Flying doesn’t have to drain your bank account. I still remember the first time I booked a cheap flight for a return trip from London to Bangkok for under £300—without sacrificing legroom, service or departure time. It felt like I’d cracked a code only frequent flyers and travel hackers knew. But the truth is, anyone can do it. You don’t need a secret club or special access. You just need the right strategy.
From sleepless nights scanning price drops to scoring last-minute steals thanks to insider methods, I’ve picked up priceless knowledge over the years. I’ve turned it into a step-by-step system that has helped me and hundreds of readers slash travel costs, repeatedly.
In this article, I’ll share exactly how to find cheap flights and how to book the cheapest airfare using real, proven strategies—not myths or clickbait.
How to Find Cheap Flights Without Stress
The key to finding cheap flights is timing and flexibility. Airfare isn’t fixed like a retail product—it fluctuates, sometimes by the hour. Use tools like Google Flights and Skyscanner to compare prices quickly. Always search in incognito mode to avoid dynamic price hikes.
Use flexible date searches—flying midweek (Tuesday or Wednesday) often saves 20–40%. Red-eye flights, early morning departures or flying out of smaller airports can also cut your costs significantly.
Book Flights on the Right Day and Time
Statistically, booking on a Tuesday or Wednesday afternoon yields the lowest prices. Airlines release deals early in the week, and by midweek, competitors price match. I once saved £90 just by waiting a day.
Avoid booking flights on Fridays or weekends. The prices are usually inflated because of business and leisure travellers.
Set Price Alerts for Cheap Flights Deals
One of the smartest ways to find cheap flights is by setting fare alerts. Services like Hopper or Kayak allow you to track fare changes. You’ll get a notification when the price drops for your selected route.
This works brilliantly if you plan in advance. For example, I tracked a London to Cape Town fare for 3 weeks and booked when it dropped by 38%.
How to Book the Cheapest Airfare with Hidden City Trick
“Hidden City” ticketing is a technique where you book a flight with a layover in your actual destination. For instance, if you want to go to Paris, book a flight to Budapest with a stop in Paris—then skip the last leg.
Use Skiplagged to find these routes. It’s totally legal but goes against airline policy—so use this method carefully and avoid checking luggage.
Use Budget Airlines with Smart Tactics
Low-cost airlines like Ryanair, Wizz Air, or EasyJet offer insane deals. I once flew from London to Milan for £9. But beware: they charge high for extras.
To save:
- Always travel with carry-on only.
- Print your boarding pass ahead.
- Use VPNs to book from lower-income countries’ portals, which sometimes show lower fares.
Leverage Credit Card Points and Travel Rewards
Collecting airline miles or credit card points is not just for frequent flyers. You can sign up for travel cards like the Amex Gold or Barclaycard Avios Plus. These offer generous sign-up bonuses—often enough for a one-way flight.
Combine this with frequent flyer accounts from airlines such as British Airways or Emirates. You’d be surprised how quickly those points stack up.
Use Local Airlines and Regional Booking Hacks
When booking international multi-city trips, always check the local version of the airline’s website. Booking on Turkish Airlines’ UK site versus their Turkish one can show different prices—even in GBP.
Also, consider booking two one-way tickets instead of a round trip. I once saved £130 flying London → Bangkok with Qatar Airways, and then Bangkok → London with Finnair.
Take Advantage of Error Fares
Error fares are price mistakes made by airlines or travel agencies. Websites like Secret Flying and Airfarewatchdog alert you to these errors.
Act fast—these deals vanish quickly, sometimes within hours. If the airline honours them (which most do), you can score flights that are 70–90% off the normal price.
Clear Browser Cookies and Use VPN for Better Pricing
Most people don’t realise that airlines use cookies to track user behaviour. If they notice you checking the same route repeatedly, they might increase prices to create urgency.
Use incognito browsing or clear your cookies before searching. Alternatively, use a VPN to change your virtual location—booking from a different country can show cheaper fares, especially for domestic routes abroad.
Use Multi-City Booking Instead of Round Trip
Instead of a simple round-trip booking, try adding a stopover. For instance, flying from London to Tokyo via Dubai might be £150 cheaper than direct.
Multi-city searches can also open up opportunities to visit another destination without paying extra—essentially getting a “free” stopover.
Use this feature on sites like Google Flights, Kiwi.com or Momondo.
Other External Resources for Tools and Tips
To enhance your flight-finding journey, here are helpful tools and links to external platforms:
- Skyscanner – Great for flexible date searches.
- Google Flights – Excellent for fare trends.
- Hopper – Predicts future fare drops.
- Skiplagged – Perfect for hidden city ticketing.
- Kiwi – For unconventional routing.
- Secret Flying – Real-time error fares.
If you follow these exact methods, cheap flight deals become not a rare stroke of luck but a repeatable success. The goal isn’t to just get the cheapest flight once—it’s to make saving big on airfare your new normal.
By mastering when, where, and how to book, you’ll never again overpay to see the world.
