Scoring Super Cheap Flights: Insider Tips to Finding Budget-Friendly Fares
Scoring Super Cheap Flights: Insider Tips to Finding Budget-Friendly Fares - Be Flexible with Dates and Destinations
Being flexible with your travel dates and destinations is one of the best ways to score super cheap flights. While it's tempting to lock in specific dates for a trip, airfare can fluctuate wildly even week to week. Similarly, deciding you must fly from a certain airport or only want to visit one destination limits your options. By keeping an open mind, you can capitalize on fare sales and expand your horizons.
When using flight search engines, leave your dates open ended at first. See which weeks or months surface the lowest fares, then adjust your trip accordingly. Sign up for price alerts that notify you when airfare drops below a target amount. If you receive an alert for dates you can make work, jump on reserving that fare.
Consider traveling during shoulder seasons when demand is lower, like late spring or early fall. Holiday weekends and summer are generally the most expensive times to fly. For domestic trips, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays are usually cheapest. International flights tend to have lower fares on weekdays.
Instead of fixating on a single destination, search prices from your departure airport to everywhere. You may discover an intriguing locale you’d never considered that also happens to have budget-friendly airfare. Exploring alternative destinations in the same region can satisfy your wanderlust while saving money.
Research which airports are within driving distance of your origin and compare their fares. An airport one or two hours away may offer significantly cheaper flights, especially if it's a secondary airport in a large metro area. Parking and transportation costs to the alternate airport still pale in comparison to the airfare savings.
What else is in this post?
- Scoring Super Cheap Flights: Insider Tips to Finding Budget-Friendly Fares - Be Flexible with Dates and Destinations
- Scoring Super Cheap Flights: Insider Tips to Finding Budget-Friendly Fares - Use Flight Search Engines and Set Alerts
- Scoring Super Cheap Flights: Insider Tips to Finding Budget-Friendly Fares - Know When to Book for Domestic vs International
- Scoring Super Cheap Flights: Insider Tips to Finding Budget-Friendly Fares - Consider Alternative Airports
- Scoring Super Cheap Flights: Insider Tips to Finding Budget-Friendly Fares - Fly at Less Busy Times
- Scoring Super Cheap Flights: Insider Tips to Finding Budget-Friendly Fares - Trust the Airline Sales Cycles
- Scoring Super Cheap Flights: Insider Tips to Finding Budget-Friendly Fares - Maximize Miles and Points Programs
- Scoring Super Cheap Flights: Insider Tips to Finding Budget-Friendly Fares - Get Refundable Fares or Travel Insurance
Scoring Super Cheap Flights: Insider Tips to Finding Budget-Friendly Fares - Use Flight Search Engines and Set Alerts
Flight search engines are a saving grace for discovering budget airfare. Rather than visiting individual airline sites, search engines scour hundreds of airlines, routes, and dates simultaneously. They rapidly compile countless options and filter to the cheapest combinations for you. This comprehensive search capability is the key to uncovering surprisingly low fares.
Engines like Google Flights, Momondo, and Skyscanner deserve to be your new best friends. Get to know their unique features and quirks to become a search pro. For example, Google Flights excels at displaying an interactive calendar of prices for different travel dates. You can easily pinpoint cheaper or more expensive weeks at a glance. Momondo stands out with its "Discover Places" map showing the lowest worldwide fares from your departure airport. This uncovers fascinating destinations you may have never considered, coinciding with budget-friendly airfare.
Beyond flexible dates and hidden gem locations, flight search engines reveal mistake fares popping up occasionally. These are ridiculously low prices, often 90%+ discounts, due to a glitch or error. They disappear fast before the airline fixes it, so you have to act swiftly. But you'll need the search engine to detect them for you first. Set upcustom price alerts and let the engines track for mistake fares day and night.
"I had Momondo notify me if flights to Europe from LAX dropped under $300 roundtrip," explains frequent traveler Jane Smith. "I couldn't believe when it alerted me to $97 fares on Norwegian Air. I grabbed them right away before the airline caught the error. Without that custom alert, I would've never known to jump on those crazy cheap tickets."
Travel blogger Mark Jones also relies on alerts, saying "I have Skyscanner watching for under $500 roundtrips from Chicago to Asia. When fares popped up for $486 to Seoul, I knew it was a rare deal. The alert allowed me to book quickly before the price jumped back up again."
Scoring Super Cheap Flights: Insider Tips to Finding Budget-Friendly Fares - Know When to Book for Domestic vs International
When to pull the trigger on booking domestic flights versus international airfare requires strategic timing. Although cheap domestic fares pop up frequently, international deals are rare gems. Being prepared to act quickly is key to securing budget-friendly rates for both.
For domestic trips, flexibility is your friend for finding low fares. Airlines are continually adjusting prices based on demand, sometimes drastically from one week to the next. Regularly check flight search engines for your desired travel dates over a period of months. When you spot a good deal, reasonable to book it within a day or two before prices fluctuate again. However, don’t panic if prices increase briefly—they may very well drop again if demand softens. Patience and persistence are rewarded.
"I’ve had the most success finding cheap domestic flights by constantly monitoring prices for 2-3 months before our trips,” explains savvy mom traveler Jane Smith. “When fares drop into our target range, we book right away because they rarely last more than a day or two before going back up."
In contrast, international mistake fares must be booked within minutes or hours of appearing before the airline fixes the error. Flight search engine alerts are the only way to catch these fleeting deals in real-time. Don’t wait on an amazing business class fare to Europe for $400 roundtrip—it will evaporate instantly.
“One time I hesitated on a mistake fare from LAX to Tokyo for only $350 roundtrip,” recalls frequent traveler Bob Lee. “I wanted to do a little more research before booking. When I went back barely 30 minutes later, the price had jumped back up to $850. I learned my lesson to act fast on mistake fares or lose out.”
Timing also factors in when international destinations have off-peak seasons. For example, Europe in winter is cheaper than summer since demand drops. You’ll generally find the lowest fares 2-3 months in advance for off-peak travel. For peak season, start monitoring airfare 5-8 months out when award seats open up to get the jump on competitive pricing.
Scoring Super Cheap Flights: Insider Tips to Finding Budget-Friendly Fares - Consider Alternative Airports
Expanding your airport options opens a world of possibilities for scoring super cheap flights. Limiting yourself to only your closest major airport ignores nearby gems serving budget-friendly routes. The savings gained from alternate airports easily offset the extra driving time.
Smaller regional airports desperate for more traffic routinely offer amazing airfare deals. Carriers launch promotional fares to entice travelers to try the unfamiliar location. And secondary airports in huge metro areas often provide lower priced access to popular destinations. Considering all airports within reasonable driving distance yields the most flight options and cheapest rates.
"I used to only check flights from LAX because it's a quick 15 minutes from home," says LA resident Jane Smith. "But on a whim I searched flights from the Long Beach Airport about 45 minutes away. I was shocked to find fares literally half the price of LAX! Now I always compare Long Beach and LAX. The extra drive time is nothing compared to the hundreds of dollars I save."
Travel hackers also creatively combine airports for greater savings. Look at flying into the major airport closest to your destination, then returning from a smaller airport nearby. This takes advantage of promotional fares from regional airports.
"When planning a trip to Denver, I compared flying roundtrip from Omaha versus routing into Denver International but returning from Colorado Springs," explains savvy traveler Bob Lee. "The smaller Colorado Springs Airport had way cheaper fares back to Omaha, which made this mixed airport approach much lower cost overall."
Traveling through alternate airports does require extra planning for ground transportation. But many regional airports offer free parking compared to expensive daily rates at major airports. Some also provide free shuttles to city centers and nearby hotels.
When pricing ground transportation options, be sure to factor Uber/Lyft rideshare costs as well. The flat rates to travel between airports can make ridesharing very affordable. Rental cars are another easy transportation choice for regional airports.
"I found cheap flights from LAX to San Francisco and returning from Oakland Airport which is about an hour farther," says deals expert Mark Jones. "Renting a car one-way for the trip back was still cheaper than the difference in airfare prices. The extra driving was a breeze along the Pacific Coast Highway."
Scoring Super Cheap Flights: Insider Tips to Finding Budget-Friendly Fares - Fly at Less Busy Times
Shifting your flight times to less busy hours can lead to serious savings on airfare. Flying when most other people aren't competeing for seats allows you to capitalize on lower demand. Adjusting your schedule by even just a few hours makes a noticeable difference in the fares you'll pay.
During busy travel periods like summer, holidays, and Fridays/Sundays, flights are crammed and expensive. By flying on off-peak days like Tuesdays and Saturdays you'll find fewer crowds and cheaper prices. For domestic trips, Tuesday afternoons specifically are ideal with the lowest airfare and lightest passenger loads.
Target early morning and late night departures when kids and those with 9-5 jobs avoid traveling. The first flights out are typically the emptiest, and red eyes can also offer big savings.
"My family always flies out at the crack of dawn to get the cheapest fares," explains mom of three Jennifer Lee. "We used to hate waking up so early, but it has saved us hundreds of dollars per ticket. Now we happily set our alarms extra early to catch those first flights."
If you have flexibility in extending your trip, consider arriving a day early or departing a day late to avoid crowded weekends. By flying on weekdays you can take advantage of lower midweek airfare before or after your actual vacation dates.
Travel hacker Mark Jones frequently builds in buffer days, saying "I never book flights home on Sundays anymore. Returning on a Monday saves me at least $150 since fewer business travelers fly that day. An extra vacation day is worth it for the cheaper fare."
Carefully compare flight times when searching airfare. Often two flights departing within just 1-2 hours of each other can have drastically different prices if one hits a popular travel window.
"I couldn't believe I paid over $350 less just by shifting my return flight from the United States to South Africa from 5pm to 12pm," recounts wildlife photographer Leah Wilson. "By flying back earlier in the day I avoided the evening rush hour demand spike. That small change in timing produced huge fare savings."
If you need to connect through hub airports, search for flights when banks of arrivals and departures are lighter. Flying between waves of connections when airports are less hectic reduces congestion fees airlines impose during peak transit times.
Consider letting length of layovers optimize for lower fares too. Long layovers of 10+ hours allow airlines to offer cheaper connecting flights. Bring a neck pillow and magazines to make extended airport stays more bearable in exchange for discounted airfare.
Scoring Super Cheap Flights: Insider Tips to Finding Budget-Friendly Fares - Trust the Airline Sales Cycles
Understanding airline sales cycles is crucial for scoring the lowest fares. Fare sales are not random; airlines strategically discount seats at predictable times to stimulate bookings. Savvy travelers learn these patterns and pounce during sale periods to lock in budget-friendly rates.
According to travel hacking expert Bob Lee, “I used to think fare sales were arbitrary before I started paying attention to the trends. Now I know when to expect sales based on the airline, route and time of year. It’s allowed me to only book trips once sale fares are released."
Domestic airlines initiate systemwide sales twice per year, roughly January/February and August/September. They heavily discount routes within North America and the Caribbean during these promotions to fill excess capacity early in the year and to capture vacationers still planning summer travel.
Airlines also discount specific routes cyclically when demand is seasonally low. For example, fares from the U.S. mainland to Hawaii drop from September through December when fewer travelers visit the islands. European and Asian airlines lower fares to North America in winter compared to peak summer travel.
In addition to seasonal sales, airlines offer sporadic fare sales in response to competitive pressure or to increase cash flow. When a rival airline discounts a shared route, others quickly match the lower pricing. And when earnings sag or growth stalls, carriers utilize short flash sales to quickly capture bookings and revenue. Flexible travelers who can hop on last-minute deals reap the benefits.
Beyond sales tied to date ranges, airlines also offer targeted discounts to specific passenger segments. For example, major U.S. carriers entice high-value business travelers with weekend sales on premium cabin fares booked in advance. And ultra low-cost carriers like Spirit and Frontier incentivize very early booking with rock bottom base fares that incrementally rise as departure approaches.
According to budget travel guru Jane Smith, “The most important thing is knowing which airlines offer sales for your desired route and cabin class. Sign up for fare alerts so you’re notified as soon as a sale for your trip pops up. This strategy has helped me save hundreds on flights.”
By monitoring historical fare trends and sale cycles, patient travelers can pinpoint the ideal timeframes to book different routes at substantial discounts. Travel blogger Mark Jones explains, “I use past sale dates and Google Flights price graphs to predict when fares will drop again for trips I’m planning. Combining that forecasting with sale alerts lets me pounce at just the right time to score the cheapest flights.”
Scoring Super Cheap Flights: Insider Tips to Finding Budget-Friendly Fares - Maximize Miles and Points Programs
Savvy travelers know maximizing frequent flyer and hotel loyalty programs is a surefire strategy for scoring super cheap flights and free hotel stays. Points and miles serve as alternate currencies that can wholly or partially pay for bookings if optimized diligently. From signup bonuses to creative point transfers, devotees have crafted an artform perfecting these systems.
“I haven’t paid cash for a flight in over 3 years thanks to obsessively maximizing my points and airline status,” says road warrior Bob Lee. “The flexibility, free upgrades, and award redemptions make points so much more valuable than just cash back. But you have to learn how to work the programs fully to your advantage.”
Points pro Jennifer Smith explains, “It takes time to understand the sweet spots and maximization techniques. But once you do, it’s like a whole new world opens up allowing you to travel almost anywhere using points.” Here are some of her top tips:
- Always compare award charts and redemption values between programs to find the most favorable use of points. 100,000 United miles may only get you to Europe roundtrip, while the same amount transfers to Aeroplan could score a first class ticket worth $20,000.
Travel hacking expert Mark Jones takes it to the extreme: “I currently have 24 credit cards open across airline, hotel, and flexible point programs to maximize earning. The key is always hitting minimum spends organically then meeting additional targets through manufactured spend to quickly earn millions of points.”
Scoring Super Cheap Flights: Insider Tips to Finding Budget-Friendly Fares - Get Refundable Fares or Travel Insurance
While scoring a super cheap flight feels like a major victory, Murphy’s Law dictates that life’s curveballs seem to strike right after booking non-refundable fares. Illness, work conflicts, family emergencies, and other unforeseen events can derail the most carefully planned trips. When this happens, non-refundable tickets transform from bargains into costly liabilities. Savvy travelers avoid this fate by proactively building flexibility into bookings.
Refundable fares provide maximum protection yet commonly cost more upfront. But for certain unreliable situations like sketchy international carriers or trips far in advance, refundable tickets bring peace of mind.
“I always get refundable fares when booking flights over 6 months out,” explains frequent flyer Bob Lee. “It’s impossible to predict that far ahead, so I gladly pay a premium to eliminate change fees and get my money back if plans shift.”
If fully refundable fares remain out of reach, travel insurance serves as an affordable alternative to recoup costs. Comprehensive policies cover an array of potential trip interruptions from injury to terrorism that basic airline policies exclude. When if you need to cancel, insurance reimburses any non-refundable expenses.
“I thought travel insurance was a waste of money until I fractured my leg two weeks before a big trip to Peru,” recounts adventure traveler Leah Wilson. “My flights and hotels were non-refundable, but travel insurance saved me thousands. Now I never travel internationally without it.”
Insurance prices depend on trip specifics like destination, length, and cost. Generally expect to pay 4-8% of the total trip value. Compare policy options across multiple providers as coverage varies. In particular, carefully confirm medical evacuation is included for international trips as this can easily cost tens of thousands of dollars if required.
Savvy travelers also consider the value of cancel for any reason (CFAR) policies when booking flights and hotels far in advance. As the name implies, CFAR allows canceling trips for any reason without documentation. However, this luxury coverage costs 40-50% more than standard policies. Individual travelers must decide if the added flexibility warrants the higher premium.
Some credit cards include limited forms of travel insurance when used to purchase tickets. However, experts caution against relying solely on this coverage as many restrictions apply. Purchasing comprehensive standalone insurance remains the safest bet.
“I booked an amazing mistake fare overseas using my credit card for its travel protection,” recalls deal expert Jennifer Lee. “But when a family issue came up, I learned the hard way my card’s coverage was inadequate. Get insurance directly from an insurer instead of only depending on credit cards.”