This is gonna be a short guide to finding cheap flights. As a middle schooler, I was obsessed w/ DamonAndJo and vowed to travel the world on my weekends in college. I haven't flown internationally over the semester yet, but they made it look so easy! And accessible! And whimsical and fun!!!
They'd stay in youth hostels, scan Priceline every week, and backpack/take the train/tuktuk from country to country--all on a budget!
Sooooooo..we can do that too.
I was skeptical in the beginning, but it's very possible (and really fun) to find good deals online. Traveling can be a lot cheaper than you might think!
General tip: don't refresh the page too many times--I've done that in the search for better deals and prices actually went up. Incognito mode works sometimes, depending on the website, but I tend to borrow a friend's laptop when I decide to go all in and book.. a ticket. 😈
These sites aggregate deals, but will LINK you to the airline's website when you go to buy. They aren't scams! Make sure you're buying tickets from their actual website, not a third party or scammer.
StudentUniverse
I think I found my $30 one-way non-stop ticket to San Fran (SFO) from LAX on this website so... I super recommend it. When I had to book last minute, prices were still relatively cheap, even over Thanksgiving break!
Pros: Relatively cheap tickets, according to your schedule.
Get an additional 10% off and a helpful phoneline for student travelers when you link your Amazon Prime account.
Cons: Geared to students, so they only offer deals on basic economy--watch the baggage check policy! Sometimes the fine print won't let you even bring a carry on, just a personal item.
SecretFlying
I love scrolling this website... $180 roundtrip flights to Cabo? Yassssss and #slayyyyyy
They also post cheap hotel rates. Here's a 4 star hotel in Santorini, Greece for $35 a night!
The thing is: you can't choose the dates. They provide a range of dates and you book these flights/hotels about a month or two in advance. This isn't for last minute flights--it's more of a "It's January and I know I'll be free for Spring Break--what are the cheapest international tickets I can find?"
Pros: Cheapest international flights I've ever seen.
Exposes you to new locations you've never considered traveling to before.
Cons: Roundtrip dates usually range from a week to a week and a half--a short vacation!
Scott's Cheap Flights
Definitely a different approach to cheap flights--this is an email newsletter and online community of travelers who like to do it for cheap! They send you weekly notifications of cheap international and domestic flights. Let's go to Costa Rica for $236 roundtrip!
They also offer guides on booking great deals and travel guides by country and city. This place has it all. Just sign up to see what I'm talking about--it's free.
Pros: It makes booking flights easy and approachable for new travelers (lots of guides and advice)
Everything you need is stored in one place. There is SO much flight and travel information on here that I didn't know existed.
Their IG and newsletters are informational and well designed--I learn something new every time.
Cons: The limited plan is free, but you get access to cheaper flights with Premium ($42/year).
I think SecretFlying has better deals. This website's information is valuable, but it's not worth paying the extra ~$70 to me. But if I were a first time traveler, I'd feel more comfortable booking with Scott's.
Again, you can't choose the dates and go at the whim of the deal. Sometimes.. that's more fun!
Those are my top three at the moment. Other websites I use to cross check if I really am getting the best deal are skyscanner.com and momondo.com.
Drop your sites or travel tips below for finding cheap flights!
Hope you all find the best deals ever,
Lillian <3