How To Find Cheap Flights 2025 | Tips From A Flight Attendant

As a flight attendant, I always get asked this, so I’ve created this “How To Find Cheap Flights” guide! Many believe in “secret hacks,” like booking flights in incognito mode or using a VPN. These are myths, people! Please do not believe BS like that!

But don’t worry—there are legit ways to snag great flight deals!

For example, a few months ago, I found a return ticket from New York to Austria, Europe, for only $600, and I once scored a round-trip flight from the Netherlands to Prague for just $55 during a school holiday!

Combining my innovative search strategies (I learned those skills when I was a broke uni student), flexibility and a pinch of good luck, you can do this too.

In this “how to find cheap flights” guide, I’ll show you step-by-step instructions on what to do. There is no gatekeeping here!

How to find cheap flights myths debunked

Before we start the guide, we need to discuss something else first. I’ve seen videos go viral on social media claiming to have ‘secret hacks’ for finding cheap flights.

The comments on those videos are insane. I was shocked to see that people believed the BS 🤯

However, many of those viral videos are nothing but clickbait! They couldn’t be further aware of the truth. As a flight attendant and ex-ticketing agency employee, believe me.

• VPN will not get you better ticket prices
• Incognito mode will not get you better ticket prices
• Airlines do not ‘track’ your search history to slam you with higher prices
• Flights are not cheaper at certain times of the day at a particular time
• Changing the currency or country will not give you better ticket prices.

There it is. All myths debunked! If one of these options does seem to work for you, it has to do with demand and supply.

Let me give you an example. You want to book a table at a restaurant, but the restaurant is full. You call back two days later, and suddenly, you can get a table. Why? Not because you called on ‘secret hack’ day, but simply because there was a cancellation.

How does selling airline tickets work?

I’ll try to explain what I remember from working at an intermediate ticketing office (similar to Expedia).

Tickets are sold in price classes (no, not cabin classes, like business class or economy). The lower-priced classes will be sold first; when sold out, tickets will go up into a higher-priced class.

Eventually, the most expensive tickets will be available when the flight is almost full or closer to departure.

If prices change in between, it probably has to do with a ticket being cancelled. Maybe someone rescheduled to another date, or tickets could have been on hold but didn’t go through.

How do intermediate ticket agencies work?

The truth is, the cheapest fare is at the airline itself. Search engine companies make money from the commission and any ‘service fees’ when customers book through their services.

You’re paying for the overall view of everything in the flight world.

Search engines are especially useful when looking for multiple destinations. You can check multiple flights and destinations all together in one trip. The search engine will find the options available with different airlines based on your preferences.

While this is great, there is much to consider when booking through an intermediate because every ticket has its own rules. Always read the fine print and cancellation policy.

Step By Step guide on how to find cheap flights

1. Use a good flight search engine

If you’re not set on a specific airline, using a flight search engine can save you tons of time. These tools do the hard work for you, comparing flights and showing all your options in one place.

My go-to flight search engines are Skyscanner and Kiwi.

Kiwi’s website and app are user-friendly. It offers a wide range of airlines, including budget ones like EasyJet or AirAsia. Whenever I plan a trip, I always start my search with Kiwi.com.

Skyscanner is the most well-known flight search engine. It has the same features as Kiwi, but I like its interface a little better than Kiwi’s.

That said, flight search engines aren’t perfect. Prices aren’t always 100% accurate, so don’t get too excited if you spot a major deal. Remember that some search engines don’t show all airlines, especially budget ones.

To not overwhelm yourself, use two flight search engines for your search.

Once you’ve found a cheap flight deal, head to the airline’s official website. You’ll find the most affordable fare at the airline itself!

I always go through the booking process right up until the payment page to get a clear breakdown of the total cost—taxes, luggage, and all. This helps me compare and make sure I’m getting the best deal.

2. Use budget airlines

Budget airlines are a great way to fly without breaking the bank for shorter trips. While they don’t offer perks like free meals and tend to have stricter rules, who really minds?

Pack yourself a sandwich, bring an empty water bottle to refill after security, and you’re good to go! If it means getting to your destination for a fraction of the cost, it’s worth it.

I’ve flown with budget carriers like EasyJet, Ryanair, Transavia, AirAsia, Vueling, and Wizz Air. To make the most of your budget airline experience, here are a few tips:

• Read the fine print: Budget airlines have specific baggage, seating, and check-in rules. Hand luggage limits are often strict, and exceeding them can lead to extra fees—so double-check weight and size requirements before heading to the airport.
• Confirm the correct airport: Some airlines, like Ryanair, might advertise a city but fly farther away to an airport. For example, their “Brussels” flights often land at Charleroi Airport instead of the main airport Zaventem Airport.

3. Be flexible

I learned these searching tricks while in university and wanted to travel but was broke!

I’ve always had a knack for finding cheap tickets—like that time I flew to Marrakech with Ryanair for just €20 round trip! The secret? Flexibility. The more flexible you are with your dates, times, and destinations, the better deals you’ll find.

Back then, I’d browse airline websites to see which destinations had deals and plan my trips around that. These days, I use Skyscanner to make the search even easier. It’s perfect for two things:

1. Finding cheap fares to a specific destination within a set timeframe.
2. Finding the cheapest tickets for an open destination during a specific period.

If you’re willing to let the deals guide your plans, you can get some incredible deals!

Even most airlines have an excellent monthly overview that allows you to check the fare in a specific month for any destination. You can see which date is the cheapest to fly, and you can plan around that date.

4. Do not travel on weekends, vacation breaks or high-season

Sometimes, you have no choice on when you’re travelling, but if you can, avoid the weekends, vacation times and high season. Travelling during these periods will always be higher priced.

Flights leaving in the morning are usually more expensive because most people prefer to arrive early to make the most of their day of arrival. Flights leaving late in the evening are usually less popular and cheaper.

But as always, it all depends on the demand.

During high season, ticket prices can skyrocket—sometimes nearly triple! I avoid travelling during these times. Flights are more expensive, accommodation prices soar, and popular destinations are packed with people.

If you’re looking for cheap tickets, your best bet is to travel outside of the school holidays, the Christmas period, and the summer peak season in July and August. Off-season travel means better deals, fewer crowds, and a much more relaxed experience overall.

5. Look for alternative airports in the region

While it’s more convenient to fly from your closest airport, sometimes you can save a lot by checking nearby airports too. My home airport is Schiphol in Amsterdam, but I’ve often found cheaper flights from Brussels or Düsseldorf.

For example, I once flew from Brussels to New York with Delta Airlines instead of Amsterdam and saved around $200. Distance-wise, both airports are equally far. Most flight search engines let you include nearby airports in your search, making it easy to compare.

For example, New York and London have multiple airports worth checking out. Remember to factor in extra travel costs to get to the other airport.

6. Book a Stop destination for the same price

A stopover is a stop in a connecting destination for more than 24 hours. Many airlines offer stopovers without charging extra.

Let’s say you find a flight with KLM from Atlanta to Amsterdam and then to Bangkok. The flight stops in Amsterdam, and you can always contact the airline to see if a stopover for a few days is possible for the same price.

Flight search engines won’t show this, but you can always ask. You’ll get more destinations for the same price.

7. Look for separate tickets

It’s no secret that long-distance non-direct flights are usually cheaper than direct ones. I like to use a flight search engine to explore different routes and check the individual flights directly on each airline’s website.

This is important! If booking separate tickets with different airlines, never book a short connection time!

If you book separate tickets with different airlines, the risk of missing a connection due to delays is entirely on you. To avoid stress, plan long layovers—ideally a day or two—between flights. The airline won’t take responsibility if you miss your next flight.

For example, you can fly from Los Angeles to Amsterdam with Airline X and stay in Amsterdam for a few days. Then, from Amsterdam, you continue your journey to your final destination with Airline Y.

8. Take the time to Do your research

Hunting for the cheapest flights can be a time-consuming mission if you’re determined to snag the absolute best deal. Trust me; as a broke college student, I spent hours finding affordable tickets with minimal travel time.

In a nutshell, these are my exact steps:

1. Choose your destination or destinations and be flexible to possibilities.
2. Research the airports in the departure and arrival destinations, including those served by low-cost airlines.
3. I used flightsfrom.com to check which direct flights were available from airports. This helped me map out potential routes.
4. Check the airline’s websites, which all depart from your departure airport, for possibilities.
5. Once I had a clear idea of possible routes, I used Skyscanner and airline websites to compare ticket prices.

Doing your homework like this gives you an edge. You’ll know what’s possible and where to find the best deals. And while it takes a little time, it’s perfect for doing while binge-watching your favourite Netflix show.

9. Book when you’ve found a cheap ticket

If you come across a cheap flight that checks all your boxes, don’t wait too long to book it. These airlines typically offer a handful of seats at the lowest price, and once those are gone, the price jumps to the next fare class. The last seats on a flight are often the most expensive.

The chances of your specific flight getting a sudden discount are pretty slim. If you’ve done your research, you know the average flight price, and the price is within your budget, just book it.

Trust me, spending days hunting for a slightly cheaper fare usually leads nowhere—I’ve been there! Once you’ve locked in your ticket, the real fun begins: planning and getting excited for your trip.

10. Set up a price alert

One of the easiest ways to find cheap flights is by setting up price alerts on websites. These alerts notify you by email when prices for your destination drop. You can find this option on search flight engines and on Google Flights.

I would start doing this as soon as you have an idea about your plans. But six to eight months before departure is a good starting point. You’ll have an idea of the average ticket flight, and you will monitor the price changes.

11. be up to date with Flight Deals

Certain times of the year are perfect for snagging deals on flights, with Black Friday and Cyber Monday being the big players. Some airlines even have their own sales events—like KLM’s famous Wereld Deal Weken (World Deal Weeks).

So, if Black Friday is just around the corner, it might be worth holding off booking your flight to see if prices drop.

The best way to stay on top of sales is to sign up for newsletters. Alternatively, follow your favourite airlines on social media, but be aware you might miss their latest posts in the algorithm shuffle.

For a one-stop shop, check out websites that curate the best flight deals, like Secret Flying, Airfarewatchdog, or Scott’s Cheap Flights. Signing up for their newsletters gives you a roundup of deals without flooding your inbox with updates from every airline.

You don’t have to do a lot of research, which saves you time, and you can base your vacation plans on any flight deals they post!

12. Join a miles program

Signing up for a miles program is completely free and rewards you with points or miles every time you fly. Many programs are connected to a group of airlines, so your miles accumulate across multiple carriers.

For instance, if you fly with Delta Airlines, Air France, or KLM, your miles are pooled together because they’re all part of the SkyTeam Partner Group. This means flying with any airline in the group helps you rack up miles faster.

Most miles programs also offer linking your account to a credit card. Take KLM’s Flying Blue program, for example. Connecting it to a credit card allows you to earn miles on everyday purchases—not just flights. You’re one step closer to your next reward whenever you swipe your card.

The more you fly, the higher your frequent flyer status, unlocking additional perks like:

• Discounts on airport lounges
• Free upgrades to a better seat
• Extra luggage allowance
• Free tickets for future trips
• Access to exclusive shopping and dining rewards

If you’re a frequent traveller or just starting your journey, joining a miles program is a no-brainer—it’s an easy way to make every flight (and even your day-to-day spending) work harder for you.

Flight search engines and airline websites have improved so much—they’re now more user-friendly and offer a more precise overview of your options, making it easier than ever to find the perfect deal!

Please do not get hung up on all those myths out there! Just use my ‘how to find cheap flights’ guide and you’ll find some great stuff. Also, remember that things in aviation have changed since 2020.

Prices have gone up immensely because costs have gone up.

I hope these tips simplify your search and help you score amazing flight bargains. The key? Do your research, stay flexible, and when you spot a great deal—don’t wait, book it!

As always, let me know how you’re getting on! If you have questions, please comment on my latest Instagram post!