Purchasing airfare can be complicated, and it can take considerable skill and patience to find the best possible ticket prices. To demystify the process and to help you snag a great price on your next trip, we gathered 11 of our best tried-and-true strategies for finding the most affordable airfare prices.
Related: 6 key tools and tips to find the cheapest airfare
Every situation is unique, and you may not be able to apply all of these strategies every time you fly. Still, this article features a whole host of tips and tricks that the TPG team uses every day to maximize value when we travel — and they could very likely help you save money, too. However, keep in mind your mileage may vary based on your desired route(s) or planned date(s) of travel.
Regardless of where or when you’re going, bookmark this story to easily reference these strategies for finding cheap airfare.
Start with Google Flights
When shopping for a flight, you’ll first want to determine which airlines operate on the route you’re hoping to travel. This will help you better understand the average prices.
Instead of visiting each airline’s website individually, search an aggregator site like Google Flights, which shows numerous airlines’ prices for a particular route.
Google Flights is a robust search tool that shows you pricing based on your travel dates and route. It also displays alternate pricing via a date grid and price graph, and it can show variations in average prices over time. Understanding these reference points can help you spot when you’re getting a deal and when you should wait for prices to drop further.
Among Google Flights’ many features, you can set up tracking alerts to receive email notifications if fare prices for your desired route drop. Alternatively, you can enter your city of origin and desired travel dates and see prices for flights all over the world.
Related: What you need to know about using Google Flights for award flight searches
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Keep in mind that Google Flights is not a booking platform, so you can’t actually make a reservation or pay for your ticket through the site. When you click on a flight you want to book, it will take you to that airline’s website so you can complete your booking. At this point, it’s usually good practice to also sign up for the airline’s loyalty program if they have one.
Don’t be afraid of budget airlines
If you are looking for cheap airfare, there is one sure way to find them: through ultra-low-cost airlines.
Carriers like Spirit Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Allegiant Air and Avelo Airlines consistently offer round-trip flights for between $50 and $100 — and sometimes even less.
Related: Budget airline survival guide: Avoid fees and enjoy your flight
There are no bells or whistles on budget flights, but if you think you’ll miss having complimentary pretzels or soda on your flight, simply pack your own snack. Bring a book or download a podcast to deal with the lack of Wi-Fi, and fill up a reusable water bottle after you pass through security.
Note: Low-cost airlines are best avoided if you need to check baggage and can’t travel with only a carry-on. Budget airlines usually charge for carry-on luggage as well as checked suitcases. However, it’s still worth checking to see if the combined price of your luggage and airfare is cheaper than flying another carrier offering free checked luggage.
Search one-way and round-trip flights
Generally, round-trip tickets are cheaper than purchasing two one-way flights, but there are exceptions to every rule.
For example, JetBlue and Southwest Airlines typically price their tickets on a one-way basis; a round-trip flight is simply the sum of the two one-way prices. You may occasionally get the best round-trip deal by pairing two one-way tickets, potentially by flying with two different airlines.
Remember, Google Flights is a terrific tool to show you when separate one-ways could be the cheapest option.
Just be aware that booking two one-way flights does carry some risk if you need to cancel or change your trip. If you book outbound and return flights on different carriers and both charge $200 change or cancellation fees, you’ll be hit twice if you need to adjust your travel plans.
Changing both ends of a round-trip flight booked on a single airline would only incur that fee once (or not at all if you book with an airline that doesn’t charge change fees).
Related: How to avoid airline change and cancellation fees
Search one seat at a time
There’s a little-known quirk in how airlines price seats that can result in much higher prices when searching for multiple passengers versus a single ticket. Airlines place their inventory in fare classes (sometimes called “buckets”) that aren’t always clearly visible to consumers.
For example, there might be only three seats left in a fare bucket for $300 each, and the next higher bucket might be $400 per ticket. However, if you were to search for four seats, everyone would fall into the $400 fare bucket.
You’ll see one of the three remaining $300 tickets by searching for a single seat. With a little trial and error, you’d then know to book one reservation for three tickets at $300 each and another for the fourth ticket at $400. In this example, applying this simple strategy would save you $300 from what you’d pay by booking all four seats on a single reservation.
Many airlines will even tell you how many are left at that price to make this a bit easier. Take the below flight from New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA) to Miami International Airport (MIA) on Delta Air Lines for example.
If you had searched for six or more tickets, the price of that one-way flight jumps about $30 per passenger. This trick also works when you need to book multiple award flights that aren’t unavailable at the lowest mileage levels.
If you use this trick, remember to call customer service after booking so they can link your reservations. This should stop your party from being separated if you experience delays or cancellations and need to be rebooked on a new flight.
Search alternate airports
Sometimes, the cost of a flight from your regular airport is so high that it can make sense to use a second or perhaps third choice of airport. Many airlines allow you to search all airports in a region by specifying the destination as the city instead of a particular airport or by ticking a box marked “search nearby airports.”
For example, the New York area has three large airports: John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and LGA. However, you’ll find even more flights if you expand your search to nearby Long Island McArthur Airport (ISP), Westchester County Airport (HPN) and New York Stewart International Airport (SWF) in Orange County.
When you use Google Flights, you can enter your origin and destination cities instead of a specific airport name. This opens up more — and possibly cheaper — flight options.
Leverage elite status
Having elite status won’t get you discounted tickets, but you might be able to use it to save money elsewhere. Most carriers allow elite status holders to stand by for earlier flights or perform same-day confirmed flight changes. Southwest offers same-day standby to all passengers.
This could allow you to book a discounted flight at an inconvenient time and change it to the flight you want at no additional cost. Even if you don’t have elite status, the charge to stand by or make a same-day confirmed flight change might be less than the fare difference between the flight you want and the cheapest option that day. Be prepared to take your original flight, though, because there is always a chance the flight you hope to take will be fully booked.
For details on the major airlines’ elite status programs, check out the following guides:
Use the right credit card
The right credit card can offer significant savings on airfare in various ways. For example, The Platinum Card® from American Express offers 5 points per dollar on all airfare purchases made directly with the airline or through the Amex travel portal (up to $500,000 in annual purchases, then 1 point per dollar).
Other Amex cards, including the American Express® Green Card and the American Express® Gold Card, also have elevated points earnings for flights.
Related: Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
You can also bring the cost of a flight down by applying American Express Membership Rewards points to the cost of your flight. If you have a stash of points, you can apply them to flights booked through the Amex Travel portal or transfer them to a participating airline. This can be a helpful tool to save money when cash prices are high for your preferred flights.
The information for the American Express Green Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Check first class
Don’t ask us why, but once in a blue moon, you may find that a first-class ticket can be very close to the price of one in economy class — or sometimes even less. Some possible explanations are that people forget to check the price of first-class and that many companies don’t allow their employees to book it, even when it’s less expensive. Also, discounted first-class fares might exist when only full-fare economy class tickets are for sale.
Related: Are first-class tickets worth the splurge?
Either way, always check the price of a first-class ticket before paying for an above-average economy-class fare. When you factor in the additional miles you will receive and the free baggage allowance, lounge access and inflight amenities, it may justify a modest premium in fare.
Look for coupons and other offers
Like any business, airlines occasionally offer coupons and other discounts. For example, your Amex Offers could feature airline rebates, or you could save money with an all-you-can-fly pass like those offered by Frontier. Other low-cost carriers like Southwest often offer flight deals that can save you hundreds of dollars on airfare.
Buy miles
When faced with an expensive fare and a shortage of miles, consider buying the miles you need for an award ticket, especially when they are on sale. It rarely makes sense to purchase miles without a bonus and a specific award in mind, but when you can save money by purchasing miles and immediately redeeming them for an award flight, it can be a great idea.
Reprice, reprice, reprice
Many airlines allow you to rebook your airfare if the price drops after you book your flight. For example, if the price of your Southwest flight drops after your initial booking, you can rebook your flight and receive a credit or a cash refund, depending on your fare type.
Delta, American Airlines and United Airlines also have a “no-change-fee” policy for most flights and fare types. Once you book, check for fare drops regularly and snag that refund if the price drops.
Bottom line
Purchasing airfare can be complicated. Thankfully, you can use several simple strategies to minimize your out-of-pocket expenses for booking flights. Even if you use just two or three of these methods, you’ll be well on your way to finding the best flight prices for your next trip.
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