Let’s be real here. Booking an airline ticket can be a stress-inducing process.

Am I getting the best deal? Is there a better route? Why do prices vary so much?

If you can relate to this stress then I gotcha covered. One of my superpowers is locating the best flight options and I’m happy to share what I’ve learned along the way.

Honestly, the airline industry is trying to make as much money as possible. We, on the other hand, are trying to save as much as possible. I’m happy to share with you tips I’ve learned along the way to be sure you’re getting the best deal on your next flight. Go grab your favorite drink and let’s get started.

First things first: Research

It may seem tedious but I assure you it really does pay off. Instead of thinking of this like it’s some kind of homework assignment take comfort from the findings of a 2010 study published in the journal Applied Research in Quality Life. It found that simply planning or anticipating your trip can make you happier than actually taking it. So, maybe instead of thinking about researching flight options as a necessary evil lean in to it as therapy.

What should you know about ticket pricing before booking?

Airlines use dynamic pricing to set their prices. That’s why you could be flying alongside passengers that paid more or less than you did. The Washington Post has a great article explaining it better than I can if you want to do a deep dive.

For our purposes, be aware that there’s a quirk in the airline reservations systems requiring every ticket purchased on a single reservation to be the same price. Since dynamic pricing is at play if there aren’t enough of the cheaper tickets available, the system moves up to the next highest level of ticket prices.

If you need four tickets, start by pricing for four. If the price matches your research, book ‘em Danno! If not, keep adjusting the number of tickets. It’s better to book individual tickets vs everyone paying a higher fare.

So where do you begin?

The place I like to start is by using ITAsoftware. It’s basically what travel agents would use to research the best flight options. It’s not quite like it used to be before Google bought them but I still like to start here as it’s an efficient way to do some research.

Let me show you why it’s a powerful tool.

Another good option is using Google Flights

Here is a great article that walks you through step-by-step how to use it. Save it for reference till it becomes second nature to you.

Be aware that unlike ITA Software (which doesn’t allow booking from its site) Google Flights does. BUT there is a catch! While Google Flights is a great option to do research it doesn’t usually offer the best pricing so buyer beware.

Research done. You have a plan. Now what?

Did I mention that not all booking engines are created equal.? Sorry to burst your bubble but you do need to know that search engines have inflated flight costs as part of taking a cut from the airline for their services. It’s fairly well known that some search engines (e.g. Expedia) consistently inflate much higher fares. It’s a sad fact that there doesn’t seem to be one search engine that gets the cheapest flight 100% of the time. I have narrowed down your options to the following sites I prefer. Open them up and kick the tires a bit. But don’t get too loyal to one. In this case, it pays to play the field.

Momondo
Lately, this has been my favorite search tool. I especially like that the menu bar allows me to search specific airlines and cabin classes to make booking easier.
Skyscanner
This site aggregates prices of online travel agencies as well as the airlines and compares all prices with easy links to book.
JetRadar
This site will pull in most of the discount airlines. If you don’t find a discount airline you’re looking for, you may have to go directly to their website. For example, Southwest doesn’t appear on most search engines so if you’re looking to fly with them you’ll need to go directly to their site.
Hopper
If you have time, this site offers price analysis and track fluctuations (i.e. when is best to fly) and alerts you via push notification. Some people love this site. Personally, I find it annoying.

Buyer Beware!

After many years of traveling, I’ve come to the conclusion that getting the best prices shouldn’t be the determining factor when booking your flight. Most of the time I book directly with the airlines because I know I can count on better customer service if things go wrong. When using an online travel agent such as Kayak for example if something goes wrong you’ll need to work with their customer service which often ends in disappointment. And really, will you miss the $40 savings at the end of the day?

Be sure to read the fine print and you’ll be good to go.

Should you use a budget airline?

In my opinion budget airlines come in handy when you need to get to smaller cities that major airlines do not service or if they provide non-stop fares. This no-frills approach can work in your favor as long as you are prepared.

Cheap flights are cheap… until they’re not. (feel free to quote me on this one!). Low-cost airlines such as Frontier, Spirit and Ryanair grab attention with low fares, but then pummel passengers with add-on fees. Everything from checked bags, to printed boarding passes, to a soft drink while on board can quickly make your “deal” pricey quickly.

One last thought…

The cheapest flight you can book is free, and the easiest way to do that is with points. If you don't have any, don't fret – signing up for just one travel reward credit card and hitting the minimum spend can land you a major points bonus, often enough for a free flight! To learn of the latest offers and rules go to The Points Guy. Their team keeps up on all the latest offers so you can best determine what is best for you.