I’ll let you into a secret. Seasoned travellers don’t (really) know how to find cheap flights. But what they DO know is how to use the filters & tools to find cheap flights for when they are going on vacation.

I know. It sounds the same, but it’s not.

The tool I want to share is free for everyone. I’ll show you how to use it to get the very best deals and the cheapest flights.

I’m all for tips and tricks to save money on travel. I have wracked up lots of airport hacks in my thirty years of globetrotting, so sit tight and let me share my favourite tool for finding you cheap flights.

 

 

 

If you are looking for cheap flights, you will need to be flexible.

By flexible I mean be open to flying a day or two later or at a time that isn’t particularly attractive (think 3 am flights – always cheaper than a midday one).

Changing the destination that you are flying to.

 

 

 

 

 

 

You only have a three-week window, and you want to spend it in Rome. I get it. So how can you be flexible with dates and times?

I know, I know.

You have three weeks.

You want to go to Rome.

But guess what? So does every other American and his dog, so the prices are going to be extortionate.

 

So here’s what to do.

 

 

 

I love the Google flight search engine.

 It’s super easy to use and always brings up the best deals. 

You can use others; I will name those later, but for now, we are sticking with Google because that’s what I love.

 

 

 

 

Finding Cheap Flights Rule #1: Dates

 

Select the dates that you wish to travel.

I hope that because you are planning this trip so far in advance, you have not told your work/school/mother of your trip, so you are slightly flexible on your dates.

But for argument’s sake, let’s say you see your trip happening around 10 June to 30 June.

 

 

Next, enter the airport that you wish to fly from (bear in mind that if you live in a small city with an airport (like us – New Plymouth in New Zealand), then it will probably be cheaper to look at flights from the major cities (in our case, Auckland).

Look at the price/time payoff involved, and you decide.

Where it says ‘where to’, put Europe (aha! Gotcha, Google) or Asia or America or whichever continent you are flying to.

 

You want to go to Rome (make sure you read my Italy tips for travel before you go!), so I am putting it in Europe.

 

You will now be shown a map of Europe with lots of little prices, just beside each major city.

See the screenshot below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As you can see, Athens, in Greece, is a lot cheaper to fly to than Rome.

But you want to go to Rome and save money.

So here’s what I would do.

 

 

But I want to go to Ro…

I know. But listen.

I would spend a few glorious days exploring the Acropolis, drinking Retsina and soaking up the beauty that is this fabulous ancient city.

 

 

 

 

 

 

See what I mean about being flexible?

 

 

That’s a saving of $157 per person just by wiggling around a bit.

 

Not only is a good deal cheaper but you will have much more fun doing it this way and it will feel as though you are travelling and not just taking a vacation!

 

 

 

 

*Please note, the flight to Athens is cheap because it takes almost 30 hours.

If you are willing to take a flight this long (which I would be), this is the flight for you.

 

Don’t get caught up in the thought that I’ve wasted a day on the plane – you’ll be so knackered after flying to Europe you won’t know what day it is (think of the money!)

 

An even deeper dive into Google and try to get even more money off your flights.

If you want to continue along this path and find the cheap[est possible flight to Rome from JFK then do this:

 

You will see the top flights listed on the left-hand side.

 

 

You will now see all flights to Athens and at the top of the page a graph saying ‘date grid’, ‘price graph’, and ‘nearby airports’.

 

As per the image I have screenshotted, it would be cheaper for you ($20 pp, in fact) to fly on the 9th or the 11th.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Alas, nothing beats Athens in price, but don’t disregard this feature in the future.

We once saved hundreds of dollars by flying to Venice, hiring a car and driving across the border to France for a housesit that we were doing by using this feature.

Always check to see if closer airports are cheaper and weigh the cost of hiring a car or getting a bus/train to your preferred destination.

You may be surprised (and what can I say? It’s an adventure!!)

The date grid above also shows you easily how returning a day or two later could work out cheaper still.

 

Looking at the search below, it would be $50 cheaper for you to return on 29th June or  1st July rather than 30  June.

You get the idea!

If, for some reason, you don’t like Google flights, play with Skyscanner or Momondo – they both do similar things.

Do your homework.

Be flexible, and you find cheap flights. Time to travel like a pro like a pro!

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