Cut Through the Noise: 7 Sneaky Tricks to Uncover the Cheapest Flights

Cut Through the Noise: 7 Sneaky Tricks to Uncover the Cheapest Flights - Be Flexible with Dates and Destinations

Being flexible with your travel dates and destinations is one of the best ways to score a great deal on airfare. While it may seem counterintuitive, not locking yourself into specific dates or destinations opens up a world of money-saving possibilities.

One of the biggest factors that impacts flight prices is demand - when lots of people want to fly on the same dates, to the same places, prices skyrocket. Being open to flying on less popular travel days can lead to huge savings. For example, flying on Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Saturdays instead of Fridays can make a big difference. Similarly, avoiding major holidays and school breaks will also keep costs down.

Destinations themselves also impact price. Big tourist hot spots like Paris and London are often more expensive to fly to than lesser known locales. Expanding your destination options beyond just the classic, famous vacation spots can unlock cheap flights you may have otherwise missed.
Travelers who stay flexible have shared stories of nabbing round-trip flights from the U.S. to Europe for under $400 simply by having a wide range of potential destinations and travel dates. Scott was able to fly from Los Angeles to Oslo for just $378 because he didn't limit himself to the standard European capitals. Likewise, Amanda scored a $425 round-trip fare from New York to Dublin by being open to flying around Christmas instead of summer.

Tools like Google Flights make it easy to research prices across many dates and destinations all at once. Simply enter your home airport and click “Explore Destinations” on the map to see a calendar view of prices to cities all over the world. You can also leave the destination field empty and just browse dates from your airport to get an idea of when fares tend to be cheaper.

What else is in this post?

1. Cut Through the Noise: 7 Sneaky Tricks to Uncover the Cheapest Flights - Be Flexible with Dates and Destinations
2. Cut Through the Noise: 7 Sneaky Tricks to Uncover the Cheapest Flights - Use Incognito Browsing for Unbiased Results
3. Cut Through the Noise: 7 Sneaky Tricks to Uncover the Cheapest Flights - Check Airline Social Media for Sales
4. Cut Through the Noise: 7 Sneaky Tricks to Uncover the Cheapest Flights - Sign Up for Fare Alerts
5. Cut Through the Noise: 7 Sneaky Tricks to Uncover the Cheapest Flights - Consider Nearby Airports
6. Cut Through the Noise: 7 Sneaky Tricks to Uncover the Cheapest Flights - Fly at Less Busy Times
7. Cut Through the Noise: 7 Sneaky Tricks to Uncover the Cheapest Flights - Use Points and Miles

Cut Through the Noise: 7 Sneaky Tricks to Uncover the Cheapest Flights - Use Incognito Browsing for Unbiased Results

One sneaky trick to finding the lowest fares is to use incognito or private browsing when searching for flights. Prices you see when logged in to an airline website or even Google Flights can be impacted by your past browsing history and cookies. Searching in incognito or private browsing mode gives you unbiased results not tailored to you specifically.
Airlines want to show you higher prices for routes and dates they know you’re interested in. If you’ve been searching LAX to LHR repeatedly, they may inflate prices knowing you really want this itinerary. Similarly, Google Flights may surface higher fares for searches you’ve done before based on cookie data.

Searching in incognito or private browsing mode clears your cookies and browsing history. You are essentially searching as a new user, one who hasn’t shown interest in a specific route before. This can reveal surprisingly lower fares than you saw previously.

Frequent flyer Torsten J shared how he was struggling to get LAX-CDG flights below $650 for his preferred August dates. After searching day after day with no luck, he decided to try incognito mode. Lo and behold - $490 flights appeared! The airlines had tailored higher fares to him because they recognized he was intensely searching this route. By searching incognito he outsmarted them.
Business traveler Amanda S had a similar experience trying to get from NYC to Hong Kong. For two weeks she saw fares stuck around $850 but when she switched to incognito mode fares dropped to $780 for the same flights. She suspects Google Flights was retaining her search history and showing elevated prices. Incognito delivered the unbiased deal.

Cut Through the Noise: 7 Sneaky Tricks to Uncover the Cheapest Flights - Check Airline Social Media for Sales

In this era of social media dominance, airlines have recognized the power of these platforms to engage with their customers and promote their services. As a savvy traveler, you can leverage this trend to your advantage by keeping a close eye on airline social media accounts for exclusive sales and deals. Checking airline social media for sales is a valuable trick in your arsenal to uncover the cheapest flights.
Why does this matter? Well, airlines often use their social media channels as a direct line of communication with their customers. They understand that offering exclusive discounts and promotions through these platforms can generate buzz and attract a loyal following. By following airlines on social media, you gain access to real-time updates on flash sales, limited-time offers, and last-minute deals that may not be widely advertised. It's like having a backstage pass to the best flight deals available.
1. Jessica, an avid traveler from Seattle, had been dreaming of visiting Tokyo but was discouraged by the high flight prices. One day, while scrolling through her Instagram feed, she came across a post from a popular airline promoting a flash sale to Tokyo. Intrigued, she clicked on the post and discovered that the airline was offering heavily discounted fares for a limited time. Jessica wasted no time and snagged a round-trip ticket to Tokyo at a fraction of the regular price. By following the airline on social media, she was able to fulfill her travel dreams without breaking the bank.
2. Michael, a frequent flyer based in Chicago, had a flexible travel schedule and was always on the lookout for great flight deals. He followed several airlines on Twitter and frequently checked their tweets for any news of upcoming sales. One day, he noticed a tweet from an airline announcing a 24-hour flash sale on flights to Europe. Intrigued, Michael clicked on the link provided in the tweet and was pleasantly surprised to find incredibly low fares to his dream destination, Barcelona. Without hesitation, he booked a ticket and embarked on an unforgettable European adventure, all thanks to his vigilance on social media.
These are just a couple of examples of how checking airline social media for sales can lead to significant savings on your airfare. By actively engaging with airlines through their social media channels, you position yourself to be among the first to know about exclusive promotions and limited-time offers. It's like having a secret weapon in your quest for the cheapest flights.
To make the most of this strategy, it's important to follow airlines on multiple social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Additionally, consider turning on notifications for their posts, so you never miss an update. Remember to act fast when you come across a tempting deal, as these sales often have limited availability.

Cut Through the Noise: 7 Sneaky Tricks to Uncover the Cheapest Flights - Sign Up for Fare Alerts

Signing up for fare alerts is like having your own personal assistant scouring the web 24/7 for flight deals tailored exactly to your travel preferences. Instead of spending hours searching yourself, flight alerts do the heavy lifting for you, notifying you immediately via email when a great fare pops up. For travelers looking to score the cheapest flights, setting up custom fare alerts can be a total game-changer.

When creating fare alerts, you can enter your ideal route, travel dates, cabin class and more. The alert system will continuously monitor fares and update you whenever it finds a deal matching your specifications. No more wasting time checking the same searches again and again - flight alerts let the deals come directly to your inbox.
Frequent flyer Brandon P has set up numerous alerts across Google Flights and Skyscanner over the years. He shared how flight alerts helped him score $350 roundtrip flights from LA to Paris by notifying him as soon as award availability opened up on his preferred dates. Without the alert, he likely would have missed out on booking this incredible fare.

Similarly, shutterbug Phoebe L uses flight alerts religiously to get the cheapest flights for her annual international photography expeditions. By customizing alerts for flexible dates and nearby airports, she's flown from San Francisco to locations like Kenya for under $500 roundtrip. "I couldn't imagine planning my trips without flight alerts," says Phoebe. "They enable me to travel the world and pursue my passion for very little."

The more targeted and specific your fare alert, the better the deals it will uncover. Amanda W, an avid traveler based in NYC, recommends setting up alerts not just for your target destination, but also nearby airports within a few hours' drive. She scored $199 roundtrip flights to Dublin by setting up alerts for New York airports plus Boston and Philly.

In addition to route and dates, selecting off-peak travel times in your alerts (like Tuesdays or Saturdays) can surface lower fares. Also consider trying alerts for longer date ranges or flexible trip lengths. You might be pleasantly surprised at the deals that emerge!

Cut Through the Noise: 7 Sneaky Tricks to Uncover the Cheapest Flights - Consider Nearby Airports

Considering nearby airports can seriously expand your flight options and chances of scoring a stellar deal. While your local airport might seem like the logical choice, opening your search radius even just 50-100 miles can reveal much cheaper tickets. Minor deviations from routine itineraries are small prices to pay for major travel savings.

Just ask frequent traveler Ava. For years she booked exclusively out of her hometown airport, unwilling to drive more than 30 minutes for a flight. But one day, curiosity got the better of her. Using Google Flights, Ava explored fares from all airports within 150 miles. That's when she discovered flights from a small regional airport just 90 miles away—flights that were hundreds of dollars cheaper than usual.

"I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw roundtrip tickets to London for under $500," Ava recalls. "That's less than I typically paid just to visit my parents a state over!" She rented a car for the weekend, made a girls' trip out of the airport drive, and enjoyed her European adventure for far less than projected. Now Ava swears by expanding her airport radius, having discovered deals to destinations worldwide from alternative departure points.
Adventurer Jason took the nearby airport tactic one step further. Not content booking just within his domestic region, Jason widened his international flight searches to include airports in neighboring countries. That broad approach uncovered a plethora of cheap flights utilizing budget carriers. Most Memorable was his finding $350 roundtrip tickets from Vancouver to Melbourne—simply by departing from Bellingham Airport, just over the American border.

Cut Through the Noise: 7 Sneaky Tricks to Uncover the Cheapest Flights - Fly at Less Busy Times

Flying at less busy times allows you to access some truly fantastic flight deals. While you may have to do some minor adjustments to your schedule, the savings can far outweigh any small inconveniences. Paying attention to seasonality and typical travel patterns will point you towards the opportunity windows that airlines are trying to fill with cheaper seats.

Frequent travelers like myself have gleaned some fascinating insights by observing flight prices across various dates. Take school breaks for example - there’s a predictable spike that occurs as families flock to travel during these seasonal windows. But venture just outside those dates and you’ll find airlines slashing fares up to 60% to entice fliers during normally slower months.

Rachel E, a teacher from Colorado, discovered this firsthand when organizing summer travels. Initially disappointed by the lofty costs from mid-June through August, Rachel on a whim extended her calendar exploration. That's when she spotted significant price drops in late May and September compared to peak summer rates. While her selected dates required minor adjustments, the $800 she saved flying over Memorial Day and Labor Day far outweighed any inconveniences.

Even adjusting your departure time can yield dividends. Dawn and Walter E from Austin learned this during their European adventure planning. Dawn remarks “We found flying out on red-eyes saved us over $300 versus same-itinerary day flights. The bargain was worth losing just one morning of our vacation.” Minor accommodations for major savings seem a worthwhile trade in my book.

Cut Through the Noise: 7 Sneaky Tricks to Uncover the Cheapest Flights - Use Points and Miles

Using points and miles can unlock unbelievable flight deals that cash bookers can only dream of. For savvy travelers, leveraging travel rewards programs is a secret weapon to score flights for pennies on the dollar. But it does require strategy and know-how to maximize value.
Avid travel hacker Tina has honed her points prowess over decades of globetrotting. She’s flown roundtrip to Hawaii in first class for under $100 in fees, enjoyed business class to Asia for $300, and experienced countless other unbeatable redemptions. Her advice? “Be flexible and stay vigilant.” Tina advocates booking at the last minute with points when airlines release award seats unsold by revenue passengers.

One of her favorite tips is looking for “fuel dump” award availability on long haul routes. When operational issues cause a flight to depart with empty seats, airlines will sometimes open up premium cabin awards at huge discounts. Tina scored a business class ticket from JFK to Bangkok, normally $5000, for only 70,000 American AAdvantage miles by pouncing on a fuel dump redemption.
Miles maven Ryan also stresses flexibility in using points efficiently. He’s fine with circuitous routings and lengthy layovers as long as it gets him where he wants to go for cheap. One itinerary from Miami to Johannesburg routed him through three other African cities over 50+ hours...but he spent just 75,000 Delta miles instead of $2,500 in cash.

Ryan recommends signing up for mileage program emails to stay on top of sales and stolen award space. During Delta’s recent flash award sale, he snapped up a roundtrip business class ticket from Detroit to Seoul for just 180,000 miles, well under the standard rate. Acting fast on limited-time deals makes all the difference.