How to Find the Cheapest Flights: 20 Ways to Book the Lowest Airfare

So today, I’m going to break it down for you.

No doubt, booking flights is one of my favorite things to do. I love the entire process of saving up for a trip, scouring the web for a great flight deal, waiting until just the right moment, and then hastily whipping out my credit card to make my adventure official!

What I don’t love, though, is booking what I thought was a great deal, and then days later, receiving an alert that my fare dropped $30, $50, or even $100!  Nothing kills a travel high like wasted money.

I’m sure you feel the same way.

But here’s the good news! After plenty of trial and error in booking countless flights around the world, I’m confident that I’ve cracked the code on how to find the cheapest flights. Every single time.

So here are my 20 secrets for always booking the cheapest flights possible!

1. Go incognito

Have you ever searched for airfare, and gone back to the site a few hours later to book your ticket — only to find a huge price jump?

Most likely, the answer is yes.

And that’s because booking sites track your cookies. They take notice of your searching patterns, and then they raise fares the next time you search for a flight.

When searching for the best airfare, always make sure to open up an Incognito Window in Google Chrome. That way, booking sites won’t be able to monitor your search history and cookie storage, and you’ll end up with better, cheaper search results!

2. Book through STA Travel

If you’re under the age of 26, or a full-time student, STA Travel is the ultimate airfare booking site. I recently booked a one-way ticket to New Zealand through STA Travel, and my jaw dropped to the floor when I saw STA’s difference in fares.

Check this out, everyone! Here’s how I saved almost $500 by booking through STA Travel.

I needed to book a direct, one-way flight from Los Angeles to Auckland, so I decided to check Skyscanner‘s prices (because they often offer the best fares).