How do I find the cheapest flights? There are so many websites out there that can help you find the cheapest fares. It’s mind-boggling, and it’s confusing. With some extra fact-checking on your part, you can save hundreds of dollars in tickets - and here’s how we think you should do it.
FIRST, START OFF COMPARING
FLIGHT PRICE AGGREGATORS
Flight price aggregators such a Kayak or Skyscanner allow you to compare prices for airlines across several aggregators, which makes your life that much easier.
CHECK ANOTHER WEBSITE CALLED SKIPLAGGED
Skiplagged is being sued by United Airlines for offering “hidden city ticketing”, which basically means that you book a flight past your destination and just get off at what was supposed to be your layover. This can save you hundreds of dollars. However, you can’t check your bags and it’s only good for a one-way route since if you skip out on your connecting flight, your returning flight is canceled. Use Skiplagged if you’re going backpacking or only for a short trip where you don’t need to check luggage.
LOOK OUT FOR FIFTH FREEDOM FLIGHTS
Fifth freedom flights are when an airline is flying from country A to B, but neither points are in the home country. For example, Singapore Airlines flies from HKG to SFO and Cathay Pacific flies from YVR to JFK. SO! Go to Wikipedia and look for the departure airport. Wikipedia shows all airlines operating out of that airport and their destinations. These flights tend to be cheaper since they are tagged on the leg of whole flights.
IF YOU ARE A STUDENT, YOU ARE IN LUCK!
Use a website such as StudentUniverse or STA Travel to find discounted flights. You need to be able to verify that you are a current student (or faculty member), but these tickets save you on average $100.
ANOTHER GREAT WEBSITE IS YAPTA,
WHICH TRACKS FARE CHANGES
Some airlines offer a refund when prices drop. This means that if prices drop, you can claim your refund directly through the website.
NOW THAT YOU HAVE GOT A PRETTY GOOD BASELINE,
DO FACT-CHECKING
Check on the airline’s website to see if your route costs less. Then, check the airline’s foreign website to see if it’s cheaper in another currency. Barring exorbitant foreign transaction fees, you may be able to save a couple dollars due to differences in exchange rates.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, MAKE ONE LAST CHECK
ON BUDGET AIRLINES
A quick Google search should help you find most budget airlines. For example, if Singapore is your base camp, you can use budget airlines such as Jetstar or Scoot. If the timing is right, you could be spending only $100 on return tickets to Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia. In Europe, you might use easyJet or Ryanair.
REMEMBER, FARES CHANGE ALL THE TIME
FOR DIFFERENT DATES
Since airlines often release deals on Mondays, by Tuesday, all the other airlines are scrambling to match those deals (Thank you invisible hand!). Expedia found that on average, flights booked on Tuesdays are up to $28 cheaper. Remember to also book early. Domestic flights are best booked up to 50-100 days in advance and for international flights, it’s best to book up to 150-225 days in advance.1
