Cheap flights
Including how to find cheap flights and tips for choosing the right deal
This guide explores how to get cheap flights, from how to best plan ahead to booking the right way. We've loads of clever tricks to help you find the best deals, maximise savings when you book, cut airport costs and more.
First, a quick overview of how to find cheap flights...
Before diving into the full guide, here’s a speedy rundown of the key tricks to help you bag bargain flights.
Be flexible. Prices swing massively depending on when and where you fly. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are usually cheapest; summer holidays and Christmas are most expensive. If you’re open on location, use comparison sites’ 'anywhere' search to see which destinations are lowest.
Set up price alerts. Flash sales and rare 'error fares' (when an airline lists the wrong price) can vanish within hours. Sign up to airline newsletters and flight deal alerts (via email or app) so you're pinged the moment prices drop – then be ready to book fast.
Always compare prices before booking. Don’t assume the airline’s own site is cheapest. Use at least two comparison sites. Try Kayak*, Momondo* and Google Flights as they cover different airlines and travel agents.
Split your journey to save. Adding a short stopover or booking legs separately can cut £100s off long-haul flights. Use comparison sites to check both direct and indirect options.
Check the real cost. A rock-bottom fare may not stay cheap once baggage, seat fees and extras are added. Compare the full price, not just the headline ticket.
🏝️ Other cheap travel guides:
Overseas travel tips. 60+ tricks to help you save.
Cheap package holidays. Often cheaper and give protection.
Flight ticket release dates. Book early for cheaper seats.
Step 1: Decide when and where to go
Being flexible – ideally on both destination and dates – is key to bagging the cheapest flights, as well as being ready to pounce quickly when a hot deal pops up.
If you’ve already fixed your destination or are restricted to certain dates (such as school holidays), jump to step 2 to find out how to get there for less.
Use flight price trackers
The flight price trackers listed below can alert you when the price has dropped on a particular route – and also flag up pricing mistakes or error fares. Here's our pick of the best:
Site | How it works |
|---|---|
JFC sends its members email alerts with details of cheap plane tickets. | |
Holiday Pirates mainly searches for cheap package holidays, but it also lists deals on flights and hotels. |
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In addition, frequent-flyer sites God Save the Points and Head for Points sometimes flag cheap flight deals (though the deals aren't always for economy fares).
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HotUKDeals also has a travel section where users publicise cheap plane tickets they've spotted.
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We'll also share in our MoneySavingExpert weekly email, on X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook. Let us know on the forum if you've used the sites above, or found any others we've missed.
What's an error fare – and how can I find one?
An error fare is when a flight’s accidentally listed at a much lower price than normal – maybe someone missed a zero or used the wrong currency.
They’re unpredictable and can disappear fast. Airlines can cancel, but must refund you in full. Jack’s Flight Club reckons about 70% of error fares are honoured, but suggests you wait about two weeks until you book any other part of the trip that is non-refundable, just in case.
It's often unclear at what point your error fare is confirmed, as airlines' terms and conditions don't always clearly spell out at what point your contract with them is legally binding. For an example of an airline refusing to honour an error fare, see our British Airways (BA) cancels cheap tickets to Middle East MSE News story.
Realistically, it may be difficult to fight your corner. You could try and claim other aspects of your trip you've booked (such as accommodation) as a 'consequential loss' from the airline you booked with – but there are no guarantees this will work. You may need to go to the small claims court to try to get back any additional costs incurred (but again, there are no guarantees).
Your rights if you purchase an 'error price' flight
Sign up for airline email updates to never miss a sale
Airlines often promote short-term sales via email, so sign up so you're ready to pounce. Examples worth a look:
Air France, Easyjet and KLM* newsletters.
BA's cheap fares finder for cheap international flights.
Always double-check prices via a comparison site – not every 'sale' is really cheapest.
Some airline sales are now LIVE
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Jet2: 20% off all flights departing before November 2026 (myJet2 members, free to join).
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Wizz Air: 1m seats under £17.99 for travel until 28 March 2026.
Fly off-peak for big savings
Knowing when to fly can make a big difference.
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Avoid peak days: Fridays, Sundays and Mondays usually cost more (due to business and weekend travel demand). Tuesdays and Wednesdays are typically cheapest.
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Avoid peak seasons: Summer holidays and Christmas are priciest.
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Target "shoulder season". As a general rule, the cheapest months to fly are the periods just before and after peak tourist season. So between March and May in spring and between September and November in autumn.
To see when flights are cheapest throughout the year use a flight price tracker, which can spot the cheapest months and dates for your route.
Step 2: Time your booking right to get cheap flights
Flight prices fluctuate throughout the days, weeks and months, so knowing when to book can help you cut costs.
Buying flight tickets early in the week can pay off. Skyscanner data shows that airlines sometimes release deals late on Mondays (when fewer people are searching for flights), which can last into Tuesday morning.
Ticket release days can be gold. Some airlines offer early-bird discounts when seats are first released. MoneySavingExpert Forumites have reported finding cheap seats from as early as 5am on past ticket release days for Easyjet, saving £100s. It's not always clear-cut, so see our Flight ticket release dates guide for more.
There’s no guaranteed 'best' day or week to buy. Prices depend on demand, competitor pricing, the economy and historical customer booking patterns. One thing that won't impact the prices is your search history – this is an urban myth, with your interest in a particular flight having no effect on its price.
Use price prediction tools
Perhaps your best approach to timing your booking right is to use a flight price tracker. These are clever free tools which track the cheapest prices on all routes, so you can see when is likely best to book.
1. Skyscanner Savings Generator Tool
Skyscanner’s new Savings Generator Tool* helps you work out how far in advance to book flights for the lowest prices. Just enter your route and month, and it’ll suggest the best time to book.
Example we found using the tool:
London to Bangkok in September: book four weeks ahead for the cheapest fare.
Manchester to Dubai in April: book 21 weeks ahead.
The tool uses Skyscanner’s own data, but remember: flight prices are dynamic and can change quickly. So, always start your search from the Skyscanner homepage* to see live prices, or set up a price alert to track changes.
To find the cheapest month to fly, enter a start and destination on the Skyscanner homepage*, select 'Depart' and 'Flexible dates', and you'll see which is the cheapest month. For example, it showed that November is the cheapest month to fly from London to Lyon.
2. Momondo Flight Insight
Momondo's* standout feature is its ‘Flight Insight’ tool (find it at the top right of your flight search results), which helps you pinpoint: the best time to book, the cheapest day of the week to fly, and even which airport is cheapest for your route.
How does it compare? We found Skyscanner’s results more dynamic and extensive. For example, Momondo often suggests booking ‘32 days before’ for most destinations, while Skyscanner gives more varied recommendations. Also, Momondo’s ‘days to departure’ graphs only go back 60 days, so you get a shorter booking window.
Top tip: Whichever tool you use, remember these are just averages to help you plan rather than a cast-iron guarantee. The data's based on prices quoted in flight searches and includes sales too, so take it with a hefty pinch of salt and, if in doubt, book early. Always supplement your search with other comparison sites to see if you can beat the price.
Step 3: Use a flight comparison site (or two)
Going direct to an airline isn't always cheapest, so always check at least two flight comparison sites before booking to ensure you're getting the best price.
These sites search both online travel agents (such as Expedia and Ebookers) and airlines to find you the cheapest flights. For example, we saw a London to New York City return for £250 booked through an agent, but it was £260 for the SAME Virgin Atlantic flight booked direct with the airline.
Below are our favourite flight comparison sites. We've ranked them based on features and ease-of-use (as well as prices returned) in our quick spot-check.
Comparison site | Why we like it |
|---|---|
| For comparison including baggage. We argue within MSE Towers about the very top pick, but Kayak* is Martin's favourite, so it wins. It's got a decent range of user-friendly filters – for example, you can specify whether or not you want to check in bags so you can compare flight prices more accurately. |
| For flight data info. We like Momondo* for its nifty tool that tells you the cheapest and most expensive dates around your flight, as well as helpful insights such as the cheapest airport to fly from and to. It doesn't do it for all destinations, but it has some of the biggies, including New York, Dubai, Sydney, Cape Town. |
| For speed and ease of use. Google Flights is a useful rival to the likes of Kayak and Momondo. Once you've selected a route, it immediately shows you how prices vary depending on which dates you fly. |
Other sites worth checking: Skyscanner*, Dohop, Expedia*.
MSE tip: Different comparison sites cover different airlines/agents. Check at least two before booking.
Know which airline you want to fly with? Try 'codesharing'
If you’ve a preferred airline or a specific flight in mind, don’t assume booking direct is cheapest. Many airlines 'codeshare' — they sell seats on each other’s flights, sometimes at different prices.
This works best on popular medium or long-haul routes. For example, we found a Virgin Atlantic return flight from London to Las Vegas for £754 when booked direct. The exact same flights booked via its partner Delta cost just £655, a saving of £99.
Airlines typically list their partners on their websites. For instance, Virgin Atlantic's partners include Air France, Delta and KLM. British Airways' partners include American Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Qatar Airways.
Step 4: Choose the right flight deal
So, you've found some cheap international flights. Good stuff! How do you choose the right one?
Check if stopping over saves you more
While direct flights are more convenient, some indirect ones only add a couple of hours to the journey yet save you some serious cash. Plus, if your flight does have a long stopover, some airlines will offer you a free hotel.
In September 2025, we checked return flights from London to five popular long-haul destinations to see how much you could save on return flights by adding a stopover. The results are in the table below – as a rule, we found bigger savings on longer, non-US flights.
We haven't included Dubai, Los Angeles, New York and Miami in our comparisons below because when we looked it's often cheaper to fly direct.
London to: | Direct | Non-direct | Layover time and location |
|---|---|---|---|
Bangkok | £1,041 | £585 | 1h35 outbound via Guangzhou (China), 3h10 return via Haikou (China) |
Cape Town | £987 | £614 | 1h10 outbound via Frankfurt, 50m return via Zurich |
Rio de Janeiro | £1,459 | £841 | 1h50 outbound, 1h35 return via Amsterdam |
Tokyo | £1,186 | £751 | 1h35 outbound, 2h05 return via Abu Dhabi |
Vancouver | £715 | £513 | 3h55 outbound via Amsterdam, 46m return via Minneapolis |
Examples from September 2025
To look yourself, search through the big price comparison sites we've used above. Kayak*, Momondo's* and Skyscanner* all show you direct and indirect options, so you can easily compare flight prices.
Split tickets to potentially save £100s
Splitting tickets is commonly associated with trains (see our Cheap train tickets guide), but works on flights too. You just have to be willing to do the research.
Ex-MSE Guy broke down his search for flights from London to Singapore and Malaysia and saved £170:
I wanted to book flights from London to Malaysia and Singapore, including a trip to the Malaysian island of Penang.
I originally searched for open-jaw tickets from London to Singapore, then Kuala Lumpur to London with the intention of booking internal flights from Singapore to Penang and Penang to Kuala Lumpur. The initial cost, including internal flights, was £910.
Being a MoneySaver and to fully compare costs, I tried searching London to Penang then Kuala Lumpur to London. The quote dropped to £760. But as the outbound flight was via Singapore anyway, I broke it down further – London to Singapore, Singapore to Penang, Penang to Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur to London.
New quote: £740, a huge £170 less than tickets on my initial search.
Found your own split ticket bargain? Please post details in the MSE Forum.
See if a package holiday works out cheaper (even if you don't use the hotel)
Online travel agents will often offer flight discounts if you buy alongside hotels and car hire as part of a 'package'. Sometimes these deals cost less than the price of the flight alone.
What's more, most package operators are ATOL-protected (though always check before you book). This means if the company goes bust, your holiday is automatically protected. You'll get a full refund if you haven't left yet, or you could carry on the trip and still get home if you're already there.
Our top sites are Expedia* (which also owns Travelocity), Opodo, Lastminute.com* and Netflights for long-haul. See the Cheap package holidays guide for all our top picks, and tips on how to find the best flight deals.
WARNING. These sites can be cheap, but we've heard stories from people who've booked through online travel agents and had problems getting refunds. If you're having issues yourself, see our Flight delay rights and Flight cancellation rights guides.
Check niche travel agents for specific destinations
The UK's a melting pot of different immigrant and ethnic communities, and this can be used to great advantage for a cheap flight booking. Niche travel agents often specialise in finding deals to the relevant communities' linked countries.
For example, Shepherd's Bush in London and the surrounding area has some Caribbean specialist tour agents.
Don't forget to check prices elsewhere before you buy to make sure you're getting a good deal. If you know of a cheap specialist travel agent, please add your finds in the forum.
When booking through a smaller travel agent, it's worth being aware of the risks if it goes under. See The firm's gone bust – what protection do I have? section of our Holiday rights guide.
Step 5: Maximise savings when you book
So, you've figured out where you want to go, and found the cheapest flights on offer... but there are still opportunities to maximise your savings...
Check the real cost of your ticket
Budget airlines often charge for extras, with luggage, check-in, reserved seats and food just some of the add-ons you may have to fork out for. And what's worse, they're not always made clear until you've started making the booking.
Use the Civil Aviation Authority's airline charges comparison table which shows extra fees for a host of big airlines, plus luggage allowances, seat selection charges and whether a meal's included. While you should always double-check these with the airline, it's handy to see the real cost so you can make a more accurate comparison.
Our Budget flight fee fighting guide also has tricks to beat those charges, plus see our Easyjet tricks and Ryanair tips guides for specific advice if you're flying with them.
Check in early to sit together for free
A family of four could have to stump up £250+ to book seats to sit together on return flights. However, paying to reserve particular seats is usually unnecessary – you're typically able to book allocated seating for free provided you check in ASAP.
Read up on the rules and your rights in our airline-by-airline seating guide now, to see how you can sit together for free (though even we struggle to find a way to overcome Ryanair's charges).
See if booking in a different currency is cheaper
It's possible to save on flight costs by booking the return leg in a different currency to the first.
This involves searching for your outbound flight as a one-way ticket, then, in a separate tab or window, searching for the return leg of your flight as a one-way ticket. The return flight will be in the currency of the country the flight departs from, so find out what the equivalent is in pounds (use TravelMoneyMax) and then compare the total cost of both.
Read our 20+ Ryanair tips guide for a fuller breakdown of this nifty trick.
Post your luggage to avoid fees
We found that shipping your luggage abroad is cheaper roughly a third of the time. Our MSE team discovered a couple of firms that offer competitive prices for this service – Send My Bag* and Mybaggage. Both are well reviewed – but let us know what you think in the MSE forum.
Shipping bags ahead also means you don't need to lug them to and from the airport – handy for families, the elderly or those with disabilities. What's more, you'll avoid eye-watering last-minute luggage charges on your return if your bag's over the weight limit.
Luggage posting need-to-knows
Prices vary hugely by destination, dates and how much luggage you're taking. But to get an idea, we spot-checked prices for 108 flights across eight airlines to four destinations, in August and October, looking at luggage for an individual (15kg), couple (30kg) and family (55kg).
Our snapshot analysis found it's cheaper to post your luggage roughly a THIRD of the time – it often won for couples and families flying short distances, but rarely for single bags and almost never for longer flights.
Posting luggage beat flying with it on 39% of the 108 flights we looked at – it won on 64% of Malaga flights and 60% to Berlin, but just 4% to New York and none of those to Paphos, in Cyprus. In one case it was £41 cheaper to post a family's luggage – and on three of the 24 routes and dates a courier firm beat ALL the airlines we checked.
Travel insurers usually only cover belongings you're wearing or carrying with you while travelling.
However, the sites above offers a basic level of cover as part of the price. You can increase this by paying extra if your suitcase's contents are worth more than the standard cover (though you should avoid sending anything valuable). Always check you're happy with the cover offered before you book, and make sure you're aware of any exclusions. Most sites exclude fragile items and damage to your bag/suitcase.
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Get a quote and compare prices. Prices vary by courier and destination, so you'll need to visit each courier site directly, get a quote, and then compare it with what airlines would charge for the equivalent baggage allowance.
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Choose a collection/delivery date. They ask you to pick a date for your bags to be collected and then give you an estimated delivery date, usually two to three days later. (Send My Bag recommends your bag arrives a day before you.)
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Print labels and wait for your bag to be collected. You'll be emailed (or posted) labels to put on your luggage and given a collection window (usually 9am-6pm) – Send My Bag says it's happy to collect from a neighbour if you won't be home, or your office/place of work.
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Meet your luggage at your destination. All the courier sites say you don't have to sign for your bag personally – anyone at the delivery address can do it, for example, the hotel reception desk (though make sure you notify them in advance).
To really save using this trick, you may need to share a suitcase. That's because it's usually cheaper to send a one 30kg bag by courier than two 15kg bags. If you want to pack separately, you'll pay more (though in some cases you'll still save).
Before sending it off, check the site's rules on what you can use to send your items, for example, suitcases, cardboard boxes, holdalls or duffel bags. Ensure your bag is sturdy enough to hold the weight and all straps and handles are secured.
Also make sure not to send prohibited items – for example, Send My Bag's destination pages have info on which items you can and can't transport to certain destinations. It says in its general rules that you should never pack aerosols, flammable liquids or glass in unaccompanied bags. These pages also have info on customs requirements – some only require a packing list, while others also ask for a copy of your passport, flight ticket, work permit or visa.
It's cheaper to post your luggage roughly a THIRD of the time
Your travel insurance won't work on this – but you should get basic cover
How to post your luggage
Pack smartly to save money and meet customs requirements
Don't book flights with multiple web tabs open
A few MSE Forumites have reported problems booking flights while having two or more web pages open, where the flight details get booked using the wrong details from an older search. Only keep one tab open, and clear your browser cache before paying to make sure you see the latest price.
If this has happened to you, contact the airline or booking site straight away to see if you can get it amended. Sadly, you’ve few legal rights if they refuse, as it’s hard to prove it’s their fault. They may even charge to fix or cancel. But it's certainly worth a try (see Consumer rights for help).
Share your experience in the Wrong flights booked forum thread.
Join Avios to earn 'free' flights
Avios is a points scheme similar to Nectar and Clubcard. You earn points by spending on credit cards and by shopping via the BA shopping portal, and these points can then be spent on travel-focused rewards.
You'll still pay taxes and fees on flights (for example, up to £100 for some European returns). But BA’s Reward Saver scheme caps charges on most short-haul flights, as long as you’ve earned at least one Avios point in the past year.
For full info, see Boost Avios points, plus read Airline credit cards for point-earning credit cards for Avios and Virgin Atlantic's Flying Club.
Step 6: Extra ways to cut costs before you fly
Now you've secured your cheap flights and are getting excited for your trip, these next few tips will help you keep costs down before you even take off.
Book airport parking in advance
While public transport usually wins, for large families or groups, driving to the airport can be cheaper. Yet booking early is crucial. Wait till you get to the airport and you're a captive customer – even booking in advance on the day could save you money.
See how much you can save with our Blagged comparison site discounts (bear in mind the biggest discount doesn't automatically mean the best price): SkyParkSecure 7%-53% off* | FHR 5%-51% off* | Holiday Extras 10%-50% off* | APH 16%-20% off*. For more options and top tips, see Cheap airport parking.
Some inspiration from MSE Forum user Bigdaddy10:
I paid £40 instead of £115. Granted we booked for the August bank holiday in March, but it goes to show there are bargains to be had by booking ahead.
Don't assume duty-free is cheapest
If you're after a particular item, quickly check prices online before you go. This'll give you a benchmark to compare with the duty-free price when you get there.
Before buying duty-free goods, check Duty-Free On Arrival's handy airport search. This provides info on whether you can buy duty-free when you arrive, ensuring you don't have to carry them on the plane there.
Get free or cheap airport lounge access
You don't need to be flying business or first class to access airport lounges. In fact, it's possible to get in cheaply – or even for free.
Our Free or cheap airport lounge guide has full info on how to do so, but in short, your options include grabbing a discounted lounge pass, signing up to Amex's Preferred Rewards Gold credit card for free lounge access, getting an annual airport lounge membership, and even haggling at the door.
If you can get a discounted lounge pass, it could work out cheaper than a meal, drinks and snacks at the airport, so it's worth considering.
Cut airport transfer costs with shuttle buses or splitting travel with others
Holiday Extras* lets you book transfers between airports and popular resorts across the globe. It offers basic shared shuttle buses, as well as private transfers. There's also Hoppa*, which MSE Forumites report can turn up some very competitive prices (though always check these for yourself before you book).
Allow plenty of time, and don't expect anything too fancy. Here's how MSE Jenny K found it:
From my experience, don't expect anything too posh if you opt for a shuttle bus, and allow plenty of time to get to the airport. After all, if there are hordes of other passengers to pick up, you don't want to miss your flight.
Feedback's generally positive, though there are reports of occasional problems with missed pick-ups, so factor this in if you're considering it. If you've used it, please let us know how you've got on in the forum discussion.
Flying then driving? It's usually best to book car hire early
Holiday car hire can save a hefty whack on taxis to and from the airport, as well as transport costs while you're there, providing you do it right.
Do so as early as possible to grab a hire car cheaply. What can be £5 a day months ahead can be triple or more just before you go and far more once you've arrived at your destination, adding £100s overall. That said, in recent years we've seen that last-minute deals have become quite common... though it can be risky to chance waiting.
You can find full details of current deals and tips 'n' tricks in the Cheap car hire guide, but here are the key points:
Work out what you need. There's often a mass of costly add-ons on offer, including sat-navs and extra drivers. Before you book, work out what you need and ditch the rest.
Quickly compare quotes. Next, use the right comparison sites to grab the most quotes in the least time. Our top picks are Skyscanner*, Kayak*, TravelSupermarket*, Enjoy Travel* and Carrentals*.
Check for extra discounts. See if you can squash the price further through fly-drive package deals, cashback, specialist travel brokers and online vouchers.
Try the rebook trick. It's worth looking for flexibility and/or free cancellation so you can cancel and rebook your hire if the price drops at a later date.
Get cheap excess insurance before you go. The hire firm will want you to get up to £25/day excess cover on top of the included insurance. Instead, get Cheap excess insurance for as little as £2 before you go.
Check out our other travel tips
We've a whole host of other tips to get you prepped for your holiday. Below is a quick round-up of where we'd suggest you head next:
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Sunscreen isn't the only protection you should be thinking about, find the right travel insurance to make sure you're covered while you're away.
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Don't pay to pay while you're away, see our round-up of the top specialist travel cards, so you get the same near-perfect, bureaux-beating exchange rates as the banks.
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Avoid getting hit by an unexpected phone bill, learn how to use your mobile on holiday for cheap (or free).
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Renew your passport for less with our Passport renewal tips guide, including how to avoid shyster sites charging extra for 'checking' services.
Glide over to our 60+ overseas travel tips for lots more like this.
How to get cheap flights FAQs
It's possible to get cheaper flights last minute, but this is more the exception than the norm. Most flights actually rise in price the closer it gets to the departure date, with seats filling up increasing demand and therefore the price. Many airlines also use algorithms that anticipate these last-minute bookings and put prices up accordingly.
That said, the opposite may be true for low-demand flights. Airlines also sometimes release cut-price last minute tickets for promotional reasons. As with any kind of flight, your best approach is to sign up for cheap flight checker services and airline email updates so you can keep track of any discounts.
Not necessarily. Although it's certainly a useful tool for finding cheap flights, other comparison sites such as Momondo and Google Flights offer similarly powerful services. You may also find that it's cheaper to buy directly from the airlines.
There is no "cheapest way to buy flights" exactly, but by following the tips in this guide, you'll have enough strategies in your arsenal to grab the best flight deals. And remember: ALWAYS compare the direct price with multiple comparison sites to see which is cheapest.
There isn't one single cheapest airline, with several budget airlines offering consistently low-cost flights. These include the likes of Ryanair and Easyjet in Europe and the UK.
These companies offer lower prices by reducing operational costs – for example, by:
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Flying to secondary airports with cheaper landing and handling fees
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Removing flight amenities such as food
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Using just one type of plane
It's usually cheaper to buy a return flight instead of two single tickets. Airlines typically make them less expensive in order to secure your business for the whole journey.
However, this isn't always the case. There's often little to no difference in the price of return tickets and two single ones on budget airlines, while you may find that booking each individual leg with different airlines can save you money. Increased or reduced demand can also make one leg more more or less affordable than the other.
As always, use a range of comparison sites to secure cheap return flights.
Do you get cheaper flights last minute?
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