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The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Jason Steele is a Senior Points and Miles Contributor who has been writing for The Points Guy since 2012. An expert in credit cards and award travel, Jason travels frequently across the United States and around the world with his wife and three children. Jason lives in Denver, Colorado, where he enjoys cycling, snowboarding, and piloting airplanes.
also contributed to this story
August 23, 2024 • 12 min read
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don't cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
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Quick summary
The article outlines practical strategies for finding affordable airfare, including using aggregator tools, considering budget airlines and searching both one-way and round-trip fares.
It highlights the benefits of searching for single seats, exploring alternative airports and leveraging elite status for potential savings or flexibility.
Travelers are encouraged to check first-class fares, look for coupons or special offers, and consider buying miles when appropriate.
Repricing tickets after booking, if allowed by the airline, can also yield additional savings.
What to consider
Some offers and promotions mentioned may no longer be available.
Budget airlines often charge extra for carry-on and checked luggage, which can affect the overall cost.
Booking two one-way flights on different carriers may lead to higher change or cancellation fees if plans change.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed breakdown of each airfare-saving strategy, including step-by-step examples and tips for maximizing flexibility and value.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Purchasing airfare can be complicated, and it often takes a lot of patience to find the best possible ticket prices.
If you're willing to put in a little time and forethought, however, you can reap some great benefits and find some great deals on both far-flung and nearby destinations.
To help you snag a great price on your next trip, we gathered our best tried-and-true strategies for finding the most affordable airfare prices.
While every situation is unique and all of these strategies may not apply every time you fly, we've tried our best to give you as many methods and tips as possible to help you save money. However, keep in mind your mileage may vary based on your desired route(s) or planned date(s) of travel.
Regardless of where or when you’re going, bookmark this story to easily reference these strategies for finding cheap airfare.
Start with Google Flights
GOOGLE FLIGHTS
When shopping for a flight, you’ll first want to determine which airlines operate on the route you hope to travel. This will help you better understand the average prices.
Instead of visiting each airline’s website individually, search an aggregator site like Google Flights, which shows numerous airlines' prices for a particular route.
Google Flights is a robust search tool that shows pricing based on travel dates and routes. It also displays alternate pricing via a date grid and price graph, and it can show variations in average prices over time.
Understanding these reference points can help you spot when you're getting a deal and when you should wait for prices to drop further.
Among Google Flights' many features, you can set up tracking alerts to receive email notifications if fare prices for your desired route drop. Alternatively, you can enter your city of origin and desired travel dates and see prices for flights worldwide.
Remember that Google Flights is not a booking platform, so you can’t make a reservation or pay for your ticket through the site.
When you click on a flight you want to book, it will take you to that airline’s website to complete your booking. At this point, it's usually good practice to also sign up for the airline's loyalty program if it has one.
Don't be afraid of budget airlines
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
If you are looking for cheap airfare, there is one sure way to find it: through ultra-low-cost airlines.
Carriers like Spirit Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Allegiant Air and Avelo Airlines consistently offer round-trip flights for between $50 and $100 — and sometimes even less.
There are no bells or whistles on budget flights. If you think you'll miss having complimentary pretzels or soda on your flight, pack your own snack. Bring a book or download a podcast to deal with the lack of Wi-Fi, and fill up a reusable water bottle after you pass through security.
Note: Low-cost airlines are best avoided if you need to check baggage and can't travel with only a carry-on. Budget airlines usually charge for carry-on luggage as well as checked suitcases. However, it's still worth checking to see if the combined price of your luggage and airfare is cheaper than flying another carrier offering free checked luggage.
Search one-way and round-trip flights
Generally, round-trip tickets are cheaper than purchasing two one-way flights, but there are exceptions to every rule.
For example, JetBlue and Southwest Airlines typically price their tickets on a one-way basis; a round-trip flight is simply the sum of the two one-way prices. You may occasionally get the best round-trip deal by pairing two one-way tickets, potentially by flying with two different airlines.
Remember, Google Flights is a terrific tool to show you when separate one-ways could be the cheapest option.
GOOGLE FLIGHTS
Just be aware that booking two one-way flights does carry some risk if you need to cancel or change your trip. Say you book outbound and return flights on different carriers, and both charge $200 change or cancellation fees; you’ll be hit twice if you need to adjust your travel plans.
Changing both ends of a round-trip flight booked on a single airline would only incur that fee once (or not at all if you book with an airline that doesn't charge change fees).
There’s a little-known quirk in how airlines price seats that can result in much higher prices when searching for multiple passengers versus a single ticket. Airlines place their inventory in fare classes (sometimes called “buckets”) that aren’t always clearly visible to consumers.
For example, there might be only three seats left in a fare bucket for $300 each, and the next bucket might be $400 per ticket. However, if you were to search for four seats, everyone would fall into the $400 fare bucket.
You’ll see one of the three remaining $300 tickets by searching for a single seat. With a little trial and error, you’d then know to book one reservation for three tickets at $300 each and another for the fourth ticket at $400. In this example, applying this simple strategy would save you $300 on what you’d pay by booking all four seats on a single reservation.
Many airlines will even tell you how many are left at that price to make this a bit easier. Take the below flight from New York City’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA) to Miami International Airport (MIA) on Delta Air Lines for example.
DELTA.COM
If you searched for six or more tickets, the price of that one-way flight would jump about $30 per passenger. This trick also works when you need to book multiple award flights.
If you use this trick, remember to call customer service after booking so they can link your reservations. This should stop your party from being separated if you experience delays or cancellations and need to be rebooked on a new flight.
Search alternative airports
Sometimes, the cost of a flight from your regular airport is so high that it can make sense to use a second — or perhaps third — choice of airport. Many airlines allow you to search all airports in a region by specifying the destination as the city instead of a particular airport or by ticking a box marked "search nearby airports."
For example, the New York area has three large airports: John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and LGA. However, you’ll find even more flights if you expand your search to nearby Long Island MacArthur Airport (ISP), Westchester County Airport (HPN) and New York Stewart International Airport (SWF) in Orange County.
When you use Google Flights, you can enter your origin and destination cities instead of a specific airport name. This opens up more — and possibly cheaper — flight options.
Leverage elite status
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
Having elite status won’t get you discounted tickets, but you might be able to use it to save money elsewhere. Most carriers allow elite status holders to stand by for earlier flights or perform same-day confirmed flight changes. Southwest offers same-day standby to all passengers.
This could allow you to book a discounted flight at an inconvenient time and change it to the flight you want at no additional cost. Even if you don’t have elite status, the charge to stand by or make a same-day confirmed flight change might be less than the fare difference between the flight you want and the cheapest option that day. Be prepared to take your original flight, though, because there is always a chance the flight you hope to take will be fully booked.
For details on the major airlines’ elite status programs, check out the following guides:
The right credit card can offer significant savings on airfare in various ways. For example, The Platinum Card® from American Express offers 5 points per dollar spent on all airfare purchases made directly with the airline or through American Express Travel® (on up to $500,000 in annual purchases, then 1 point per dollar).
Other Amex cards, including the American Express® Green Card and the American Express® Gold Card, also have elevated points earnings for flights.
The information for the American Express Green Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Check first class
Flagship First Class on AA's A321T. CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY
Don’t ask us why, but once in a blue moon, you may find a first-class ticket that's very close to — or sometimes even less than — the price of a ticket in economy class. Some possible explanations are that people forget to check the price of first-class seats and that many companies don’t allow their employees to book them, even when they're less expensive. Also, discounted first-class fares might exist when only full-fare economy-class tickets are for sale.
Either way, always check the price of a first-class ticket before paying for an above-average economy-class fare. When you factor in the additional miles you will receive and the free baggage allowance, lounge access and inflight amenities, it may justify a modest premium in fare.
Look for coupons and other offers
SOUTHWEST.COM
Like any business, airlines occasionally offer coupons and other discounts. For example, your Amex Offers could feature airline rebates, or you could save money with an all-you-can-fly pass like those offered by Frontier. Other low-cost carriers like Southwest often offer flight deals that can save you hundreds of dollars on airfare.
Buy miles
When faced with an expensive fare and a shortage of miles, consider buying the miles you need for an award ticket, especially when they are on sale. It rarely makes sense to purchase miles without a bonus and a specific award in mind; however, when you can save money by purchasing miles and immediately redeeming them for an award flight, it can be a great idea.
Reprice, reprice, reprice
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
Many airlines allow you to rebook your airfare if the price drops after you book your flight. For example, if the price of your Southwest flight drops after your initial booking, you can rebook your flight and receive a credit or a cash refund, depending on your fare type.
Delta, American Airlines and United Airlines also have a “no-change-fee” policy for most flights and fare types. Once you book, check for fare drops regularly and snag that refund if the price drops.
Bottom line
Purchasing airfare can be complicated. Thankfully, you can use several simple strategies to minimize your out-of-pocket expenses for booking flights. Even if you use just two or three of these methods, you’ll be well on your way to finding the best flight prices for your next trip.
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
