also has a function that will suggest cheap last minute deals from your home airport. It also sometimes has flights that aren't found on Google flights or has the flights at MUCH cheaper rates. For example, as I was planning a trip through SE Asia, I found flights that weren't listed on Google flights or that were much cheaper than the rate listed on Google flights. The biggest problem with Skyscanner is that it often directs you to consolidators, and I try to avoid them if possible. But it also sometimes has options that will take you directly to an airline at a lower rate. Bottom line -- check Skyscanner before you book to make sure that you're not missing flight options or lower rates.
Hopper
I've also found the Hopper app to be useful for finding cheap flights or cheap times of the year to travel. https://www.hopper.com/ I like Hopper because it gives you a color-coded calendar with the cheapest dates to fly, predicts whether prices are likely to go up or down, and allows you to track routes that you are interested in. If you find a flight on Hopper, go to the airline's website and see if you can find the fare there. As a rule, it's better to book directly through the airline because it's easier to address problems. But if you can only find the fare on Hopper, book it there. I've booked through Hopper several times (including flights that were COVID canceled) and have never had a problem.
Check with the Airline
One more interesting thing I discovered is that if you know there's a particular flight you're interested in, check directly with the carrier. You may find a better deal through them. For example, I needed to book a flight from Marrakesh to Barcelona on a particular date. I didn't really have flexibility, and the options were few. After doing my research, I concluded that the best option for me was a flight on Royal Air Maroc. When I was ready to book, I checked Google flights and they were showing a one-way price of $200 (which was a very high price for that route). But when I checked on Royal Air Maroc's website, the price was $135 (still high for that route but it was a Spanish bank holiday). So by checking directly with the airline, I saved more than 40%!
Budget Airlines
Southwest
If you are traveling in North or Central America or the Caribbean, you should always check Southwest separately. https://www.southwest.com/ Southwest isn't a budget airline per se, but Southwest flights are generally not included in search engines like Expedia, Google Flights, Kayak, and Hopper. (Update: as of mid-2024, Southwest is now on Google Flights!) And Southwest often offers good prices. The other great thing about Southwest is that they allow two free checked bags. That can be a significant savings if you need to haul a lot of stuff to your destination. It may go without saying that following Southwest's holiday 2022 meltdown, caveat emptor.
Actual Budget Airlines
I try to avoid budget airlines when possible because: a) they make basic economy look luxurious; b) they are notoriously unreliable; and c) the cost of the "extras" can pile up -- making them not such a great deal. That being said, if you're not on a tight schedule and you can plan ahead, sometimes it's worth the risk. Also sometimes a budget airline can be the only feasible way to get to and from certain destinations.
IMPORTANT CAVEAT -- The base price you see on budget airlines often includes NOTHING other than getting your body from point A to point B. If you want to carry on your purse or backpack, there will be an extra charge. If you want to check bags, there's an extra charge. If you want to select your seat, there's an extra charge. If you want a soft drink or snack in flight, there's an extra charge.
Also, budget airlines tend to have smaller fleets and maintenance may nor be easily accessible, so if your plane has a mechanical problem, you should be prepared for a long wait or cancellation.
That being said, I've taken budget airlines in Europe and Asia. Sometimes the cost is so much lower (even with the additional charges) or the route is not covered by the main airlines, that going budget is worth the risk.
Pro tip: If you plan to take bags (carry-on or checked), you should pay the extra costs in advance on the airline website. It often costs more to book your add-ons at the airport. Also, not all budget airlines will show up on all search engines, so you may need to do some extra work to find their flights.
And one tip to keep in mind when flying to a destination outside North America -- if you can find a cheap flight to a destination in the general area you want to travel to (say Europe) but that isn't your desired final destination, sometimes you can transfer from a legacy carrier to a local budget airline or take the train and save a ton of money. So for instance, if you want to fly to Prague but the flights are ridiculously expensive, check flights to Frankfurt or Munich or similar then see if you can get a budget airline flight or take the train to Prague. You may save yourself a lot of money. (Of course you should never book this type of itinerary without making continegency plans if your flight is delayed.)
Going -- Formerly Scott's Cheap Flights
I'm also a huge fan of the newsletter, Going fka "Scott's Cheap Flights." Going sends an email newsletter with great flight deals. There's a free version that allows limited access to the deals, a Premium membership ($50/year) that gives you access to more information and allows you to tailor the information that is sent to you more precisely, and Elite Membership ($200/year) that includes business and first class deals and allows you to tailor your results even more precisely. Membership discounts are also available from time to time.
I find Going most useful for narrowing destinations that are offering good deals. I've often identified a destination through Going and then found an ever better deal by using Hopper or Google Flights.
I suggest you sign up for the free version and then decide if you want to upgrade.
Other great sites and newsletters are Secret Flying and The Points Guy (which is mostly directed to using credit card points but also sometimes announces cheap fares).
Using Points to Fly
I now have my own guide for traveling on points!
Last but not least, credit card and airline loyalty points are a great way to travel for free or, to be exact, almost free (there are usually modest charges for taxes and fees plus an annual fee for a credit card). Since 2021, I've flown for (almost) free round trip from San Francisco to Peru (partially in business class), from Cairo to San Francisco, from San Francisco to Japan to South Korea back to San Francisco, and from San Francisco to Prague and then back from Budapest to San Francisco. And I have flights booked to and from South America and to and from Oaxaca, Mexico. I've also flown my daughter for almost free round trip to Europe, on the same Cairo to SFO flight and one way from SFO to Osaka. And she'll be flying round trip from Japan to SFO at Christmas on points. And I still have lots of points to burn.
My work-in progress guide to traveling on points in now up! I joke about how this is my new religion, and I'm here to evangelize the cult of credit card travel hacking.
Happy Travels!
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