Traveling can be rewarding and even life-changing. However, it isn’t cheap when you factor in hotels, excursions and airfare. It is possible to lower your travel expenses, though. You just need to know how to find cheap flights.

According to CheapAir’s 2025 data, airlines update their prices three times every day. Before departure alone, the price of one seat on a domestic flight can change 35 times before taking off!

These tips for finding cheap flights can help you fight back against high prices and airfare uncertainty. Get ready for lower prices on everything from travel to trending spots to last-minute trips.

Table of Contents

1. Get cash back
2. Best time to book flights
3. Best time to travel
4. Be flexible
5. Check extra fees
6. Look for kids deals
7. Set a price alert
8. Follow airlines on social media
9. Consider budget airlines
10. Watch for flash deals
11. Take advantage of in-app promos
12. Check out travel packages
13. Get a travel rewards credit card
14. Enroll in frequent flier programs
15. Watch for post-booking price drops
16. Reserve your rate
17. Join AARP
18. Get paid for delays
19. Ship your bags
20. Fly into stopover tour airports

1. Get Cash Back on Your Booking

Before you make any reservations, download the RetailMeNot app + RetailMeNot browser extension (if you haven’t already).

Did you know you can get cash back on flights? If you were impressed by the amount of cash back you got on your latest skincare purchase or holiday gifts, think of how much you can accumulate on a big-ticket purchase like a flight or travel package? It’s free money headed your way!

Visit the RetailMeNot travel deals page to find all the best cash back offers currently available. Keep an eye out for our events, where you can find boosted cash back offers!

2. Book Your Flight at The Sweet Spot

This one may seem obvious. The earlier you book your flight, the better the rate and the better the choices you’ll have. However, you don’t want to book too early if you want airfare deals.

While there’s no magic number for when to book cheap flights, Skyscanner recommends:

• Booking domestic flights one (1) to three (3) months before departure.
• Scheduling international routes two (2) to six (6) months before taking off.

Expedia’s 2025 Air Hacks report agreed with the timeline for booking domestic flights (34 to 86 days). 

However, Expedia also found that it can sometimes pay to wait to book international flights, with airfare deals to be found 18 to 29 days before departure. The only disadvantage of booking closer to your flight date is the risk of having fewer seats to choose from.

CheapAir also offered specific guidance on when to book international flights to specific regions:

• Asia: Book 90 to 120 days before traveling.
• Australia/New Zealand: Book 120 to 180 days ahead of time.
• Europe: Book 120 to 160 days before your flight.
• South America: Book 70 to 100 days before taking off.

Overall, it’s wise to book domestic flights one (1) to three (3) months before your trip. As for international flights, consider where you’ll be traveling when deciding when to book. Booking two (2) to six (6) months ahead for international flights can result in lower prices, while last-minute bookings can result in surprise deals.

The day you book your flight also matters. Expedia states that Sunday is the best day to book both international (17% savings) and domestic flights (6% savings). As for the most expensive days to book, those are Monday and Friday.

3. Plan Your Trip During Off-Peak Travel Times

The rule of supply and demand means that you can find lower prices on flights if you book during off-peak times.

If you’re hoping for airfare deals when booking flights during peak seasons, aim to book on the earlier side of things. This will give you better access to flight deals (and seat availability).

According to Expedia, February tends to be the quietest month for travel. In contrast, July is the busiest month, with all that summer travel. Additionally, as kids go back to school, August is the cheapest month to fly (with 12% savings), while March is the most expensive.

The time of year isn’t the only thing that matters when looking for cheap flights. You also want to consider the day you’ll be flying.

Traditionally, Tuesday through Thursday flights have offered the best savings. While the mid-week flights can still be a good bargain, Expedia names the following days as its most affordable travel days:

• Saturday domestic flights can offer up to 17% savings.
• Thursday international bookings can provide 15% savings.

4. Be Flexible With Travel Dates

If you have some flexibility, red-eye flights, flights with layovers and off-season flights are usually the cheapest. 

Sites like Skyscanner and Kayak let you explore prices for round-trip flights from your departure city to destinations around the world. Kayak even offers the option to filter destinations by activity or type, including skiing, wine regions, family-friendly destinations and more.

5. Look for Extra Airline Fees Before You Commit

Although there are some fees you can’t control, including fuel costs, airport taxes and maintenance costs, there are plenty that you can. 

Checked bag fees vary from one airline to another. If a flight price is similar between multiple airlines, take a look at those fees. The fees might tip the scale when choosing. Also, be mindful of baggage weight and limits and pack as light as possible to avoid overcharges.

6. Look for Airlines Where Kids Fly Free or at a Discounted Rate

If you’re traveling with kids, some airlines won’t charge for their seats. For example, Frontier Airlines lets kids under 14 fly for free on qualifying flights with an adult who is in the Discount Den program. The annual membership costs $59.99 for one year. New members pay $99.99 for their first year, which includes a $40 enrollment fee.

Most airlines, including Southwest Airlines, American Airlines and Virgin Atlantic, allow kids under the age of 2 to fly for free, provided they aren’t occupying a seat or offer discounted rates. As for British Airways, infants not occupying a seat pay 10% of the adult ticket.

7. Set a Price Alert to Snag Cheaper Airfare

Deal sites like Google Flights, Going.com, Kayak and Hopper offer the option to watch the flights you’re interested in and send updates if prices change. Most sites also have calendar views, date grids or price graphs that map out the cheapest days to fly.

8. Follow Your Favorite Airline on Social Media

You and your friends aren’t the only ones on social media. Airlines are too. They use X (Twitter), TikTok, Facebook and Instagram to reach and engage with customers like you.

Your favorite airlines use social media for several reasons, including promoting new deals and savings alerts to their followers. It’s also worth following pages like The Flight Deal on Facebook and Secret Flying on X (Twitter) for hot travel deals around the world.

These are the most popular airlines to follow on X (Twitter):

• American Airlines
• British Airways
• Delta
• Frontier Airlines
• JetBlue
• Southwest Airlines
• Spirit Airlines
• United Airlines

9. Consider Flying a Budget Airline

Budget airlines offer cost-effective, no-frills options to travelers. For example, you can get a cheap international flight through BudgetAir. They also offer other ways to save, including the option of landing at a different airport than the one you ultimately depart from, also known as the open-jaw itinerary. 

Other great budget airlines to check for flight deals include Frontier, JetBlue and Spirit.

10. Watch for Flash Deals and Promotions

If you have a flexible schedule and multiple destinations in mind, look for airline flash sales. Airlines like Southwest, JetBlue and Frontier Airlines run flash sales between certain cities and during specific time frames. These sales let you book airfare for a fraction of the cost.

11. Take Advantage of In-App Deals

Your favorite stores and restaurants aren’t the only ones that offer special deals when you make purchases on their apps. Some airlines do it too.

For example, United Airlines is offering a minimum 5% discount on flights to MileagePlus members who are 18 to 23 years old who book through the United app.

12. Shop for Travel Package Deals

Booking a flight and hotel together on sites like Expedia, Booking.com and Southwest Vacations can save you hundreds of dollars on your vacation. 

Expedia even offers the option to bundle a hotel until your trip starts with “Expedia Add-On Advantage.” You can take your time finding the best place to stay while getting a great deal.

13. Get a Travel Rewards Credit Card

Nowadays, pretty much every airline has its own credit card. These include the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Card, JetBlue Card, and American Airlines Advantage. With these cards, you can earn points on purchases to redeem for flights and gift cards.

Most will give you bonus points after you spend a certain amount within the first few months. These points are often enough to land you a free flight. You’ll also benefit from travel perks like discounts on in-flight purchases, priority boarding, travel and purchase coverage, no foreign transaction fees, a free checked bag and more.

14. Enroll in Airline Frequent Flyer Programs

Don’t forget to enroll in frequent flyer programs at your favorite airline. It’s free, and even if you don’t often fly on one particular carrier, most airlines are part of a larger group (Oneworld, Star Alliance and SkyTeam) where your frequent flyer points are shareable. The American Airlines Advantage program is one of the best loyalty programs around.

15. Watch for Price Drops After Booking Your Flight

After you purchase your airline ticket, some websites and airlines may refund the difference in price if you find a cheaper rate after booking.

For example, JetBlue offers the Best Fare Guarantee. If you book directly with JetBlue and find a lower price within 24 hours of booking a flight, you can cancel and receive a full refund.

16. Lock in Rates With a 24-Hour Reservation Hold

Thanks to the Department of Transportation (DOT), all U.S. and foreign air carriers must comply with the customer service rule that requires them “to hold a reservation at the quoted fare for 24 hours without payment or allow a reservation to be canceled within 24 hours without penalty.” 

Some airlines offer even longer holds, but they do charge a nonrefundable fee.

• United Airlines offers FareLock, which lets you hold qualifying flights for three (3), seven (7) or 14 days at a reserved rate. The airline also allows you to cancel your reservation within 24 hours for a full refund without paying a fee.
• American Airlines will hold your reservation for 24 hours.
• Spirit Airlines lets you cancel your flight for free if it’s been less than 24 hours since booking (and the flight is seven (7) or more days away).

Emirates Hold My Fare lets you reserve a flight for 72 hours for free.

17. Join AARP Regardless of Your Age

People of any age can join AARP, although only those 50 and over have access to a full membership. Members under 50 can enjoy benefits that aren’t restricted by vendor requirements. 

Benefits include savings when booking with select airlines, including American, British Airways, United and JetBlue. Go to the AAPR Travel Center to find out more.

18. Get Paid for Flight Delays

The DOT’s Airline Cancellation and Delay Dashboard is a helpful way to find out whether an airline provides an alternative to its customers due to delays within the airline’s control.

JetBlue Airways is one airline that offers different compensation credits for departure delays and flight cancellations, with up to a $250 credit, depending on the length of the delay. 

Additionally, overbooked passengers who are bumped involuntarily receive $2,150. Check your airline to find out whether they have a similar policy for compensation.

19. Consider Shipping Checked Bags to Your Destination

Clearly, it’s almost impossible to travel without taking a carry-on or checked bag with you. Some airlines let you check your first bag for free, while others charge a fee. In fact, American Airlines charges for the first checked bag $35 when purchased online (or $40 at the airport).

Depending on the length of your trip, where you’re going and what you’re taking, it might be cheaper to ship your luggage to your destination. It can help you save money and avoid the headache of lugging your belongings around the airport.

20. Fly Into an International Airport With Free Stopover Tours

When you have hours or days to spare, consider booking a stopover tour. Some airports have free tours while others charge a fee for travelers who want to explore cities they might not otherwise have the opportunity to see.

Here are some airlines with stopover tours to check out:

• The Abu Dhabi airport offers Stopover Tours when you have six (6) hours or more to kill by visiting places like the Abu Dhabi Ferrari Theme Park. 
• The Incheon Airport in South Korea has Transit Tours for those with layovers lasting 24 hours or less.
• You can add a free stopover in Lisbon or Porto with Air Portugal Stopover for outbound or return trips.
• Icelandair’s Stopover allows you to explore everything from the Northern Lights to geothermal bathing.

The post 20 Savings Hacks to Use on Your Next Flight appeared first on The Real Deal by RetailMeNot.

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