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Finding Cheap Flights: How to Save Big on Airfare

How to Save Money on Airfare: Your Guide to Budget-Friendly Flights

Joanna Teljeur
Written By Joanna Teljeur
5 minutes read
Last Updated: October 17, 2024

Airline ticket prices are expected to climb in 2025, according to Nasdaq. The increasing number of travelers combined with Boeing’s delivery issues points to the notion that fares will undoubtedly continue to rise.

Fortunately, there are so many ways to save money on flights right now! From choosing the right dates to using some lesser-known travel hacks, this guide will show you the best proven ways to help you save money when you book your next trip.

Book Early, But Not Too Early

Whether you’re looking for an international or domestic flight, timing is everything if you want to save money. But rather than booking on a precise day of the week or an exact number of days before departure, the site Going recommends buying tickets during a certain timeframe.

They say that you can find the best prices for domestic flights when you book 1-3 months ahead of your planned travel dates. In fact, a report by Expedia found that booking 28 days before departure could save as much as 24% compared to booking closer to the day of departure.

For international flights, aim to book your flight 60 days ahead of time but no earlier than 4 months in advance. The same Expedia report also showed that passengers who followed this rule saved around 10% compared to those who booked even further in advance.

Choose the Right Day

What is the best day to fly? The answer has been debated and analyzed for years, but some recent studies have found a couple of trends worth looking at more closely.

Expedia found that traveling on Thursdays could save you as much as 16% for International flights while Sundays are the most expensive day to fly.

Upgraded Points found that Mondays and Tuesdays usually had lower fares than other days of the week with Tuesdays being the cheapest across US airlines.

Choose the Right Time to Fly

Red-eye and early morning flights are the bane of most travelers, but choosing to fly during these times can save you some money simply because they tend to be so unpopular.

According to data from Kayak and Travel + Leisure, international flights departing from the U.S. between 4am and 9am were on average 13% less expensive than afternoon flights. But another advantage to early morning departures is having fewer delays and cancellations as well as more space in the aircraft as well as in the airport.

Use Ticket Price Tracker Sites

There was a time before complex algorithms when airlines would have certain ‘drop dates’ for ticket prices. But with the dynamic pricing model used today, prices can change any time. This being the case, it helps to use price predictors that analyze historical fare data to help you decide whether to jump on a seemingly low fare or wait.

Just remember to set the notifications on these sites (or the app) so you know when prices are dropping. Here are a few of the most highly recommended sites to consider.

  • Hopper: Using AI to analyze countless ticket prices, Hopper will give you the percentage change of price changes and send you alerts when it’s the best time to buy tickets.
  • Google Flights: This tool has a price tracking feature, so when you choose certain routes, it will notify you when prices rise or fall. It also uses historical data to help you see pricing trends. 
  • SkyScanner: Like Hopper, this site tracks price changes for the route you’re looking for but also gives you insights about fare trends while comparing prices from multiple airlines and booking sites.

Google Flights for Cheap Fares

Clear Cookies or Use Incognito Browsing

Now that we’ve mentioned dynamic pricing, you can steer clear of this kind of price manipulation by using incognito mode to search for cheaper flights. This can help you save quite a bit because some sites will adjust fares based on how frequently you visit them. You’ll think prices are rising and feel a sense of urgency to purchase a ticket quickly as a result. 

tip

When you use incognito mode, cookies will be blocked from storing your search information so that the site will think you’re always visiting for the first time. Searching for flights this way may not always yield cheaper flights, but it will definitely reduce the chances of higher prices caused by multiple visits to a single site.

Check Flights in Different Currencies

International ticket fares can sometimes be found for less when you search in different currencies. So, say you wanted to book a flight with KLM . . . you would switch to a different country and currency and then search for fares.

Ideally, you would want to begin by checking prices in your home currency and then look at others to get a good idea of how the prices may or may not change after you do the conversion. Bottom line, you benefit from currency fluctuations and regional pricing.

Searching for better fares using a VPN is a similar strategy but is different from changing currencies because a VPN alters your perceived search location rather than maximizing exchange rates.

Use Open-Jaw Flights

Traveling to more than one city? You could save some money by flying to one city but departing from a different one. In most cases, this can be less expensive than buying a round-trip or several one-way tickets.

For example, you could depart from New York and arrive at London Gatwick then drive to Birmingham Airport where you take a flight back to New York. This also works in reverse where you would depart from New York, fly to London and return to Newark instead of New York.

Save on Flights newsletters

Sign Up for Airline Newsletters

If you have some flexibility, and you’re looking for an adventure, one great way to really save on airline tickets is by registering for airline newsletters. When you do this you’ll get an email alerting you to their flash ticket sales which can offer as much as 50% off the regular price on certain routes or during certain travel periods.

Norwegian Air, for example, has had flash sales on transatlantic tickets that offered as much as 30% savings while British Airways has offered flash discounts on one-way fares from London to cities in Europe for as little as £30.

If your flight was delayed, canceled or overbooked within the last 3 years, you could be eligible for up to €600 in compensation.Check Your Flight

To Wrap Up

Finding ways to save on airfare evolves as quickly as prices change. There’s always a new tool or hack around the corner. But whether you choose to track fares on Google Flights, sign up for airline newsletters, or look for deals in different currencies, it’s always best to stay as flexible as possible with your travel dates in order to maximize savings.

It also doesn’t hurt to look into some tried and true favorites like using airline loyalty programs, credit card points, or simply booking with a low cost carrier. Bottom line, you can always find a way to save on flights.

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