Find the Best Airfares with This Guide to Booking Budget Flights

Since the global pandemic grounded most of us in 2020 and 2021, air travel has certainly rebounded. In fact, airlines flew more people than ever last year, nearly 5 billion passengers, and with fewer accidents, according to the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) global safety data.

Higher demand can often signal higher ticket prices. But experts tell us that with a bit of patience, persistence, and good timing, you can find fair, even inexpensive, airfares for your trip — leaving more money in your account to have the best experiences while you're away. Here's how.

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Book when the price is right

If you can, start your hunt for the best airfare well before the date you want to fly. That will help you recognize and respond when fares dip or begin to rise.

"For international trips, that means starting to monitor fares up to 6 to 7 months in advance and purchasing 3 to 5 months in advance", says Haley Berg, Lead Economist at booking site Hopper.

For most US domestic trips, "start searching fares 3 to 4 months before you plan to take a trip", says Berg, "and purchase 1 to 2 months before takeoff".

For those who cannot plan that far ahead, "the main thing to remember is the 21-day rule," explains Scott Keyes of airfare search site Going. "Most fares include in the fine print an advance purchase requirement, which says that the cheapest fare is only available if booked at least, say, 21 days before travel. On day 20, that previously cheapest fare expires, and the new cheapest fare is often $100 or $200 more expensive," he says.

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Set up alerts to monitor fares

You don't need to dedicate hours to checking airfares every day on your own. Price-tracking tools, services and apps, such as Google Flights, Kayak, Hopper, Skyscanner and many others, do a good job of monitoring fares for you and alerting you to deals and ideal times to buy.

"A key point to remember is that you don't have to book where you search," says Going's Keyes, "In fact, the best place to search is rarely the best place to book."

"Use one of the flight search engines to compare flights across many airlines", says Keyes, "but once you find the flight you want, buy your ticket directly from the airline."

There are at least two good reasons for heeding that advice. "Certain legal protections only apply when you book directly with the airline," says Keyes. Most notably, the US federal government's 24-hour rule requires airlines to give you a full cash refund within 24 hours of purchase if you change your mind about a ticket because you found a better fare.

Also, not using a go-between can mean fewer hassles if there is a delay or some other problem on the day of your scheduled flight.

Fares change all the time

Do not bother staying up till 1am on Thursday to grab that cheap fare. The days when airlines uploaded their fares all at once are gone. Airlines constantly alter fares according to myriad algorithms that can change in seconds, minutes, or hours as they respond to demand.

While there may not be a cheapest time or day to book your flight, there are some best times to take your flight, says Keyes, "Business travelers tend to avoid flying Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday, so airfares are often 30% to 40% cheaper on those days."

Hopper's Berg agrees. "Flying over the weekend comes at a significant price premium," she says, while Hopper's research finds that flying midweek can offer savings of 17% on a US domestic flight and about 9% on those more costly international flights.

Cheap fares can come at a cost

There are a few things to keep in mind about some of the cheap fares you may find. Many of the airlines' cheapest fares come with multiple stops, super long layovers, and stricter rules for refunds and rebooking. Others may impose extra fees for everything from choosing your seat to printing out a boarding pass or putting a bag in the overhead locker. Be sure to check the fine print so you do not get a costly surprise after the initial joy at a discount airfare.

Who has your back if things go wrong?

Once you have your ticket in hand, it is good to know your rights if things go wrong. For flights that depart from an airport in the EU, or which are operated by an EU airline, European Regulation EC 261 mandates compensation for flight delays and cancellations.

In the US, if an airline cancels your flight, the carrier must offer you a full cash refund, although you may instead accept a voucher or a rebooked flight. The US Department of Transportation's "Fly Rights" guide offers more details in its Consumer Guide to Air Travel. Some additional benefits and reimbursements may be available to passengers via insurance provided automatically by the credit card you used to purchase the ticket. Check out your insurance options before you start purchasing flights.