Finding Cheap(er) Flights 

People often ask me for advice on finding good deals on travel, especially cheap flights.  There’s no Magic Button that gets me the cheapest airfare every time but I have found several websites, apps, and tips that can help you trim some money off your airfare.

Websites & Apps

• Google Flights

www.google.com/flights/ There are a lot of different ways to search on this site and my favorite is the Explore tool. Enter in your departure city and some dates and you can find the cheapest places to fly. You can also set up price alerts for any trip you are watching. Just remember – not all airlines show up on the large search aggregators like this. Southwest, for example, doesn’t allow its prices to be listed there, but you may see the scheduled times. Some small carriers may not show up at all. Be sure to know what carriers fly out of the hubs near you and verify they show up in the results. If not, you’ll have to check their websites.

Note: Flights can’t be booked through Google Flights, but they will link you directly to the cheapest place to book.

• Hopper

http://www.hopper.com – This smart phone app helps take the guess work out of when you should buy your tickets. Simply set your dates and the route you want to fly and Hopper will give you its predictions for best prices. The app will automatically update you on price changes and will tell
you if the fare is expected to drop or rise and by how much.

• Airfare Watchdog

www.airfarewatchdog.com This useful website allows you to customize the information they send you as well as how frequently you receive emails. I like to watch all the best deals flying out of MSP. I’ve seen some amazing deals this way ($49 roundtrip flights!) and it just may inspire you to travel somewhere that you hadn’t considered before. If the price is right, I’d visit just about any city for a few days!
I also watch specific routes that are on my bucket list. For example, I have a brother in Portland, OR and I’m always on the lookout for cheap flights there.
By receiving Airfare Watchdog emails regularly over time I’ve learned a lot about what routes tend to have good sales and when to jump at certain deals.

 

Tips

• Think local
  

Don’t forget about your local, smaller airports. Sometimes you can score great deals by flying out of regional airports which also have the added bonuses of no long lines and (usually) free parking. The time and money saved by flying out of a place like St. Cloud or Sioux Falls can really add up! Go to their website and learn about what carriers fly near you and what the schedule is like.
Don’t believe these small airports can really be cheaper? The screen shot  below shows that a trip to Phoenix on June 10- 14 is $212 out of St. Cloud. The cheapest flight from MSP was $233. If you need to add long-term parking fees of $15+ per day on top of that, the savings is even more significant.
In short, know what airports are close to you, who flies there, and what routes are available. Don’t forget the little guy.

• Be Flexible

Regardless of where you are searching for flights, try to use a flexible date feature. Most major airlines as well as aggregators (Kayak, Google Flights, Expedia) have some sort of a flexible date tool. Some allow you to search flights +/- 3 days from your selected dates. Others will display a matrix of combinations for the week of your dates. Some will display a graph of prices for a month. I’ve found Google Flights to have the best info for flexibility, but be sure to try out some others, as well.
Being flexible with your dates, whenever possible, can easily save 20% or more on your flight.

• Get Connected

Whatever social media platforms you use I can guarantee that your favorite airlines are on it, too. Be sure to follow them for news and sales. Twitter, especially, has lots of potential for staying in touch with good airfares. Try searching your favorite airports and you should find something dedicated to cheap flights, like @MSPfares. Don’t forget to follow travel industry leaders, too. Not sure where to start? See my short list of Bloggers & Travel Experts below.

• Subscribe to emails

Do you receive newsletter from airlines or travel booking sites? I get it, you already get too many emails, right? Well, if you want to know about the good deals sometimes it’s worth a little inbox clutter. Here are some of the ones that I have in my inbox:
Southwest
Sun Country
Delta
Spirit
Alaska
United
American Airlines
Travelzoo
Kayak
Expedia

• Bloggers & Travel Experts

It’s not always what you know, but who you know. In this age of the internet be sure to tap into the amazing knowledge base of the experts out there. I recommend starting with just a small handful so you don’t get lost in never-ending cyber space. Here are my go-to’s:

The Points Guy
Nomadic Matt
Mommy Points

 

• But, what if I’m not sure…

Do you get a little nervous when you’re ready to hit the “purchase” button  when booking flights? You’re not alone. Great airfares don’t last long, so you need to act quick. But what if you spot that great fare and aren’t sure you can make the dates work? Try Orbitz or Expedia. According to thepointsguy.com, “book through an online travel agency, such as Orbitz or Expedia, which allows you to cancel flights without penalty by 11pm Eastern Time within one day of booking.”

Remember, there is an option to purchase travel insurance through pretty much anywhere you book. This may or may not be a good option. Do your homework before purchasing.