Booking a flight can feel like rate roulette—one minute, you find an amazing deal, and the next, prices have reached cruising altitude. But what if you could crack the code to find cheap flights every time? The truth is, there’s some strategy to scoring the best airfare. With a few hacks, you can book that dream trip without draining your bank account.
Here are a few fun and effective hacks to help you land the best deal on cheap flights, whether you’re planning a weekend getaway or your next big adventure.
1. Be flexible with your travel dates
Flexibility is your best friend when it comes to finding cheap flights. Airlines adjust their prices based on demand, and if you can fly mid-week or at odd times, you’re more likely to snag a deal. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays are often the cheapest days to fly, while Fridays and Sundays tend to be the priciest due to weekend travelers.
Hack: Use flight search tools like Google Flights or Kayak for a “flexible dates” option. These tools let you see an entire month of flight prices at once, so you can easily spot the cheapest days to fly.
Brigit tip: If you can’t be flexible on your travel dates, at least try to be flexible on the time of day. Red-eye or early-morning flights are usually cheaper than flights during peak hours.
2. Set fare alerts
If you’re not ready to book right away, let the internet do the work for you! Fare alerts are an amazing tool to track price changes over time. Simply enter your desired destination and dates on travel sites, and let them notify you when prices drop.
Hack: If you can, set up alerts a few months in advance to track price ups and downs and get notified when it’s the right time to buy. You might be surprised at how much fares can vary from day to day!
Brigit tip: When you get an alert for a good deal, act fast. Flight prices can change in minutes, so if you see something that fits your budget, don’t hesitate to book (you usually have 24 hours to cancel if you get buyer’s remorse or find something better)
3. Book during the pricing “sweet spot”
Timing is everything when booking flights. While last-minute deals do happen (and often they don’t), they’re not necessarily that great a discount. The best time to book a flight is typically 1-3 months before domestic travel and 3-6 months before international travel. This window is considered the “sweet spot” when airlines are most likely to offer the lowest fares.
Hack: Use tools like Skyscanner‘s Best Time to Book feature, which shows the ideal booking window for specific routes based on historical data.
Brigit tip: Sometimes it’s best to book flights on a Tuesday or Wednesday because airlines often announce deals early in the week.
4. Fly budget airlines
If you’re looking to save big on airfare, try flying with budget airlines like Spirit, Frontier, or Allegiant in the U.S., or Ryanair and EasyJet in Europe. These no-frills carriers have some of the lowest base fares you’ll find. Just watch out for the extra fees they charge for things like seat selection, baggage, and even in-flight snacks.
Hack: Pack light! Avoid checked bag fees by sticking to a carry-on. Budget airlines usually have strict baggage policies even for carry-ons, so double-check the size and weight limits before you head to the airport.
Brigit tip: Sign up for budget airline newsletters. These airlines frequently offer flash sales and special deals to email subscribers that you won’t find anywhere else.
5. Search for flights in incognito mode
Ever feel like flight prices go up the second you start searching? You’re not imagining it. Some travel sites use cookies to track your search history and might raise prices if they see you repeatedly checking the same route. (Sneaky, right?) But two can play at that game—just go undercover with your searching.
Hack: Search for flights in incognito mode (or private browsing mode) to prevent websites from tracking your activity and potentially inflating prices.
Brigit tip: Clear your browser cookies regularly when you shop for flights to avoid being targeted by these sneaky price hikes.
6. Use points and miles
If you have a credit card that earns airline miles or travel points, you could score a free (or nearly free) flight. Many airlines also offer loyalty programs that let you accumulate miles every time you fly with them. Keep an eye on promotions where you can earn bonus points just by signing up or spending a certain amount in the first few months.
Hack: Transfer credit card points to an airline loyalty program for maximum flexibility. Some credit card programs let you convert points into miles across multiple airlines, giving you more options to find the best deal.
Brigit tip: Be strategic about how you use your points. The best value often comes from booking long-haul or international flights, where miles can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
7. Consider alternative airports
Major airports are convenient, but they often come with higher price tags. If you’re willing to fly into (or out of) a smaller, nearby airport, you could save a significant amount of money. For example, flying into Oakland instead of San Francisco or Burbank instead of LAX can sometimes result in cheaper flights.
Hack: Use the “Nearby Airports” feature on flight search engines like Kayak or Google Flights. It shows you flights to smaller airports that may not be on your radar.
Brigit tip: Factor in the cost of transportation from the airport to your destination. Sometimes the savings from using a smaller airport can be offset by higher ground transportation costs, so weigh your options carefully.
8. Mix and match airlines
Don’t limit yourself to booking round-trip flights on a single airline. Sometimes you can score a better deal by flying out with one airline and returning with another. This is known as a “hacker fare”, and it’s a smart way to save money by mixing and matching different carriers.
Hack: Use search engines like Skyscanner or Momondo that automatically show you hacker fares by combining different airlines for your outbound and return flights.
Brigit tip: Just make sure to double-check the baggage policies for each airline if you’re mixing carriers, as they can vary widely.
9. Be open to spontaneity
If you’re the adventurous type, why not let the cheapest destination decide your next trip? Flight search engines like Skyscanner have a “search everywhere” feature that shows you the lowest fares available from your home airport to any destination. It’s a fun way to discover new places while sticking to your budget.
Hack: Head to Skyscanner or Google Flights and type “Everywhere” in the destination box to see the cheapest flights available anywhere in the world. You might end up jetting off to a city you never considered!
Brigit tip: Off-season travel (think Europe in the winter or tropical destinations during the shoulder season) often results in much cheaper flights and accommodations, allowing you to experience popular places without the high cost or crowds.
10. Leverage error fares
Every now and then, airlines make pricing mistakes and accidentally post extremely low fares. These “error fares” can be goldmines for travelers in the know. Websites like Secret Flying or Scott’s Cheap Flights specialize in finding and posting these error fares, so you can snatch them up before they’re corrected.
Hack: Follow error fare sites or sign up for email alerts to get notified the minute these crazy deals go live. But act quickly—airlines often fix error fares within hours.
Brigit tip: When booking an error fare, wait a day or two before making non-refundable plans (like hotel reservations) just in case the airline cancels the ticket.
