In 2001, I discovered one of the most underrated travel savings secrets out there… shoulder season. It was by pure accident. My friends came across the opportunity to travel to Barcelona, Spain and the price was just within my limited budget. I had never heard of shoulder season and certainly knew nothing about finding good deals on international flights. But somehow we were able to pull off an international trip with 4 full sized adults crammed into a double room for less than $1000 per person. It was the deal of a lifetime and kicked off an obsession with travel that still lives with me today.
What I didn’t know then was I had stumbled upon one of the simplest tricks for saving on international flights and your entire trip for that matter. Some of you already know that international flights can take up the biggest portion of your travel budget if you don’t plan well. And finding a flight at the right price is a total gamble unless you know the secrets that savvy travelers have been keeping to themselves. There is actually a strategy behind saving on international flights. Novice international travelers often overpay because they don’t know where to look or when to book. I’m here to help!
By the end of this guide, you’ll know the insider hacks to saving hundreds on travel and some of them even work on peak season flights. I’ll share actionable tips that go beyond the “Google the cheapest fare” line that you often hear.
Simple Ways to Save on Your Next International Flight Booking
International flights can certainly take up a lion’s share of your travel budget. Some travelers spend endless hours searching the internet for deals only to come up short. There are some little know hacks that seasoned travelers leverage to ensure they are getting the best deals on international flights. I’m sharing them here so instead of leaving your flight price up to chance, you too can try these proven methods to save.
Be Flexible with Dates
We’ve been conditioned to start our holiday on a Friday night or Saturday morning and end the trip on Sunday so we are ready for work come Monday morning. These are perhaps the worst times to travel. Prices tend to be higher as demand surges. There is a better approach. Fly mid week.
Who says your vacation has to start on Friday and end on a Sunday. Shift your travel dates by a few days and you can see a drastic reduction in fares. And it’s not just day of the week you should be looking at. Sometimes the price varies from week to week. Use a “flexible date” option in your search to explore prices and dates.
Explore Alternate Airports
There are a couple of ways to think about alternative airports. Many large cities have multiple airports spread across the city. Did you know that London has 4 different airports? And did you know it’s less than 1 hour between Abu Dhabi and Dubai? This is golden when it comes to finding cheaper fares. When exploring simply expand the radius for the airports to unlock ticket prices to alternative airports.
But be careful, some of the airports are far outside of the city which means you will diminish any savings you’ve received on the flight when you’re paying a lot more for ground transportation.
There is another way to think about alternative airports, especially if you are not in a major city. Hub departure cities can sometimes offer less expensive fares. Check flight routes of international airlines to see where you can find direct flights. Major cities like NY, Los Angeles, Dallas, Chicago, Miami and Atlanta are a few of the places where you are more likely to find flight deals. You can book a cheap domestic flight to those cities to save a few dollars.
Finally, try mixing arrival and departure airports. This means booking your trip as multi-city vs round trip ticket. I did this in Tokyo where I flew into Narita and out of Haneda to get the best deal. This is traditionally know as an open jaw ticket and is an easy way to find savings.
Take Advantage of Free Airline Stopover Programs
If you have never heard of Stopover Programs you have been missing out. This is where airlines entice you to stop in their home countries and many times it’s for free. Let me explain….
If you love the idea of seeing multiple countries in one trip this is a great way to do it. And if they offer a free hotel stay, you are winning.
Maximize Airline Miles and Credit Card Rewards
Don’t sleep on reward programs. This is an easy to way to get your flights for practically free. You can take advantage of free companion tickets and upgrades through these programs. It might seem impossible to accumulate miles with international carriers. The truth is most folks will have airline rewards with popular domestic airlines which may not offer the best value for international flights. But there’s a hack for that.
The most popular hack is miles/points transfers. Cards like American Express and Chase Sapphire allow you to transfer points/miles to different airlines. Conversion rates differ but it’s not uncommon to find a better value for your points by transferring them out of your credit card balance to an airline reward program.
And since most reward programs are free of charge, you can easily sign up for the loyalty program and transfer miles immediately. Check out my blog on Best Travel Reward Cards for insight into which ones work best.
Use Tools Like Seats.aero to Unlock Award Flight Deals
While we are on the subject of transferring miles, let me introduce you to two tools that give you insight into live availability of award flights across multiple airlines. I like Seats.aero and Roame.travel. Here’s how they work.
You put in your departure and arrival airports along with dates and the system will tell you the price in miles for any airline that offers reward deals to that destination. At a glance you can see which airlines are offering the best reward deals for your trip based on dates.
Seats.aero will show you all travel classes while roame.travel shows award prices for business/first class tickets. The free version limits what you can see while the paid version gives you additional access. I’ve only used the free version to date and this has worked great. With these tools you can spot rare long-haul business class deals at economy-level points.
Search for “Fifth Freedom Flights”
If you’ve never heard of Fifth Freedom Flights, you are not alone. This is when an international carrier carries passengers between two countries that are different from the home base of the airline operating the flight. For example, Emirates flies from New York JFK to Milan then continues on to Dubai their home base.
This means nicer aircraft, a better cabin experience, better food, and oftentimes more comfortable seats. It could also mean more reward seats and other perks on these routes. And since the airline is trying to fill seats, it can result in some great deals on airfare.
These aren’t easy to find but some of the most notable ones are with Emirates, Air France and Air Tahiti Nui. If you are looking at flight consolidator sites, just look for flights where the origin and destination seem a bit off. That’s where you find the deals.
Leverage AI tools like ChatGPT
We are in a different age of travel. AI is making it even easier than ever to find inexpensive fares for your dream destination. Even travel staples like Google flights are making it easier to find deals. You just tell it where you want to travel and let AI do the rest.
If you’ve not leveraged any AI tools to help you plan, you are missing out. I’ve got a few prompts for ChatGPT or Google Gemini that you definitely will want to keep in your pocket. These prompts work for both domestic and international flights.
I’ve listed my favorites here to help you save the most. Try them out to see what works for you.
1. Find the cheapest way to fly from [City A] to [City B]—include nearby airports and multi-leg routes.
2. List 5 layover cities that would make this route significantly cheaper.
3. Find a round-trip + one-way combo that saves the most—even if it means booking separately.
4. Search for mistake fares or flash sales from my airport this month.
Shoulder Season Travel
I mentioned shoulder season at the beginning of this post. This is one of my all time favorite ways to save on international travel. Not just because you can find cheap airfare but the overall experience is just better. Read my blog on Shoulder Season in Europe to learn how you can take advantage of this season to save big.
During the shoulder seasons, airlines will offer special deals to destinations to boost tourism. It’s generally the time when school is in session and the weather plays tricks on you. The weather might not be perfect but you may just get lucky. I certainly have on a quite a few occasions.
My Perspective
If I can find a way to save money on a trip, I am all over it. Taking a few extra steps can ensure you get the best deal on your international flight that is available. Being flexible with your travel plans, leveraging alternative airports and taking advantage of offers like with the Stopover Program can save you big dollars on your trip.
Don’t forget the old staples like leveraging reward programs and paying attention to reward seat offers to unlock hidden savings. These still work well to save money. And since every thing seems to work a bit more efficiently with AI, make sure you add this to your repertoire. Ultimately flight prices should not be the thing that keeps you from discovering new destinations. With these hacks, it doesn’t have to.
FAQs About Saving on International Flight Bookings
What is the best time to book an international flight for the lowest price?
The best time to book an international flight for the lowest price is typically between two and six months before departure, depending on the destination and season. Booking too early or too late can mean higher fares.
Are flight comparison websites really cheaper than booking directly with the airline?
Flight comparison websites are not always cheaper, but they allow you to see multiple fares in one place. Once you find a good deal, booking directly with the airline can sometimes save you extra fees and provide
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