Learning how to find cheap flights isn’t about discovering one secret booking day or repeatedly clearing your browser cookies.

Airfares change according to demand, route, season, availability and numerous other factors. The cheapest option can therefore vary from one journey to another.

What you can do is search more intelligently.

Being flexible with dates, comparing nearby airports, tracking prices and looking at the complete cost of a ticket can significantly improve your chances of finding a good fare.

If you’re wondering how to find cheap flights for your next holiday, these 15 practical strategies are a much better place to start than relying on old airfare myths.

1. Be Flexible with Your Travel Dates

The first lesson in how to find cheap flights is simple: flexibility is one of the best ways to learn how to find cheap flights for less.

Flying one or two days earlier or later can sometimes produce a very different fare.

This is particularly relevant around:

• School holidays
• Bank holidays
• Christmas
• Easter
• Major sporting events
• Festivals
• Popular summer weekends

If you don’t need to travel on an exact date, search several days around your preferred departure and return.

Calendar and date-grid tools can make these differences much easier to spot.

The UK Civil Aviation Authority also advises that flights and holidays can cost more during busy periods such as school holidays and notes that flexibility with dates can help travellers save money. Read the CAA’s flight-planning advice.

2. Compare Different Days to Fly

When learning how to find cheap flights, don’t confuse the day you book with the day you fly.

They’re two different things.

One of the persistent myths about how to find cheap flights is that everyone should purchase tickets on Tuesday.

There’s little evidence that waiting for one particular booking day reliably produces the cheapest fare.

Google’s 2025 analysis of historical Google Flights data found only a small difference between the cheapest and most expensive days to make a booking.

However, the day of travel showed a larger difference.

In Google’s dataset, departures on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday were around 13% cheaper on average than weekend departures.

Importantly, Google’s figures were based on journeys departing from US airports, so don’t assume the exact percentage applies to a UK itinerary.

The broader lesson is still useful: compare departure days rather than waiting for a mythical day to buy the ticket.

3. Use Flexible-Date Search Tools

If you want to know how to find cheap flights efficiently, flexible-date tools are one of the easiest ways to understand how to find cheap flights without searching every date manually.

Use tools that show prices across multiple days.

A flexible-date calendar can quickly reveal whether:

• Tuesday is cheaper than Saturday
• The following week costs less
• Returning a day later reduces the fare
• Moving the whole holiday changes the price

This is especially useful when the destination matters more than the exact dates.

You can also search for flights through TravelHype when comparing options for your next trip.

4. Compare Nearby Airports

Changing airport can sometimes save more than changing airline when you’re working out how to find cheap flights.

For example, travellers in parts of the UK may realistically have access to several airports.

Depending on where you live, your options could include combinations of:

• Heathrow
• Gatwick
• Stansted
• Luton
• Birmingham
• Manchester
• Bristol
• East Midlands

The same principle applies at your destination.

A city or region may be served by several airports with substantially different fares.

Learning how to find cheap flights therefore means searching the wider area rather than automatically choosing the most obvious airport.

But always calculate the onward cost.

Saving £30 on the flight isn’t worthwhile if the alternative airport adds £50 in trains, taxis or parking.

5. Compare the Total Flight Price

One of the most important lessons in how to find cheap flights is that the lowest headline airfare isn’t necessarily the cheapest journey.

This is particularly important with fares that include little more than transportation and a small personal bag.

Before deciding which flight is cheapest, add anything you’ll genuinely need.

That could include:

• Cabin baggage
• Checked baggage
• Seat selection
• Airport transfers
• Payment-related costs where applicable
• Parking
• Food
• Overnight accommodation

The Civil Aviation Authority advises passengers to consider optional charges when comparing flights because baggage and seat selection may cost extra. Read the CAA’s flight-planning guidance.

UK consumer rules also require unavoidable taxes and charges to be included in advertised flight prices, while optional extras should be presented separately. Read the CAA’s consumer-law information.

Understanding how to find cheap flights therefore means comparing what you’ll actually pay rather than sorting by the first number on the screen.

6. Check the Baggage Allowance Before Booking

Baggage can completely change which flight offers the best value, so it should always be considered when deciding how to find cheap flights.

Suppose Airline A costs £80 and Airline B costs £105.

Airline A initially appears cheaper.

But if you need a cabin suitcase and checked bag while Airline B includes them in its fare, the second ticket could ultimately cost less.

Check:

• Personal-item dimensions
• Cabin-bag dimensions
• Cabin-bag weight
• Checked-baggage allowance
• Cost of adding luggage
• Excess baggage charges

The CAA specifically warns that baggage allowances vary between airlines and fare types and that the flight which initially appears cheapest may not remain cheapest once luggage is included. Check the CAA’s baggage guidance.

Our guide to avoiding excess baggage fees explains this in more detail.

7. Consider Connecting Flights

Direct flights are convenient, but adding a connection can sometimes reduce the fare.

Google’s 2025 historical analysis found that flights with a layover were around 22% cheaper on average than nonstop flights within its US-origin dataset.

Again, don’t assume you’ll save exactly 22% on a UK flight.

Instead, treat connecting itineraries as another option worth comparing.

When researching how to find cheap flights, look at both:

Direct: usually faster and simpler.

Connecting: potentially cheaper, but longer and less convenient.

Also distinguish between a protected connecting itinerary sold as one booking and separate tickets you’ve assembled yourself.

8. Be Careful with Self-Connecting Flights

Buying separate tickets can occasionally produce a very cheap itinerary.

But the risk can be considerably higher.

Imagine booking:

London → Milan with Airline A

and separately:

Milan → Bangkok with Airline B.

If the first flight is delayed and you miss the second, Airline B may not be responsible for putting you on another flight because the journeys were purchased separately.

You may also need to:

• Enter the country
• Collect checked baggage
• Check in again
• Pass security again
• Meet visa or entry requirements

A self-transfer can still make sense, but build a substantial buffer into the itinerary.

Saving money is only worthwhile when the risk is acceptable.

9. Set Up Price Alerts

Price tracking is one of the most useful modern tools for anyone learning how to find cheap flights and one of the easiest ways to improve how to find cheap flights over time.

Instead of manually checking the same journey every morning, set an alert.

Google Flights, for example, can notify users when tracked flight prices change significantly.

This is particularly useful when:

• Your trip is several months away
• Your dates are reasonably flexible
• You’re unsure whether the current price is good
• You aren’t ready to book immediately

Tracking doesn’t guarantee that the fare will fall.

It simply makes it easier to notice changes without repeatedly performing the same search.

10. Use Historical Price Information Carefully

Some flight-search services provide information about whether a current fare is relatively low, typical or high, which can help when deciding how to find cheap flights.

Google Flights can also show a “cheapest time to book” insight for eligible searches when it has enough historical data for the route and dates.

This can be more useful than generic statements such as:

“Always book eight weeks ahead.”

No universal booking window works for every route.

Christmas flights, summer holidays, long-haul journeys and quiet off-season trips can behave differently.

Historical data is useful evidence, not a guarantee of what a fare will do next.

11. Don’t Wait for a Particular Day to Book

If you’re researching how to find cheap flights, you’ve probably encountered claims that Tuesday at a particular time is the magic moment to buy.

Don’t build your entire booking strategy around it.

Google’s 2025 data found that Tuesday had historically been the cheapest booking day in its dataset, but only by around 1.3% compared with Sunday, the most expensive.

That’s a small difference compared with factors such as:

• Travel date
• Route
• Airport
• Direct versus connecting
• Baggage
• Demand

If you’ve found a fare you’re comfortable paying for a fixed trip, waiting several days solely because somebody told you Tuesday is always cheaper could backfire.

12. Don’t Rely on Incognito Mode for Cheaper Fares

Another popular claim is that airlines secretly increase prices because you’ve repeatedly searched for the same journey and that switching to incognito mode reveals a cheaper fare.

You shouldn’t rely on this as a flight-saving strategy.

Prices can genuinely change between searches as availability and fares change.

You may also encounter different prices because of:

• Currency
• Country
• Fare availability
• Different sellers
• Different fare bundles
• Search timing

Private browsing can be useful for privacy, but it isn’t a dependable answer to how to find cheap flights.

Spend your effort comparing dates, airports and total prices instead.

13. Consider Travelling Outside Peak Season

Changing the month can produce a bigger saving than changing the booking website, which is another useful tactic when learning how to find cheap flights.

Destinations have high, low and shoulder seasons.

If you don’t have children tied to school holidays or fixed work dates, consider travelling immediately before or after the busiest period.

Potential benefits include:

• Lower flight prices
• Cheaper accommodation
• Fewer crowds
• Better availability

But check why it’s the low season.

A tropical destination might be cheaper because it’s experiencing heavy rainfall, extreme heat or storm risk.

Cheap isn’t automatically good value.

Our guide to budget travel destinations can give you ideas if destination flexibility is part of your strategy.

14. Let the Price Help Choose the Destination

One of the best approaches to how to find cheap flights is to reverse the traditional search process.

Instead of deciding:

“I must fly to Barcelona from 14–18 May.”

try:

“Where can I fly cheaply in May?”

This opens up far more possibilities.

If you’re flexible about the destination, compare several cities or countries.

A £60 return flight to somewhere you hadn’t considered may produce a much more interesting trip than paying £250 simply because you initially had one destination in mind.

This works particularly well for:

• Weekend breaks
• Spontaneous holidays
• Shoulder-season trips
• Travellers without fixed dates

Letting price influence the destination can uncover places you might otherwise overlook.

15. Know When to Stop Searching and Book

Perhaps the hardest part of learning how to find cheap flights is knowing when to stop, because how to find cheap flights is partly about recognising a good fare when you see one.

Nobody can guarantee that today’s fare won’t be £20 cheaper tomorrow.

It could also be £50 more expensive.

If:

• The price fits your budget
• Your dates are fixed
• The itinerary is convenient
• The baggage allowance works
• Historical information suggests the fare is reasonable

then booking can be more sensible than endlessly waiting for the absolute bottom.

This is particularly true for peak travel dates.

Our guide Book Flights Now or Wait? What the Data Says looks specifically at this decision.

Should You Book Flights Early?

Sometimes, but there isn’t one booking window that works for every flight.

Google’s latest published analysis found that international flights in its US-origin dataset had historically been cheapest 49 days or more before departure, while different journey types had different patterns.

That’s useful context, but it isn’t a rule for British travellers.

A better strategy is to start researching early enough to understand the normal price range for your particular journey.

If your dates are fixed and you’re travelling during:

• Christmas
• Easter
• School summer holidays
• A major sporting event
• A festival

leaving everything until the last minute introduces considerable risk.

Starting early also gives price alerts time to work.

Are Last-Minute Flights Cheaper?

They can be, but don’t assume they will be.

Airlines don’t have to sell every remaining seat cheaply just because departure is approaching.

On popular routes and dates, last-minute fares can be expensive because remaining passengers may have less flexibility.

Last-minute searching makes more sense when:

• Your dates are flexible
• Your destination is flexible
• You’re prepared not to travel
• You’re travelling during a quieter period

If you absolutely need to be in a particular city on a particular date, relying on a last-minute bargain is risky.

Is It Cheaper to Book a Return Flight?

Not always.

Compare the options.

Sometimes a return booking with one airline is cheapest.

On other routes, two one-way fares with different airlines may cost less or offer better timings.

For example:

Outbound → Airline A

Return → Airline B

This can also increase your choice of airports.

Just make sure you’re comparing the complete cost, including luggage and transport at both ends.

Knowing how to find cheap flights involves testing different combinations rather than assuming a return ticket will always win.

Are Budget Airlines Always Cheaper?

No.

Low-cost airlines can offer excellent fares, but the final price depends on what you need.

A traveller taking only a small personal bag may find a £30 budget fare unbeatable.

A family needing checked luggage and specific seats could find that the price gap narrows considerably after extras.

Compare:

Headline fare + everything you need = real flight cost.

Don’t dismiss full-service airlines automatically.

Likewise, don’t assume a low-cost carrier will become expensive once extras are included.

Calculate it.

Should You Join Airline Loyalty Programmes?

If you regularly use the same airline or airline group, loyalty programmes can provide value.

Depending on the scheme, you may be able to earn points through:

• Flights
• Credit cards
• Shopping
• Hotels
• Car hire
• Partner offers

Those points can potentially be redeemed towards future travel.

But don’t pay substantially more for a flight simply to collect points unless you’ve calculated that the benefit justifies the difference.

The cheapest cash fare and the best loyalty strategy aren’t always the same thing.

Can Alternative Airports Save Money?

Absolutely, but compare the complete journey.

A flight from a more distant airport could be £50 cheaper but require:

• £40 extra fuel
• £30 parking
• A hotel the night before

Suddenly the “cheap” flight costs more.

The same issue applies at your destination.

A secondary airport might be far from the city centre.

Check:

Flight + baggage + UK airport transport + destination transfer

before deciding.

This is one of the most important principles when learning how to find cheap flights properly.

Don’t Forget Airport Check-In Fees

A cheap airfare can become less cheap if you ignore the airline’s check-in rules.

Some airlines require passengers to check in online within a specified period and can charge for airport check-in or related services in certain circumstances.

Read the airline’s instructions before travelling.

Our airport check-in fees guide explains the issue in more detail.

If you’re flying with an airline that requires online check-in, set yourself a reminder rather than leaving it until you reach the airport.

Compare Flights and Packages

If your flight is part of a holiday, compare the cost of booking everything independently with an equivalent package.

Don’t assume separate bookings will always be cheaper.

Compare:

Option A: flight + hotel + transfer booked separately

against

Option B: package holiday

The cheapest option varies.

Packages can also provide additional consumer protections when they meet the relevant legal definition.

Price isn’t the only consideration when deciding how to book.

Consider Early and Late Flights

Less convenient departure times can sometimes cost less.

The CAA specifically notes that flying early in the morning or late at night may be cheaper. Read the CAA’s flight-planning advice.

But again, calculate the complete journey.

A 6am departure might require:

• An airport hotel
• Expensive overnight parking
• A taxi because trains aren’t running

That can eliminate the saving.

Similarly, a late arrival may leave you with limited public transport at your destination.

The cheapest airfare isn’t always the cheapest trip.

Search Before Your Dates Become Urgent

One underrated technique for how to find cheap flights is simply giving yourself time, because starting early makes it easier to understand how to find cheap flights for your specific route.

You don’t necessarily need to book immediately.

Start searching.

Learn what fares normally look like.

Check different dates.

Set price alerts.

Compare airports.

Then you’ll have much better context when a genuinely attractive fare appears.

If you only begin searching a week before a fixed international trip, your options are already limited.

Cheap Flight Mistakes to Avoid

Even experienced travellers can undermine a good airfare.

Common mistakes include:

• Waiting for a mythical Tuesday deal
• Assuming incognito mode guarantees lower prices
• Ignoring baggage charges
• Forgetting airport transfers
• Booking an unrealistic self-transfer
• Choosing inconvenient dates solely to save a tiny amount
• Waiting indefinitely for prices to fall
• Assuming low-cost airlines are always cheapest
• Assuming direct flights are always worth the premium
• Comparing headline fares instead of total costs

Avoiding these mistakes is just as important when learning how to find cheap flights as finding the initial deal.

How to Find Cheap Flights: The Verdict

The best answer to how to find cheap flights is flexibility combined with comparison.

There isn’t a secret browser setting or universal booking day that guarantees the lowest fare.

Instead:

Compare several travel dates.

Check nearby airports.

Look at direct and connecting flights.

Set price alerts.

Consider alternative destinations.

Calculate baggage and transfer costs.

And judge the total journey price, not simply the headline airfare.

If your dates are fixed, start researching early enough to understand the normal fare and don’t wait forever for a price drop that may never arrive.

If your dates and destination are flexible, use that freedom to your advantage.

That’s how to find cheap flights without relying on outdated myths or trying to predict an unpredictable airfare market.

When you’re ready to compare your options, you can find flights, search for hotels and compare car hire with TravelHype.