I love international travel. The excitement of experiencing a new culture, trying new foods and growing my cultural competence is what drives me to continue to look for ways to take to the sky. With every trip, I do my absolute best to manage within a budget while still arriving comfortably to my destination. Yet the costs of flights is enough to make me want to abandon my dreams of seeing every country in the world and just drive across North America. So how do you find cheap fares for international travel?
It feels like the prices increase every time you look at options. And when you find one that seems affordable, it has some hidden fees or a ridiculously long layover. The algorithms are hard at work making it difficult for you to save a few bucks.
If you are frustrated by the endless flight searches that seem to lead to nowhere? There is a strategy to finding affordable flights that you can implement today. Here are some insider tips for finding cheap fares and making your travel dreams a reality.
Finding Cheap Fares for International Flights
No one wants to compromise but even a zero compromise practice has its limits…especially when it comes to travel. It is well known that the more flexible you are with your dates, destinations and airlines, the better the chances of finding a deal. There are a few easily accessible tools that make it easier than ever to monitor prices and even identify the cheapest routes. While there is not a price match guarantee for flights (yet), there are ways to ensure you get the best deal. Here’s how:
1. Flight Comparison Websites
The most recognized way to search for flights is by using flight comparison websites like Google Flights, Skyscanner, Hopper or Momondo. Not only do they allow you to compare prices across multiple airlines, they also allow you to explore destinations and dates to get the best airfare.
Use the “Explore” option on Google and Momondo or “Explore Everywhere” on Skyscanner to identify which destinations have the lowest fares during the time frame you are considering. Simply leave the destination blank and explore the map.
Once you nail down a destination, you can view which airlines offer the best prices and which dates you’ll get those deals. Just keep in mind, some airlines still restrict these comparison sites from displaying their prices. After you find the deal of your dreams, go straight to the airlines site to book the flight.
2. Look at International Carriers vs US Carriers
If you’ve done your search on one of the flight comparison sites, it is likely that you have seen a few internationally based carriers like KLM, Air France or Qatar Airlines. Many of them are partners with US carriers and offer codeshare flights (meaning booked by Delta but operated by Air France).
But did you know that if you book directly with the international carrier, you can score a cheaper ticket. Sometimes international carriers offer more competitive pricing for long-haul flights, especially to and from Europe and Asia. And bonus, you can still get your mileage awards with the domestic partner.
Make sure you are calculating savings against all in cost when you find that cheaper fare. Consider perks like complimentary status upgrades or checked baggage fee waivers to determine the all in costs before you book to ensure you aren’t just getting surface level discounts. Also check the location of the airport as some discount carriers fly to airports that are quite far from the destination which means you will pay extra in ground transportation cost (not to mention your time).
3. Consider Off Peak Travel
If you are flexible with your dates of travel or the time of day you travel, you can also find cheaper fares. Flying during off-peak seasons (e.g. shoulder seasons) often results in significantly lower fares. Airlines often offer better fares to fill flights during off peak seasons. I’ve seen roundtrip international business class flights during off peak season go for a little as $1500 and that’s a steal for business class.
Other key savings can be found on mid week flights like leaving on a Wednesday instead of Friday. You can potentially shave off a few hundreds dollars just by leaving a few days earlier. And it could also help you save on hotels once you arrive at your destination (bonus).
Finally, consider traveling during times of the day when flights are typically cheaper like early morning or late night. Not all international destinations will have multiple daily flights from the US. But if you happen to be near an international gateway city like Atlanta, Miami, Los Angeles or New York, you might be surprised to see more than one option.
4. Using Reward Points or Miles
Don’t sleep on airline or credit card loyalty programs. If you are spending money anyway, you might as well get some perks for it. I’ve racked up points all over the place and I am not afraid to use them. Keep an eye out for cards that offer bonus points for every day purchases (i.e 5x points for grocery shopping). You can combine those with loyalty points with the airline to get a free ticket faster.
Airlines want you to use your loyalty rewards and will sometimes offer discounted mileage fares like only 40,000 points for a round trip flight to Europe. In most cases, you only pay a nominal fee for the purchase (like less than the price of a cup of coffee at your favorite coffee shop). If you do the math, that means your flight is basically free.
The same goes for rewards accumulated on loyalty credit cards. There are times when you’ll see a bonus transfer of miles/points offers that allow you to maximize your points for that dream flight.
5. Connecting Flights vs Direct
I personally don’t like connections…except when it will save me a significant amount of money. There are times when you may find connecting flights that are cheaper than direct. Add a short stopover somewhere and your wallet will thank you.
Another trick is booking a connecting flight and not taking the connection to get cheaper fares. I know what you are thinking: “That doesn’t make any sense.” But it is true.
While it may be true, it is a pro move that I’ve only done once. I found a flight that was connecting through the destination I actually wanted to go that was a few hundred dollars cheaper than the direct flight. So I booked all the way to the way to another destination and at the connection point (my real destination), I just never boarded the connecting flight.
Now this only works if you don’t have checked baggage. Also, I was going home so there were no downstream implications. I don’t recommend this options but am sharing in case you are feeling daring and want to give it a try.
A Few Other Tips
Here are a couple of other (sometimes proven) tips to get international tickets for less. I’ve found that these work some of the time so I’ll list them here because if you can save money, you definitely should try.
Booking your flights mid week (Tuesdays or Wednesdays) is ofter considered the cheapest days to book. People could be getting this mixed up with the cheapest days to fly but sometimes it works.
Book your flights closer to your travel dates. This one is a bit tricky but I have found that the prices drop (sometimes) the close you get to your departure date. I’ve also seen them increase so you are playing roulette with this one.
Getting an international VPN. These tools mask your location so you can appear to be searching from Canada (or some other country) and get better fares. If you look at the breakdown of the cost of your ticket you will see that the fees add up and can sometimes be just as much as the base ticket price. Different countries have different regulations that which could minimize the amount you pay in fees. The downside is you have to pay for the VPN and if you are not traveling very often, it may not be worth it. Instead if you have a friend that lives in another country, have them check the prices from their side before you book.
My Perspective
International flights don’t have to be expensive if you know when and where to search. Use fare comparison tools, be flexible with dates and try using reward points to save. Try a few of the techniques listed here but don’t run around in circles trying to save $5.
Ready to find affordable flights for your next adventure? Check out additional resources for getting International Trip Ready and subscribe to the newsletter for more expert travel tips!
FAQs: Finding Affordable International Flights
When is the best time to book international flights for the lowest price?
The best time to book international flights is typically 3-6 months in advance. Booking too early or too late can lead to higher prices, but fare alert tools can help you track price changes.
How can I use points or miles to book international flights?
You can use reward points or miles by applying them during the checkout process on the airline’s booking site. Many credit card reward programs and airline loyalty programs allow you to accumulate points that can be redeemed for flights, often reducing or eliminating the cost of the ticket.
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