How to Score Cheap Flights Every Time: 13 Travel Hacks That Actually Work

Scoring cheap flights isn’t just about luck—it’s about knowing where to look, when to book, and which tools can give you the edge. While airfare might be one of the biggest travel expenses, it’s also the one with the most hidden opportunities to save.

Whether you’re planning a weekend escape, a long-haul adventure, or a round-the-world trip, finding affordable flights can unlock destinations you hadn’t even considered. And the best part? You don’t need to be a frequent flyer or travel industry insider to do it.

In this guide, we’re breaking down the smartest strategies and tools that experienced travellers use to consistently find the best flight deals. From timing tricks and fare alerts to hidden-city ticketing and booking platform hacks, this is your go-to resource for cutting your airfare costs—without cutting corners.

Let’s dive into the travel hacks that will change the way you book flights forever.

1. Use Flight Search Engines Like a Pro

If you’re still hopping from airline site to airline site trying to compare prices manually, stop right there. The first rule of booking cheap flights is to use flight search engines that do the heavy lifting for you.

Google Flights, Skyscanner, Momondo, and Hopper are your best mates here. They scan hundreds of airlines and booking platforms in seconds, giving you a wide-angle view of your options. You’ll be able to compare dates, tweak destinations, and see price trends all in one place.

But here’s where most travellers miss a trick—don’t book straight away. Use these sites to find the best fares, then double-check the airline’s own website. Sometimes booking direct is cheaper, and it usually comes with better support if anything goes wrong.

Google Flights in particular is gold for flexible planning. Use its calendar view to see the cheapest days to fly, or set price alerts so you’re notified when fares drop.

Pro tip: Set up alerts across multiple platforms. Prices can vary depending on the day, device, or even where you're searching from, so it pays to cast a wide net.

2. Go Incognito (Literally)

Ever notice how flight prices mysteriously jump after you’ve searched a route a few times? That’s not just in your head. Some booking platforms track your search history using cookies and subtly raise prices to create a false sense of urgency.

The solution? Browse in incognito mode or use private browsing when researching flights. This blocks tracking cookies and keeps prices consistent across multiple searches.

Want to go a step further? Use a VPN to change your virtual location. Airlines sometimes display different prices based on your country, currency, or even language settings. You might find cheaper fares simply by appearing to book from a different region—particularly useful for international routes.

Quick checklist:

• Clear your cookies before searching

• Switch to incognito/private mode

• Try comparing fares using a VPN set to another country

• Check prices in different currencies

It sounds a bit techy, but it’s worth it—these small tweaks can shave serious money off your ticket.

3. Book at the Right Time (and Fly on the Right Days)

Timing matters more than you think when it comes to booking flights. It’s not just about booking early—it’s about booking smart.

For most destinations, the sweet spot tends to be six to eight weeks before departure for domestic travel and two to four months out for international trips. If you're travelling during peak times like summer holidays or Christmas, push that even further—think three to six months in advance.

When it comes to actual travel days, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays are often the cheapest days to fly. Why? They’re less popular with both business and leisure travellers. On the flip side, Fridays and Sundays tend to be more expensive due to higher demand.

If you’ve got flexibility, use tools like Google Flights or Skyscanner to explore an entire month of fares. This lets you compare prices by date and find those golden, low-fare windows you might otherwise miss.

Pro tip: Set fare alerts as soon as you’re considering a trip. Prices fluctuate constantly, and having a few alerts running in the background means you can strike when the deal is right.

4. Be Flexible with Destinations and Dates

If you’re open to adventure, flexibility can be your biggest money-saver. Being rigid about exact dates or pinpoint destinations often leads to paying more. Loosen up your plans a little, and the savings can be huge.

Start by using tools that let you search broadly. Skyscanner’s “Everywhere” search is brilliant for discovering the cheapest places to fly from your departure city. Likewise, Google Flights’ “Explore” feature shows you a map of where you can go on your budget, perfect for when you just need a getaway but haven’t locked in where.

Flexibility with dates is just as powerful. Flying one or two days earlier—or later—can make a big difference in price. Mid-week flights are usually the cheapest, especially Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Weekends, school holidays, and national events tend to spike prices, so travelling in shoulder seasons or off-peak months often brings down costs dramatically.

Pro tip: Don’t just search return tickets. You can often save more by flying out with one airline and back with another—or even into one city and out of another, especially in regions like Europe or Southeast Asia where travel is cheap and easy between hubs.

5. Avoid Extra Fees (Especially with Budget Airlines)

Budget airlines can be a great option for cheap flights—but only if you play by their rules. They’re experts at luring you in with ultra-low base fares, then stacking on the extras: luggage fees, seat selection, priority boarding, even printing your boarding pass at the airport.

The best way to stay ahead of the game? Know exactly what’s included before you book. A lot of budget fares only allow a small personal item—not even a full carry-on. If you need more space, it’s usually cheaper to add a bag during booking rather than later on.

Other tips to dodge unnecessary costs:

• Check in online to avoid airport fees

• Skip seat selection unless you're travelling in a group

• Bring your own snacks and water bottle (post-security)

• Use a soft-sided backpack that can squish into tight size restrictions

Budget airlines can be a steal, but they make their money on the extras. If you know what to expect and pack smart, you can still fly for less—and laugh your way past the upsells.

6. Use Points, Miles and Rewards Like a Pro

Frequent flyer programmes aren’t just for business travellers and seasoned globetrotters. If you travel even a couple of times a year, signing up for airline loyalty schemes and collecting miles can quickly add up to real savings.

Start by joining the free loyalty programmes offered by the airlines you fly most often. Even if you don’t use them regularly, you might earn enough points for a discount, upgrade, or even a free flight down the line. It’s a no-brainer.

If you’re based in one place and use a travel credit card responsibly, consider one that offers points or miles on everyday spending. Many come with sign-up bonuses that are enough for a return flight right out of the gate. Just make sure you pay it off in full each month—debt defeats the purpose.

You can also look into using your points creatively:

• Book through airline partners (e.g. using Avios on Qatar or Iberia)

• Redeem points for upgrades or off-peak flights

• Combine points with cash if you’re just shy of a full fare

Pro tip: Some airlines let you earn miles through non-travel activities too, like online shopping or dining out. It’s worth checking if you can rack up rewards just by living your usual life.

7. Consider Nearby Airports and One-Way Hops

When it comes to saving money on flights, thinking a little outside the box—literally—can pay off. Instead of locking yourself into the nearest major airport, expand your search to include nearby options. A smaller regional airport might offer better deals, less crowded terminals, or access to budget carriers that don’t operate out of the main hubs.

It’s also worth looking at alternative arrival airports. For example, flying into Gatwick instead of Heathrow, or landing in Bologna instead of Florence. The extra travel on the ground might be minimal compared to what you save in airfare.

On certain routes, booking one-way flights separately rather than as a return ticket can be cheaper—especially when mixing budget and full-service airlines. It also gives you more flexibility to shape your trip, particularly if you’re travelling in one direction and not looping back.

Pro tip: Don’t forget to factor in things like transfer costs, luggage fees, and travel time between airports and your final destination. A cheaper flight isn’t worth it if it eats up your savings in other areas.

8. Experiment with One-Way vs. Round-Trip Bookings

It’s easy to assume that round-trip tickets are always cheaper—but that’s not always the case. In fact, depending on your route and the airlines involved, booking two separate one-way flights can sometimes save you money.

This approach works particularly well when you mix and match airlines. For instance, you might fly out with a budget carrier and return with a full-service airline that happens to have a sale. Or, you might find better departure times or baggage options by splitting your ticket.

Tools like Kiwi, WayAway, and Skyscanner make it easy to compare one-way fares across multiple carriers. They also let you build custom itineraries that traditional airline websites often won’t show.

Pro tip: This strategy is ideal for open-ended trips or multi-stop itineraries, where returning to your original airport isn’t the most efficient option. Just make sure to double-check visa rules or entry requirements if you’re arriving and departing from different countries.

9. Jump on Error Fares (Fast)

Every so often, an airline or booking platform slips up and publishes a ridiculously low fare by mistake—think long-haul flights for the price of a takeaway. These are known as error fares, and while they’re rare, they’re 100% real and bookable if you’re quick.

Websites like Secret Flying, Going (formerly Scott’s Cheap Flights), and Airfarewatchdog are dedicated to finding these deals and sending out alerts. Sign up, set your departure region, and you’ll get notified when a fare pops up that’s too good to be true (but isn’t).

There are a few things to keep in mind:

• Be flexible—these fares often come with odd dates, routings, or short booking windows

• Act fast—they don’t last long, sometimes just a few hours

• Don’t book extras right away—wait until the airline confirms your ticket before locking in accommodation or onward travel, just in case the fare gets cancelled (rare, but possible)

Pro tip: Have your details saved on booking platforms so you can check out quickly when an error fare appears. Being prepared can make all the difference.

10. Use Multi-City and Open-Jaw Bookings

If you're planning a trip that covers more than one destination, don’t limit yourself to traditional return tickets. Airlines and booking platforms often offer multi-city or open-jaw options that can actually be cheaper—and much more efficient—than flying in and out of the same airport.

A multi-city booking lets you fly from Point A to B, then C back to A, all in one ticket. For example: London to Tokyo, Tokyo to Bangkok, Bangkok back to London. It’s perfect for travellers who want to cover more ground without backtracking.

An open-jaw ticket is similar, but with more DIY freedom. You fly into one city and out of another, then travel overland in between. It’s ideal for regions like Europe or Southeast Asia where trains, buses, and short-haul flights are affordable and frequent.

Why it works:

• Saves you time and money on unnecessary return journeys

• Lets you build a more creative, efficient itinerary

• Can be cheaper than separate one-way flights, depending on the route

Pro tip: Use the multi-city function on sites like Google Flights, Expedia, or Kayak to build your trip. You’ll often uncover combinations you wouldn’t find with standard return searches.

11. Pack Carry-On Only (Seriously)

If you really want to get the most out of cheap flights—especially with budget airlines—packing carry-on only is a game-changer. Checked baggage fees can add anywhere from £20 to £100 to your ticket, sometimes even more than the flight itself.

Travelling with just a carry-on doesn’t mean sacrificing comfort or style. It just means packing smart. A few essentials, a capsule wardrobe, and some space-saving tricks go a long way.

Here’s how to make it work:

• Use packing cubes or compression bags to maximise space

• Wear your bulkiest items on the plane (yes, that’s your jacket and boots)

• Stick to solid toiletries or keep liquids under 100ml

• Choose a soft backpack or flexible case that fits airline size restrictions

Plus, going carry-on only means no waiting at baggage claim, no lost luggage dramas, and way less stress during layovers or last-minute gate changes.

Pro tip: Always check your airline’s baggage rules before you fly. What counts as “hand luggage” on one airline might be an extra charge on another.

12. Sign Up for Airline Sales, Newsletters and Alerts

One of the simplest ways to stay ahead of flight deals? Let the deals come to you. Most airlines run sales throughout the year—some regular, some totally random—and if you’re on their radar, you’ll often hear about them before the general public.

Sign up for newsletters from airlines you fly often, as well as any that service your preferred departure airports. Even if you don’t read every email, keeping an eye out during big sale seasons—like Black Friday, January sales, or anniversary promotions—can score you major savings.

In addition, set up fare alerts through platforms like:

• Skyscanner – track flights on flexible dates

• Google Flights – get notified of price drops for specific routes

• Hopper – uses data trends to predict whether to book now or wait

Pro tip: Create a separate email folder or use filters so these alerts don’t clog your main inbox. That way, when you’re ready to travel, you’ve already got a list of deals waiting.

13. Combine Airlines and Use Hidden-City Ticketing (Carefully)

Sometimes the best deals aren’t on a single airline or route—they’re created when you build your own itinerary by combining different carriers. Booking platforms like Kiwi and WayAway are built for this kind of flexibility, letting you mix and match airlines (and even airports) for the cheapest or most efficient trip.

Another advanced strategy is something called hidden-city ticketing. This involves booking a flight that connects through your real destination, then simply not boarding the second leg. For example, if it’s cheaper to book a ticket from London to Warsaw via Berlin—and you actually want to end up in Berlin—you just exit at the layover.

There are tools like Skiplagged that specialise in finding these kinds of fares, but they come with caveats:

• It only works if you’re travelling carry-on only (checked bags go to the final destination)

• You shouldn’t use this on round-trip tickets—it could invalidate your return

• Some airlines frown on it, so use with discretion

Pro tip: Combining carriers or routes gives you flexibility and opens up options that major airline websites won’t always show. Just make sure you allow for connection times and have a backup plan in case of delays.

Cheap flights aren’t just the result of lucky timing—they’re the result of smart planning, flexible thinking, and knowing how to use the right tools. Whether you’re flying across the country or halfway around the world, there’s almost always a way to pay less, travel better, and avoid the common traps that catch most travellers out.

The key takeaway? Stay flexible when you can, think beyond the obvious, and don’t be afraid to experiment with new platforms or booking strategies. The more you travel this way, the more intuitive it becomes—and the more you’ll save over time.

So the next time someone tells you flights are too expensive, you’ll know better. Your next adventure is closer (and cheaper) than you think.