Booking cheap flights or accommodations doesn’t make you a bum, it just makes you smart! Wanna know how the top travelers get cheap flights or even free flights?!
And no, it doesn’t include doing a handstand at 11 pm on Tuesday night! There are no weird travel hacks here. I already debunked those cheap flight myths in this video.
Keep reading 👇 to find out exactly where to search and how to rack up those points!
Sites to Find the Cheapest Flight Prices
Knowing where to look for cheap flights that don’t feel like a scam that’s too good to be true is half the battle. Not all sites are the same. Often they only cater to certain regions but if you know where to look, you can find flights for a steal of a deal. Here are some of the best sites to find cheap flights for different regions around the world.
Google Flights
Google flights is probably one of the best search engines for flights internationally and domestically out of the United States. It allows you to make reservations for about 300 different airlines and has an interactive chart to compare prices. If you are flexible it’s also a great tool to use to find when the best days and months are to fly.
Skyscanner
Skyscanner is a meta-search engine that allows you to compare various flights on sites like Expedia, Trip.com, Orbitz, and more. This means that you can find prices without the fees or commissions that common flight search sites apply. Once you select your flights, Skyscanner sends you directly to the site to complete your booking. Skyscanner is ideal for both international and domestic flights.
Holidaypirates
Holidaypirates is a search engine for flying within Europe. They are constantly adding new flight paths but the main countries are Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, the UK, and the United States. They are not only known for their cheap flights but also for great package deals. Keep in mind, that everything is shown in Euros.
Hopper
Hopper is the #1 most downloaded travel APP in North America. It’s a reputable travel site offering deals on flights, car rentals, housing, and hotels around the world. They show predicted flight increases and decreases which is great for planning. Sign up to receive notifications for specific flights. It’s best to use this on your phone through the APP to see the best deals.
Scott’s Cheap Flights
If you don’t want to sit in front of the computer waiting for the best prices, Scott’s Cheap Flights is your best option for domestic USA flights. Sign up and you will automatically receive push notifications of the best deals when the airlines launch them. Scott’s Cheap Flights is best for travelers planning their vacations in advance.
Kayak
Kayak is a great option for international flights, as well as to find hotel deals, services, and car rentals. It is one of the most visited travel sites. It’s part of Booking Holdings Inc. which includes other travel and leisure websites such as Booking.com and Opentable.com.
Airline Rewards Program
If you haven’t already, sign up for an airline rewards program right now to start earning those points!
Seriously, go do it…I’ll wait. ⌛
Most airline rewards programs offer convenience with booking and check-in, in-flight services, upgrades, and travel-related partnerships. Points can be used for flights on various partner airlines, hotels, and even car rentals.
If you travel internationally, it could be beneficial to join multiple airline rewards programs. But I’d only suggest this if they are a part of different alliance programs. It’s best to focus your earnings to earn the most perks with one specific alliance program so that your points aren’t spread all over the place.
The main alliance programs are OneWorld (Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, British Airways, Japan Airlines, Fiji Airlines, Qatar Airlines), SkyTeam (AirFrance, AeroMexico, Delta, KoreanAir, China Eastern), and Star Alliance (United Airlines, Air Canada, Air India, Singapore Airlines, Turkish Airlines).
Travel Credit Card
A travel credit card is a great way to get access to the best flight deals. Most of the top travel credit cards (Amex, Chase, and Capitol One) have a variety of exclusive travel deals. The best way to make the most of a travel credit card is to use it for everyday purchases. Set up all automatic bill payments to process through your credit card as well. This will ensure you are getting the maximum amount of points and can quickly start booking FREE flights!
The best and top-rated travel credit cards out there right now are The Platinum Card by Amex, Amex Gold Card, Capitol One Venture Rewards, and the Chase Sapphire Reserved Card. I personally use the Chase Sapphire Reserved card and am very satisfied. If you’d like to sign up for this card, please use my referral link here.
Depending on your needs (no foreign transaction fee, priority pass included, annual fee, etc.) you’ll want to do a little research to see which card is best suited for your needs. The best site to find all of this information in one place is The Points Guy. This article is a good start!
Additional Tips for Cheap Flights
If you’re just getting started and haven’t quite earned enough points for a free flight yet, don’t worry! There are still a lot of other ways to budget and book a cheap trip.
Packing Cubes
Most airlines these days (shoutout to Southwest) charge for your seat, additional baggage, and food. Avoid extra baggage fees by traveling light and going carry-on only. I know, I know. I definitely used to be an extra packer, so I know this sounds cray cray but stay with me! Once I started using packing cubes, I started traveling carry-on only. It’s not only convenient for your bank account but also for travel. It gets you on & off planes quicker and in & out of the airport faster. Not convinced? Check out my post about all of the benefits of packing cubes here.
Shoulder Season
Research peak seasons for your destination and try to travel on shoulder seasons. Shoulder seasons as opposed to complete off-season means you are more likely to avoid bad weather. The off-season is usually classified as months when the weather is not ideal for tourists. Flights and accommodations will be a lot cheaper during shoulder seasons (and off-season). Plus a big bonus…you’ll avoid the crowds!
Flexible Travel
If you can, be flexible when you’re booking. You’ll notice when looking at flights that flying out on a Saturday is often cheaper than a Friday. Returning on a Tuesday morning is cheaper than Monday morning. The flight patterns that are most popular are often a bit more expensive, so if you can be flexible it’ll save you money!
