Travel More, For Less is our brand. And we continually receive requests for advice on how to source cheap flights. To avoid falling victim to airfare myths, and in turn, wasting countless hours performing onerous and futile tasks. This guide has been created to share our top tips on finding the best and cheapest flights to anywhere in the world.
Ignore the myths
First things first, it is important to keep in mind that airfare deals and, to some extent, pricing errors occur all the time, and for the most part, they are impossible to predict. That said, there is no real methodology to finding cheap flights besides the obvious, which is to monitor flights continually.
Although there are many myths online, it would be wise to take them all with a pinch of salt. Outdated rhetoric such as flying out on Tuesdays instead of the weekend reduces flight costs; no longer holds.
Airlines use algorithms and AI technology to set, determine and change prices. For instance, variables such as competitor pricing, fuel economy, major events, and passenger demand all impact and alter algorithms.
Have a realistic budget
Having a realistic budget is vital. This may sound a bit like common sense, but your expectations must match the reality. The reality is that although it’s improbable, though not impossible, I can almost guarantee you that you will not find a return flight from London to The Maldives for £50. So do your research, find out how much, on average, a flights cost to your desired destination and set a realistic budget.
Be flexible
The general rule of thumb is flexibility trumps all, and as mentioned, demand influences airfares. In accordance, fares fluctuate due to factors such as the day of the week, the time of the year and upcoming holidays such as Christmas, Easter and school holidays. Travelling during peak seasons naturally increases the cost of airfares and vice versa. In the UK, peak months include Christmas, New Year and from mid-June to mid-August.
However, flexibility extends beyond the above, and where possible, you should aim to be flexible on the following:
Try to be flexible with dates and departure times: early morning and late evening departures tend to be cheaper than midday, as fewer people tend to want to travel at unsociable hours.
Check nearby airports: Flying from a different airport can considerably slash airfares. Airports closer to the city centre tend to have higher airfares. The same principle applies to destination airports. For example, it is much more expensive to fly from London Heathrow Airport than London Stansted Airport.
Use different airlines: Mixing up your airlines can make a massive difference to the cost of your airfare ticket. Using one airline for the onwards journey and another for your return can not only help you to save money, but it can also give you more freedom in terms of departure dates and times.
Fly Budget Carriers
You need to make sure your priorities are in check. For example, do you want a luxury flight experience or a super cheap flight? We always opt for the latter and instead splash out where it really matters, such as on affordable luxury hotels and destination activities.
Budget airlines tend to adopt a no-frills approach, and in turn, prices tend to be considerably lower than traditional airlines. So for short and medium-haul flights, we recommend booking with a budget carrier. Our favourite budget carriers in Europe are Ryanair, EasyJet and Norwegian Air.
Although flying with budget airlines can be cheaper, the general rule is to watch out for hidden fees! As mentioned, budget airlines adopt a no-frills approach, and some take this to the extreme. For example, stimulating additional fees for hand luggage checked luggage and even boarding. Be careful, sometimes with additional fees, prices can quickly escalate, and you may find it works out cheaper to book with a traditional airline such as British Airways.
12 Places You Should Visit This Summer
Use search engine tools
Finding a cheap flight is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. However, search engine tools help to speed up the process. Our favourite tools to search flights are SkyScanner, Momondo and Google Flights.
No.1 recommended airfare search engine – Skyscanner is the first place we check when trying to source cheeky cheap flights or last-minute breaks. Skyscanner compares millions of flights from across the globe to provide you with the best deal. What is more, SkyScanner allows you to filter your search by airline, departure time, journey duration, stops and airport.
No.1 recommended for flight tracking – Google Flights is great for checking flights. Google Flights automatically filters flights by airline and allows you to customise your search to find best-fit flights. Additionally, Google Flights has an option to sign up for price tracking. Tracking provides alerts on price changes, price predictions and expirations. Before we book any flight, we always check Google Flights to ensure we’re getting the best rate.
No.1 recommended for visual experience – Momondo’s interactive map shows you flights deals from across the globe.
It is worth noting that not all search engine tools are created equal. The best and most effective way to find cheap flights is to search multiple websites, and more specifically, combine Google Flights with power-price aggregators such as SkyScanner and Momondo.
Reverse engineer your search
It’s common to start your flight search from your nearest airport, but reverse engineering your search can help you find better and cheaper flights. Put short, start your search from your desired destination and work backwards. This method is perfect if you can be flexible with your route, and it can allow you to visit multiple destinations for less.
Using this method, we were able to visit multiple countries in Europe at a meagre rate. We started with 2 destinations that we wanted to visit, namely Venice and Copenhagen and from there, we reverse engineered our search. We flew from London Gatwick to Berlin, Berlin to Venice, Venice to Brussels, Brussels to Copenhagen and Copenhagen to London for £88.
This method is time-consuming, but it’s great!
Don’t fly direct
In tune with the above, opting for a non-direct flight can help to reduce flight costs and depending on your flexibility and time available, non-direct flights can be great but horrendously time-consuming.
It’s important to differentiate between a stopover and a layover. Although the terms tend to be used interchangeably, they should not be confused. A layover typically refers to a connection between cities, sometimes as short as 30 minutes or as long as 23 hours; for such, you don’t leave an airport. Whereas a stopover refers to a connection of 24 hours or more, during which you leave the airport.
In some instances, a non-direct flight could have multiple stopovers, and you could find yourself spending far too many hours waiting in various airports. That said, it is important that you find a non-direct flight that works for you; rather than booking the cheapest option.
Search in other currencies
One of the simplest ways to find cheap flights is to search for airfares in a different and preferably weaker currency.
Changing your currency or home country when booking a flight is one way to make quick and easy savings. This is particularly true during advertised “sales”; airlines tend to advertise sales in the UK and outside of the UK for similar prices without considering currencies or exchange rates. So, for instance, an airline may advertise £19.99 return tickers in the UK and advertise the same flight, booking class and route as €19.99 elsewhere.
It’s worth noting that saving can be much greater on long-haul routes and if you decide to use this method and book your flight in a different currency, make sure to use a no-foreign-transaction-fee card to avoid paying a surcharge.
Join flight mailing lists
Joining the mailing list of airlines and travel clubs will give you access to the absolute best travel deals out there. It’s worth bearing in mind that not all deals will suit your schedule, but none the less it reduces the burden of having to find cheap flights yourself.
The general rule is that cheap flights don’t tend to stick around for long, so if you receive a cheap travel deal alert, it’s best you do not waste any time booking.
If you are based in the UK, we recommend that you join the Quarter Life Travels Club to receive travels deals from the UK to worldwide destinations. Alternatively, if you are based in the United States, we recommend using Scott’s Cheap Flight’s.