How to book cheap flights

What is the best way to book cheap flights?

Updated for 2026

Airlines constantly adjust fares based on demand, competition, seasonality, and how many seats are left in each class.

That’s why you need to have a strategy to book cheap flights. In this guide I share my method for finding and booking cheap flights to save you both time and effort.

My top tips on how to book cheap flights

Always use comparison tools to book cheap flights

Your first step should be comparing prices.

The main tools I use to do that are Google Flights and Omio. Those are the best travel comparison sites I’m currently using after trying out many other tools.

Google Flights is one of the most useful tools out there. It shows prices across many airlines instantly. You can see a price calendar to spot cheaper days. You also can search on a map. The “Explore” feature lets you see cheap destinations if you’re open-minded. If Google Flights shows a price in green or labels it as “lower than usual”, it’s a good deal.

Omio is especially handy if you’re combining different types of transport.

• It compares flights, trains, buses, and ferries in one place
• It’s super useful for short-haul routes where flying isn’t always the cheapest option
• You can find routes where flying one leg and taking a train for another saves money

This is very helpful for avoiding expensive short flights.

Timing is important when booking cheap flights

One of the best ways to find cheap flights is to be flexible about timing.

Flights tend to be more expensive during school holidays and major events.

If you can fly in the off season or shoulder season, you will get better prices.

Very last-minute bookings are risky.

I start searching for cheap flights about 3 months in advance. This may not be practical for everyone, but in general, it’s a good idea to book early, or as soon as you know your flight dates.

Look at early morning or late night flights too, and consider whether they can save you enough money to justify the inconvenience.

Flexibility will help you a lot in finding the best flight for you. If you can be flexible about dates and times, you can save a lot of money.

Be flexible about airports and routes

An often overlooked tip on how to book cheap flight tickets is selecting airports.

Some cities have several airports, or there may be different airports with reasonable distances between them.

Consider flying from a nearby city if transport is cheap. Same for landing at a different airport.

For example, if you want to fly to Bratislava, Slovakia, you can find better availability if you search for flights to Vienna (a bigger airport) and take the bus directly from Vienna Airport to Bratislava city centre in under an hour.

Also consider breaking a long journey into two cheaper segments, instead of limiting your search to direct flights.

It’s worth it if you can find a long enough layover that also lets you see another city.

Be careful about flights with self-transfer, because one delay can cause you a lot of trouble later.

Compare one-way flights vs return tickets

A lot of people assume return tickets are always cheaper. That’s no longer guaranteed.

Select “one way” when you search, and find out whether you can get a better deal by combining two flights with two different airlines.

Booking one-way flights can:

• Allow you to pick the best airlines
• Let you choose the cheapest outbound and inbound separately
• Avoid paying extra for a rigid return flight

For example, you can fly to Tokyo, travel around Japan, and take your flight back from Osaka, without having to pay for the train back to Tokyo.

Travel light and be careful with add-ons when you book cheap flights

Low cost airlines that offer a cheap fare can try to trick you into adding too much on top of the basic fare. Approach these bookings very carefully.

Before you book, check:

• Cabin baggage rules
• Checked luggage costs
• Seat selection fees

Sometimes a slightly more expensive ticket with luggage included ends up being cheaper overall.

If you book a cheap flight without food, make sure to bring some with you. It’s allowed and will save you money, as onboard food normally isn’t good value for money.

It’s generally a good idea to pack light. If you travel with hand luggage only you can save a lot. I do it with a lightweight, modular carry-on bag (use my code “BrightNomad” for 10% off).

Back in 2010, on the morning after a night train from Bulgaria to Istanbul, where I hardly had space for my luggage in a crowded train cabin, I simply sat down and made a list of all the things I had actually used during that trip.

That’s it. No more carrying around bags full of things I didn’t really use, but packed anyway “just in case”.

The next time I planned a long trip, I looked at that list and stuck to it.

I am still using a version of that list today, I just keep refining it every time I travel.

What to do if your flight is cancelled or delayed

In some cases, you may eligible for compensation if your flight is cancelled or delayed.

In the EU, compensation may be as high as €600 per passenger.

There are various regulations determining if you’re eligible and for how much. You can enter you flight details here to check if you’re eligible.

Can you justify booking cheap flights?

On one of my trips to Europe, I wanted to get from Madrid, Spain to Porto, Portugal, and since they are not so far away from each other, I thought I’d take the train.

Local friends in Madrid told me that I should look at flights instead, and when I did I found out those friends were right.

The flight was about a quarter of the price of a train and obviously much faster.

Slow travel is wonderful and more eco-friendly of course, but budget wise it made no sense to opt for a train. Was it justified? I’m still not sure.

It’s a good idea to replace flights by more sustainable modes of transport wherever you can.

That usually doesn’t apply to long-haul fights, but it’s something to bear in mind in other cases.

Final thoughts on how to book cheap flights

Flights are usually the first thing people book and often the thing they stress about the most.

Searching for flights can be rather confusing, not to mention time-consuming and often annoying.

Booking cheap flights isn’t about luck, and it’s definitely not about one magic trick.

It’s about understanding how flight pricing works, knowing where to where to book cheap flight tickets, and using the right tools.

To recap:

• Use smart tools like Google Flights and Omio
• Compare carefully
• Be flexible when you can

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