5 Secrets to Beat the System Every Time and Get Cheap Flights

Traveling is exciting, but planning it can often feel overwhelming. Finding cheap flights is one of the most important steps to saving money on your trip. When you can score a great deal on airfare, you’ll have more room in your budget for other travel essentials like food, accommodations, transportation, and activities.

I get asked all the time, “How do I find cheap flights?” The key to booking the lowest fares is strategy, not luck. With a few smart moves, you can make finding affordable flights much easier.

In this guide, I’m sharing 5 proven secrets that will help you find cheap flights every time, no matter where you’re traveling.

Be Flexible

This step is not as obvious as you may think. The more flexible you can be, the cheaper your flights will be. If you get in the habit of being flexible with your travel you will save thousands on airfare – or any travel accommodations for that matter! These are some ways to be flexible so that you too can buy cheap flights:

Search cheap flights and determine where you’ll travel based on those flight deals that come up. . . Not the traditional way of deciding where you will go, choose the dates and then look for flight deals.
Be open to longer travel times – take advantage of long connections.
Multiple connections may have a much longer travel time however the cost of the fare may be significantly lower. I personally travel with my 2-year old so taking multiple connections doesn’t work for us. You will have to consider what you are willing to compromise on.

This post may contain affiliate links which means I may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that I’ve recommended – at no extra cost to you, of course. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read my disclosure here.

Follow the Flight Deals

Social media is one of the best ways to stay up-to-date on flight deals – especially if you’re on social media often. I personally prefer Facebook to stay in the loop! I post flight deals on my Instastories and Facebook stories all the time, especially on #TravelTipTuesday.

Regardless of which social platform you decide to use, to be sure you receive notifications when new deals are posted. Follow the recommended flight deal providers and then adjust the notifications accordingly.

If you can also sign up to receive flight deals that are delivered right to your inbox via email! Some of the best flight deal providers to follow and/or subscribe to:

Secret Flying
The Flight Deal
Fare Deal Alert
AirFareWatchDog
Scott’s Cheap Flights

Bonus: Signing up with these flight deal providers will also put you first in line to get glitch fares (aka error fares). What is a glitch fare, you ask? Well, a glitch fare is when an airline makes a mistake and publishes a fare much lower than what it is supposed to be. Sometimes the carriers will honor these fares and sometimes they won’t. If they don’t, they’ll issue you a full refund.

Use the BEST Search Options

There are many different websites and apps that will help you find cheap flights. The PERFECT search options to find cheap flights are:

Google Flights: I usually start my searches with this search option and I absolutely LOVE this. . . It’s my favorite way to search for cheap flights. This is usually how I start my search. It’s really easy to use and it allows you to narrow down your search (ex. included bags, stops, airlines, layover times, etc). The available fares can be displayed as a date grid or price graph. I add my preferences and it provides me with the lowest fares, I take those parameters and enter them into the other search platforms. This is a great way to obtain the lowest fares.
WatchDog Airfare: this search option is great because not only can you search for cheap flights but cheap hotels as well. You can also sign up to be notified (via email) of deals for the routes that you are interested in.
Skiplagged: I’m sure you’ve heard of buying an airline to a particular destination however only using part of the ticket – just to get the cheapest fare. This search option basically finds the cheapest flight deals based on where you need to travel – which is not usually the final destination listed on the ticket. This has become very popular over recent years however you will want to be sure you completely understand how these options work before you try it.
Skyscanner: is a popular search option. It provides you with fares for different airlines and then directs you to the airline’s site to purchase. The
Hopper: helps you book the lowest fares by predicting airfare (up to a year in advance). You can use the website or app. You add the routes you’re interested in and it will track when the fare changes.
BookingBuddy.com: offers flights, hotels, car rentals, cruise and vacation packages. It actually compares the prices across several different sites. You can add your email address to receive alerts for the routes youre looking for. This is the best search option to use when you’re looking for a one-stop shop.

Side Note: There isn’t one search option that is always gonna give you the cheapest flights. You will have to use these different search options and then compare the fares.

Be Incognito

So, you browse and/or shop online? . . . Have you ever noticed when you search for different products online and then start seeing ads on social media and on different sites? Well, companies track what you’re doing online (your cookies ) to be able to market consumers. The best way to search for cheap flights is to use a private browser.

This is probably my least favorite step! I personally don’t like too many emails coming into my inbox. Signing up for the newsletters for different airlines is a great way to find some really amazing flight deals. Try to keep in mind that you are gonna get a ton of emails. To help with this, I suggest you adjust the notification settings & create an email folder and automatically send all the promo/newsletter emails into that folder. . . This way you aren’t overwhelmed with too many emails.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the best time/day to purchase an airline ticket?

I actually work in the airline industry and attest to saying there is no “best” time/day to buy cheap airfares. It’s really a matter of being flexible, signing up to receive flight deals and using the search options above to compare fares.

Can I cancel my ticket if I change my mind later on?

That will depend on the type of ticket you purchase. . . Just know that the lowest fares come with the most restrictions.

Are checked bags included with the purchase of the ticket?

Your baggage allowance is based on the type of ticket you purchase (the fare rules), your destination, the route, and the carrier(s) you’re traveling on.

If I buy a ticket to a destination I do not plan on going to what happens to the remaining part of my ticket?

It depends on what type of ticket it is (if the ticket changes are allowed), how much you paid for the ticket and what the penalty fee is. You can make a voluntary change to the ticket (if it permitted) and there is a residual amount after the penalty fee is applied. If not, there is no value in the ticket so you would not be able to do anything with the ticket after you travel the first part of the ticket.

Is there a cancellation period?

It depends on the airline/3rd party you buy the ticket from. Verify the cancellation options prior to booking the ticket.

What’s the best day to travel?

There’s really no “best” day to travel however depending on the time of year will vary. Generally, the slowest days to travel are Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays (late afternoons/evenings).

Final Thoughts

Finding cheap flights doesn’t have to feel confusing or time-consuming. Once you know what to look for and how to search strategically, booking flights becomes a lot less stressful—and a lot more rewarding.

The money you save on airfare can be put toward better accommodations, amazing food, unforgettable experiences, or even your next trip. A few small changes in how you book can lead to big savings over time.

Try these tips the next time you plan a trip, and see how much of a difference they make. And if you have a favorite flight-saving trick of your own, drop it in the comments—I’d love to hear it.