1. Understand How Flight Search Engines Work
Flight search engines, such as Skyscanner, Google Flights, Kayak, and Momondo, scrape data from airlines and travel agencies to display the best available fares. They allow you to compare prices, adjust your search criteria, and even set up alerts for specific routes. When you enter your departure and destination airports along with travel dates, these engines will show you various flight options sorted by price, duration, and airline.
What sets search engines apart is their ability to compare different booking sites, which may offer varying prices for the same flight. They also help you see trends in pricing, identify cheaper routes, and suggest alternative travel dates that could save you money.
2. Be Flexible with Dates
One of the best ways to save on flights is by being flexible with your travel dates. Flight prices fluctuate depending on the day of the week, seasonality, and even time of day. Flight search engines make it easy to adjust your dates and compare prices across multiple days.
3. Use the “Flexible Dates” Feature
Most flight search engines offer a “flexible dates” feature, which allows you to compare ticket prices across a range of dates without entering specific travel dates. This feature helps you find the best deals during your travel window. Some platforms even offer a “cheapest month” view, where you can see the lowest ticket prices for the entire month based on historical trends.
4. Set Price Alerts
Flight search engines allow you to set up price alerts for specific routes, which will notify you when the price drops. This is especially useful for travelers with flexible schedules who don’t mind waiting a little longer for the perfect deal. By tracking fare changes over time, you can ensure that you don’t miss a price drop and book your flight when it’s at its lowest point.
When setting price alerts, make sure you adjust your settings to receive notifications for price drops that fit your budget and preferred travel dates. Some search engines like Skyscanner and Google Flights even show a color-coded calendar that lets you know if ticket prices are expected to rise or fall based on historical pricing trends.
5. Use Multiple Flight Search Engines
Each flight search engine may display slightly different results, so it’s always a good idea to check a few different platforms. For instance, you might find a better deal on Kayak for a particular route, while Google Flights could offer a more user-friendly interface and show additional price trends.
Don’t just rely on one platform—compare prices across several search engines and take note of the options that are consistently cheaper. Additionally, some search engines allow you to filter results by flight duration, layovers, and even airline preferences, so comparing across different tools can help you find the perfect balance between price and convenience.
6. Be Mindful of Budget Airlines
While search engines display results for both full-service and budget airlines, keep in mind that low-cost carriers might have additional fees that are not immediately obvious. Budget airlines often charge for things like checked baggage, seat selection, and even carry-on luggage, which can make their flights less cost-effective once all the fees are added up.
Some search engines, like Skyscanner, clearly label budget airlines and display the total price breakdown, so you can weigh the true cost of the flight. If you do book with a budget airline, make sure you understand what’s included in the fare to avoid any surprise costs.
7. Check Alternate Airports
Another way to save on flights is by considering alternate airports near your destination. Many cities have multiple airports, and sometimes flying into a secondary or less popular airport can result in cheaper fares. Flight search engines usually allow you to include nearby airports in your search, helping you find the best deal possible.
For instance, if you’re flying to New York, you might find cheaper flights into Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) instead of the more popular John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). Depending on where you’re headed, this could be a viable way to save money, even if it means a longer transfer time from the airport to your accommodation.
8. Book Round-Trip or Multi-City Flights
If your travel plans are set, booking a round-trip or multi-city flight could save you money. Search engines allow you to compare prices for one-way tickets, round-trip fares, and multi-city trips. Often, round-trip flights offer a better deal than booking two separate one-way tickets, especially if you’re flying to and from the same destination.
9. Clear Your Browser Cache or Use Incognito Mode
It’s not uncommon for flight prices to rise after you search for a specific route multiple times. Some flight search engines use cookies to track your searches and may increase prices as they detect demand for a particular flight. To avoid this, use your browser’s incognito or private browsing mode, which prevents search engines from storing cookies and tracking your activity.
10. Consider Adding a Stopover
Direct flights are convenient, but they’re often more expensive than flights with one or more stopovers. If you’re willing to trade a little extra time for savings, consider using the “multi-stop” or “one-stop” options on flight search engines. These flights can save you money while still getting you to your destination.
