10 Tips on How to Find Cheap Flights

You can’t have fixed travel dates to get the cheapest flight – unless you’re just lucky.

In most cases, flight prices are subject to availability. The more seats left on the flight, the cheaper they are. That’s why flight prices can vary from day to day, and why you need to be flexible.

But the cheapest flights are also the least flexible once booked. Budget airlines are almost always non-refundable once booked, and scheduled airlines are increasingly the same.

If you need to change your flight after you’ve booked it, you’ll almost always incur additional fees, which can sometimes add up to more than the cost of your original flight! That’s why you need to be flexible and inflexible at the same time.

don’t fly in high season

While flight prices depend on availability, airlines also implement seasonal differences in pricing. They know that Christmas and the summer holidays are always busier, so they increase their prices during these high seasons.

This means that a flight in December will always cost more than an equivalent flight in October. To get the cheapest flights, you simply can’t fly in peak season. We’re big advocates of off-season travel, and that’s a major reason.

We’ve got some incredible flight deals by flying outside of peak season, and let’s be honest, most destinations are more enjoyable when there are fewer tourists. Your savings will also continue to go to the field when you visit during off-peak periods.

avoid weekends

Likewise, avoiding weekends is just as important when learning how to find cheap flights. Airline fares may be higher when you fly on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

It could also be that because they’re such a popular time of the week for travel, the cheapest seats sell out long before you start looking.

Try to fly midweek if you can, or if you do want a weekend getaway, try to make it a long weekend getaway. Instead of flying to Sunday on Friday, try flying Thursday to Sunday, or even Saturday to Tuesday.

don’t fly straight

For long-haul flights, direct flights are usually never the cheapest option. Demand for direct flights is always higher, so airlines can charge extra for this route. Indirect flights are not as popular – if you can fly direct for the same price, you will.

But many airlines offer deals on indirect flights. For example, you can fly direct from London to Singapore and pay a good chunk of money through British Airways, or you can save a good chunk of cash by flying from London to Singapore, and with Emirates you just have to stop in Dubai.

Many indirect flights operated by airlines at hub airports (such as the Middle East) will provide better service and more comfort than airlines flying direct routes. As long as you don’t mind switching planes, it’s never too bad.

If you have the time, you might even consider extending your layover and instead of connecting flights within a few hours, spend a few days exploring a new city. If you want to increase your mileage, adding more segments can also provide this benefit.