Cheap Flights: FareCompare’s 4 Cheap-Ways To-Air Fares!
Ever checked flight prices, and felt your dreams of traveling slip out the door? You’re not alone. International flights can sometimes devour half your vacation budget before you’ve even packed your suitcase. But here’s the good news: Scoring cheap flights is not a game of luck, it is a matter of strategy.
A year, many travelers pay too much for airfare only because they don’t understand the insider methods that airlines try to keep from them. Whether making the Euro rounds, exploring Asia or crossing an ocean for your next international adventure, consider these proven tactics that can save you hundreds — if not thousands — on your next trip abroad.
Tip #1: Become an Expert at Flexible Date Searching
The go method is to search for flights with specific dates in mind, and this strategy could be costing you. Airlines are always adjusting their fares according to demand, and simply changing dates by a few days can save you big.
The trick is utilizing flexible date calendars, which are offered on most booking websites. These tools display prices by the month, showing you which days provide the best value. Usually, flying on a Tuesday or Wednesday is much cheaper than weekend travel. Likewise, heading back on a weekday instead of on Sunday can save you an additional chunk of change.
Average Savings Per Day of Week
- Monday – 8%
- Tuesday – 15%
- Wednesday – 14%
- Thursday – 10%
- Friday – 5%
- Saturday – 2%
- Sunday – 0%
Pro Tip: And if you can be flexible with your destination as well, even better. Look for “everywhere” or explore deals to many cities in your intended region.
Trick #2: Book Your Flight at the Right Time
Timing comes into play not only with when you fly, but also when you purchase your ticket. Many travelers think that booking far in advance always results in cheaper fares, but we’ve come to realize that’s not the case.
For international flights, the sweet spot is somewhere between 60 to 90 days before departure. If you book too early, you miss a drop in price; if you wait too long, your preferred flight may fill up and prices could rise. But there are, of course, some exceptions to this rule depending on where you’re going and when.
Booking Timeline by Destination
| Destination Type | Best Time to Book | Average Savings |
|---|---|---|
| Europe (Summer) | 90-120 days | $200-$400 |
| Asia | 75-90 days | $300-$500 |
| South America | 60-75 days | $150-$300 |
| Australia/New Zealand | 90-120 days | $250-$450 |
| Caribbean | 45-60 days | $100-$250 |
The Best Day to Book
Although the “book on Tuesday” fable has been debunked, there is some rationale for looking midweek. Airlines typically bring out deals on Monday evenings, so a Tuesday or Wednesday is good for looking for bargains. Allot 30 minutes for comparing prices on those days.
Trick #3: Leverage Alternative Airports
Larger international hubs can be pricey, and you pay for the convenience. But you can save big by flying into or out of smaller, neighboring airports — sometimes to the tune of hundreds of dollars per ticket.
For instance, if you’re flying to London, fly into Gatwick, Stansted or Luton instead of Heathrow. In New York, Newark could have cost cheaper than JFK. Charles de Gaulle is no alternative to Beauvais and Orly for Paris. It’s true that you may have to hop on a bus or train for a short ride when you finally arrive, but the savings frequently make it worth the small additional expense.
When you are searching for flights, tick the “include nearby airports” box or even enter secondary airports in your departure and arrival cities. The time of extra research is minutes, but the savings can be significant. For more tips on finding affordable flights, visit https://calltoflights.com.
Trick #4: Browse in Incognito Mode for Your Queries
This trick has all the ear-marks of a good conspiracy theory, but it’s based on how airline booking systems operate. A few travel websites use cookies to help them offer different prices based on your search. Not all sites do this, but it doesn’t cost you anything to protect yourself.
Open an incognito or private browsing window when searching for flights. This stops websites from following your repeated searches for the same flight. You may also want to clear your cookies often, and search from a variety of devices in order to compare prices.
Some travelers have said they have seen prices cut $20 to $50 upon researching in incognito mode. No matter how small the savings, every little bit helps when you’re booking international travel.
Trick #5: Break Up Your Tickets with Tactic
It seems counterintuitive to book separate one-way tickets as opposed to a round-trip fare — I get it — but this often leads to lower overall costs. Airlines use complex algorithms to determine ticket prices, and sometimes two one-way tickets on different airlines are cheaper than a round-trip flight on the same airline.
This approach is particularly successful when combining budget carriers and legacy airlines. For example, you could fly out on a major carrier and return on a discount one (or vice versa). Just be sure to add enough cushion in there for connections when you’re mixing airlines, because they won’t through-check your bags or take responsibility for flight delays on your separate ticket.
Important Warning: If you’re booking separate tickets, it’s on you to make all connection times. If the first flight is delayed and you miss the second, you are on your own to purchase a new ticket. Schedule at least 3-4 hours between flights purchased separately.
Hack #6: Become a Member of Mistake Fare and Deal Alert Communities
Airlines sometimes sell tickets for dramatically incorrect prices — owing to currency conversion mistakes or technical glitches or just plain human error. These “mistake fares” launch you so far from home at such a small cost that they tend to take your breath away — business class to Europe for $300 or round-trips halfway around the world for less than $400.
While airlines are becoming more efficient at catching these errors quickly, getting in on the action with deal alert communities means you have a fighting chance to snatch up some of these offers. There are a number of websites and social media groups devoted to discovering these deals and sharing them with their members as rapidly as possible.
Where to Find Flight Deals
- Sign up for email alerts from major flight deal sites
- Go deal-hunting on social media. Follow those that do the sleuthing for you.
- Participate in online groups that are travel hacking-related
- Create price alerts across several booking platforms
- Scan flash sale sections on airline websites each Monday morning
When a mistake fare pops up, book first and question later. While most airlines honor the tickets, some countermand them and refund the costs. The point is to be fast — such deals are seldom good for much more than a couple hours.
Tip #7: Think About Connecting Flights And Layovers
Nonstop flights provide the most convenience, but are usually more expensive. If you don’t mind tacking on an extra leg or two to your journey, you can often save hundreds of dollars per ticket. The money you save may indeed get you a night in a hotel in your layover city, and make the connection part of a fun mini-adventure.
Some travelers actually purposely schedule extended layovers in a city they want to visit and end up with an unofficial stopover destination. For instance, if you’re flying from North America to Southeast Asia, chances are your journey requires a connecting flight in cities like Tokyo, Seoul or Dubai and all these places have many tourists programs designed to entice visitors for a day.
Flight Type Comparison
| Type of Flight | Average Price | Travel Time | Ideal For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonstop | $$$$ | Short | Business travel, time-crunched trips |
| One Connection | $$$ | +2-4hrs | Most non-business travelers |
| More Than One Connection | $$ | +6-12hrs | Value comfort and journey |
Trick #8: Mixing & Matching Cabin Classes
Who says you have to fly the same class going and returning? Airlines price each one-way flight segment a la carte, so you might discover premium economy or business class inexpensively for one leg of your journey while your return is best booked in coach.
It’s especially great for long haul flights when comfort is all that matters. Go luxurious all the way in business class for your red-eye outbound, when trying to sleep is paramount, and save a little with an economy return ticket on the daytime flight back when you’ll be awake anyways.
Also, see if connecting in a higher class is cheaper than booking economy for the nonstop. The airline’s pricing algorithm can sometimes result in business class flights with layovers that cost less than economy tickets without any. Learn more about flight booking strategies to maximize your savings.
Tip #9: Take Advantage of Rewards Programs and Credit Card Points
It’s no surprise that frequent flyer programs and travel credit cards are one of the most effective ways to save on flights—or get them for (nearly) free. It’s a grind to build up points, but the reward can be huge: free international flights, complimentary upgrades and exclusive privileges.
Getting Started with Rewards
Start by selecting one or two airline alliances to concentrate on, instead of diluting yourself across a bunch of programs. The three largest alliances are Star Alliance, Oneworld and SkyTeam. Earn miles in your favorite alliance quickly and get access to redemption secrets.
Travel credit cards exponentially speed up this process. A lot of these cards offer a sign-up bonus that is equivalent to enough points for one free international ticket after meeting minimum spending requirements. Some also offer valuable benefits like free checked bags, priority boarding and airport lounge access.
Smart Strategy: Apply for cards strategically around big purchases you’d be making even without the sign-up bonus. This makes it easier to reach those spending thresholds so you don’t have to go into debt for points, naturally.
Maximizing Your Points Value
Street smarts: Redemption values not created equal. In general, redeeming points for business or first-class international tickets yields the best deal because these tickets are outrageously expensive if you pay cash. Economy flights — particularly during low-demand times of the year — might not provide as much value per point.
Book award flights as early as you can, because airlines operate with only so many seats available at the reduced point levels. If you find availability on your ideal route, grab it — award tickets can often be canceled or changed with little out-of-pocket cost.
Putting It All Together: Your Plan of Action
Now that you’ve learned these nine high-impact strategies, let’s get into how to effectively mesh them together. The magic comes in combining several tricks.
Begin looking 75 to 90 days before you want to travel, in incognito — which hides all your search history for the best price. Turn on flexible dates, search nearby airports. Subscribe to deal alert services now so you don’t miss mistake fares. Spend some time comparing one-way and round-trip ticket prices, and don’t rule out itineraries with connections if the savings are significant.
If you have points – particularly with a reward card for travel, banks and credit cards are motivated to provide the funding — first check award availability, not just for the flights into your home airport but it also can’t hurt to consider one-way tickets on any portion of flights that could be paid or at least partially paid by points. At other times, a mix of points and cash is the best total deal. And don’t forget, patience is a virtue — if you find the best deal that’s likely to vanish before you can book then keep an eye on the price for a few days.
Final Thoughts: Your Path to Cost-Effective International Travel
You do not have to be on the inside or spend hours scouring for cheap international flights. It’s just about knowing what works and being patient enough to put them into action. These are the nine tested tricks that have already allowed the intrepid souls I know who travel to stretch their money — and freedom — when planning ungodly long international trips.
Always keep in mind that flexibility is your best friend. The more flexible you are with dates, airports and even the destination, the easier you’ll find it to keep costs down. But even those who have to travel on fixed dates can use these strategies as well — by booking at the right time, using the right tools (and discounts), and keeping an eye out for deals they might not have been expecting.
That next international trip doesn’t have to be expensive. Start using some of these tricks today, and before you know it, you’ll be booking a round-trip flight to Tokyo that your friends don’t think is possible. Safe travels, and have fun with that extra money for experiences in your destination — not getting there!
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I book international flights for the best price?
The average travel booking window is 60-90 days before a trip. But popular summer routes to Europe could require booking 90-120 days ahead, and the Caribbean will frequently be a good deal up to even 45-60 days before departure. The trick is to watch prices beginning about three months before your trip and jump when you see a price drop.
Are Tuesday flights really cheaper?
Flights on Tuesday and Wednesday are 10-15% cheaper than those later in the week because businesses prefer Monday and Friday, while leisure travelers choose weekends. And that lower demand in the middle of a week is what results in a lowered price. The day you book does not matter as much as when you fly, despite popular belief.
Is it better to book directly with the airline or through a third-party site?
Both options have merits. Third-party sites are great at finding deals on multiple airlines, but if you want the simplest change process — or to avoid spending $30 on a monitored bag that isn’t — you’ll be better off booking directly with an airline. Search both, and if prices are comparable, book direct for the extra flexibility and support.
Do airlines actually increase fares when they see repeated searches?
It’s not clear how common this kind of tracking is, but incognito mode costs nothing and offers some peace of mind. Some booking sites do use cookies to monitor your behavior, so browsing privately will stop any potential price changes based on what you’ve been looking at.
Is it worth booking a flight with two connections to save money?
It depends how much you’re saving, and how you like to travel. If you can save $300+ per ticket and don’t mind longer flights, connections may be a good choice. But every new connection compounds the risk of delay, lost luggage and similar problems. Because on short trips or for business travel, the convenience of nonstop flights can trump cost.
What are mistake fares and will airlines respect them?
Mistake fares refer to mispriced airfares that airlines mistakenly offer at steep discounts. Once booked, most airlines will honor the tickets (although some say they reserve the right to cancel and refund). If you see a mistake fare, don’t wait to book — they don’t usually last more than a few hours.
Should I sign up for a travel credit card just for flight savings?
If you travel outside the country at least once a year and can pay your balance in full every month, travel cards are incredibly lucrative. The sign-up bonuses alone are typically more than enough to score a free international flight and there are ongoing perks like free checked bags and lounge access. Just remember not to carry a balance, or you’ll end up paying interest that would otherwise cancel out any rewards earned.
When is the cheapest time to fly internationally?
Typically the cheapest international fares are January through March (excluding holidays), as these months come off the heels of high holiday season. September and October are also generally cheap, during the seasonal swell between summer and winter holiday breaks. Except in other destinations of course, do your research to know when the peak season is for where you are traveling.
