Finding a great flight deal can be tricky, especially with the recent trend of increasing fares. But don’t despair – with a little bit of flexibility and the help of some comparison sites such as Going, Google Flights, and Skyscanner you can find amazing prices for your next adventure. It’s really quite simple: by being open to different departure airports, alternative dates, and an array of flight-times, you can save yourself money and time. Now let’s talk about how we use each and save money!
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Going (Previously Scott’s Cheap Flights)
Going is a subscription-based service that provides travelers with an easy and affordable way to book flights at a discounted rate. With just a few simple steps, you can find deals on airfare that are impossible to find elsewhere and sometimes up to 90% off. Scott’s system works by constantly scanning hundreds of airline websites for errors and slipping fares, then notifying users through email so that they can book the tickets before anyone else does. I love searching Going at the beginning of the year or planning period when I have an empty calendar I can fill with incredible deals to places I may have not even considered otherwise.
How to search
When you sign up for a membership, you’ll select your preferred departure city and/or region as well as any other criteria that will help narrow down your search (such as preferred airlines or travel dates). Then, a list of flights that match your criteria will be generated. You will also receive a notification each time a flight deal is found that meets your criteria. Many times these flight deals need to be booked quickly as they only last hours to days.
Once you click on the deal that looks most appealing you will be taken to a page with more detailed information. My favorite part of this page is that it shows a lot of information regarding the normal price of the trip versus the current deal and past deals. It also lets you know how long the deal itself may last. As some of the fares listed are error fares that the airline will find and correct, it is important to book quickly if you find an incredible deal that you don’t want to miss.
While this service requires a lot of flexibility, it has been one of the best ways we have found to book heavily discounted flights. We also love that often times we find a deal too good to pass up so end up visiting an incredible place that we did not even have on our radar. To sign up for a membership: Click Here
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Google Flights
This one is my personal favorite. Google Flights offers an easy-to-use search engine that allows you to find flights quickly. All you need to do is type in your departure city or airport, your destination city or airport, and the dates you want to travel. You can even leave the destination or dates BLANK if you want to search in a similar manner to SkyScanner (discussed above).
How to maximize your search
My favorite way to search for flights on Google Flights is to leave the destination field blank. This allows google to function in a similar manner to SkyScanner (discussed below). The main difference is the presentation of the flights. On Google Flights you can either view the results as a list or as I prefer on a map.
Interactive Map
The interactive map feature that allows you to view flight prices based on origin with open ended destination points and even dates. You can move the map around to see different regions of the world and how much flights will cost from your starting location. As you select more specific filters such as price, number of stops, airlines, and more the destination options will accurately display on the map. As a highly visual person this allows me to quickly assess what the cheapest flight option to Europe may be. For us we often book the cheapest flight to a region than look for cheaper local carriers or trains to arrive at our final destination.
Additional Features & Benefits
While the interactive map is my favorite part of Google Flights other highlights include:
Open Calendar Search
If finding cheap dates to fly to a particular location is important to you Google Flights makes it easy. Just choose your starting point and ending point and scroll through the calendar to see when it will be cheapest to take the trip. The calendar goes out as far as the airlines themselves have flights listed making it easy to research prices for dates sometimes over months away!
Date Grid
I also love the Date Grid function that shows in an easy to view manner exactly which departure and arrival dates will be the cheapest within a few week window. Sometimes moving a trip a day early or day late can save a lot of money, especially when traveling in a group.
Track Prices
Google Flights allows you to get email alerts when prices changed both for a specific set of dates or even any dates to a particular location. I did not realize how quickly prices can change until I started using this feature.
Other Travel Resources
I also love that Google makes it a one stop shop for planning a trip. When looking at Google Flights the tab on the side also includes, Things To Do, Hotels, and Vacation Rentals making it easy to book accommodations and research the area without having to leave the page.
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SkyScanner
Skyscanner is an online flight search engine that makes finding the best deals on flights simpler than ever. And with their “Everywhere” option, it doesn’t matter where you want to go; you can find the most affordable options for your dream vacation!
How to maximize your search
The “Everywhere” search feature allows you to search for the cheapest destinations without having to do any extra work. All you have to do is enter your departure city and dates, and then select “Everywhere” in the destination box. The search engine will compile a list of all available destinations from your departure city on those dates and show you the cheapest ones at the top of the list. You can also filter results by continent or country if needed.
This feature makes it easy for budget-conscious travelers to find inexpensive flights that fit their needs. Whether you’re looking for a quick weekend getaway or planning a longer vacation, Skyscanner gives you access to thousands of different flight options so you can pick one that fits within your budget. Plus, they provide detailed information about each flight option so that you can make an informed decision about which one is right for you.
Additional Features & Benefits
In addition to its “Everywhere” search feature, Skyscanner also offers other helpful features that make finding cheap flights even easier.
Open Calendar Search
Its interactive calendar displays fare prices over a 30-day period so that travelers can see when prices are lowest and plan accordingly. In order to use this select a date range in the date box rather than specific dates. I believe this feature works best once you already have a destination in mind.
Price Alerts Feature
When searching for flights on Skyscanner, you have the option of setting up price alerts so that when the price of your chosen flight drops below a certain threshold, you will receive an email notification informing you of the change in pricing. This is especially helpful if you are looking to book tickets far in advance but don’t want to miss out on any potential price drops before booking your tickets.
Hotels
When you search for your flight Sky Scanner also searches options for hotels if it interests you enabling a one stop place to search for both flights and hotels.
To book a flight with SkyScanner: Click Here
Happy Jetsetting
Whether you’re planning a family vacation or business trip, we hope that these invaluable resources for finding affordable flights quickly and easily save you money on your next trip!
