What is the best website to find cheap flights in 2022?
Metasearch engines like Kayak, Google Flights, and Momondo often find the cheapest flight options by searching across multiple airline and online travel agency (OTA) websites simultaneously.
OTAs like Expedia, Priceline, and CheapOair may charge higher service fees, but can still offer competitive prices by leveraging their buying power with airlines.
Skyscanner stands out for searching over 1,000 travel providers to compare flight deals, and its "Cheapest Month" feature helps identify the most budget-friendly travel periods.
The "hidden city" ticketing trick used by Skiplagged can sometimes find cheaper fares by booking a flight with a layover at your actual destination, but this violates most airline policies.
Setting airfare price alerts on sites like Hopper can notify you when prices drop for your desired routes, allowing you to book at the optimal time.
Flights are typically cheapest when booked 4-6 weeks in advance, with prices rising significantly closer to the departure date.
Flying during the week, especially on Tuesdays or Wednesdays, is often more affordable than weekends when demand is higher.
Clearing your browser cookies or using incognito mode can prevent airline websites from tracking your search history and raising prices accordingly.
Budget airlines like Spirit, Frontier, and Allegiant offer very low base fares, but nickel-and-dime passengers with fees for carry-on bags, seat selection, and other services.
Connecting flights are usually cheaper than nonstop options, but the time savings of a direct route may be worth the higher price for some travelers.
The busiest travel seasons, like summer and holidays, tend to have the highest flight prices, so being flexible with travel dates can lead to substantial savings.
Airline miles and credit card rewards programs can be leveraged to book award flights or upgrades, providing major cost savings for frequent flyers.
Booking a multi-city itinerary that includes your final destination can sometimes be cheaper than a roundtrip ticket, especially for international travel.
Using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to change your apparent location may help bypass regional pricing differences, though airlines are increasingly cracking down on this tactic.
Monitoring flight prices over time and being willing to jump on short-term sales or mistake fares can yield huge discounts, but requires vigilance and flexibility.
Comparing prices across multiple search engines, rather than relying on a single site, increases the chances of finding the absolute lowest airfare.
Factors like airline, class of service, baggage allowance, and layover duration should all be weighed when determining the true "cheapest" flight option.
The rise of travel booking apps like Hopper and Kiwi.com has made it easier than ever to track flight prices and get notified of the best deals.
Airline consolidators and opaque pricing sites like Priceline's "Name Your Own Price" can offer deep discounts, but with less transparency and flexibility.
Being an elite member of an airline's loyalty program can unlock access to discounted fares, upgrades, and other perks that can offset the cost of flights.