How to Find Cheap Flights
Holiday travel season is here, and the cheapest fares go first. Five short lessons show how to search like a pro, book at the right time, spot hidden fees, and use your rights if plans change.
Be flexible: the biggest money saver
The single best way to pay less is to let the price choose some of the details. Each kind of flexibility opens up cheaper options:
- Dates: moving your trip by a day or two can change the fare a lot. Google's 2026 analysis of its flight data found that leaving on a Monday and returning on a Tuesday or Wednesday saved about 14% versus weekend flights.
- Airports: check every airport within driving distance, at both ends. A cheaper fare from a farther airport can still win, even after gas and parking.
- Stops: the same Google data found nonstop flights cost about 20% more on average than ones with a connection. Decide if the time saved is worth it.
- Destination: if you just want a getaway, Google Flights' Explore map shows prices to many places from your airport at once.
- Time of day: early-morning and late-night flights are often cheaper, and early flights are less likely to be delayed.
Holidays: the day you fly matters even more. Flying on the holiday itself, like Thanksgiving Day or Christmas Day, is often much cheaper than the busy days just before it.
Search smarter with Google Flights
Google Flights is free, fast and shows most airlines in one place. It doesn't sell tickets; it sends you to the airline or a travel site to book. Here's how to use its best features:
- Search your route with your rough dates. Set stops, bags and the number of travelers at the top so prices are realistic.
- Open the date grid. Click Dates to see a grid of prices for different departure and return combinations. Cheaper cells are highlighted.
- Open the price graph. Click Price graph to see fares by week or month when your dates are flexible.
- Check nearby airports. Add more than one airport in the From and To boxes, or look at the airport suggestions under the results.
- Compare the Best and Cheapest tabs. Cheapest adds lower-priced options, including tickets from online travel agencies and trips where you may have to re-check your own bags between flights. Read the details before you choose one.
- Turn on Track prices. Google emails you when the price drops significantly or is likely to rise. Choose Any dates to track the cheapest fare for the route across a month.
- Read the price insight. Results often say whether prices are low, typical or high right now compared with past prices on that route.
Book direct when you can. Once you find the flight, booking on the airline's own site usually makes changes, refunds and rebooking during delays much easier than going through a third party.
When to book
There's no magic day, but there are sweet spots. Google Flights looked at five years of its data for its 2026 travel trends report. On average, the lowest prices showed up this many days before departure:
| Trip | Lowest, on average | Low-price range |
|---|---|---|
| Thanksgiving | 34 days out | 21–57 days |
| Christmas | 56 days out | 33–67 days |
| Domestic (US) | 39 days out | 22–57 days |
| Mexico & Caribbean | 43 days out | 24–69 days |
| Europe | 90 days out | 49+ days |
| International (all) | 89 days out | 50–133 days |
| Spring break | 50 days out | 29–64 days |
| Summer (July–Aug) | 21 days out | 20–47 days |
- Thanksgiving 2026 is Thursday, November 26. Google says the cheapest Thanksgiving fares usually appear in October; 34 days out is about October 23 this year. Start tracking prices now.
- Christmas 2026 is Friday, December 25. The best Christmas deals usually show up between late October and mid-November.
- For international trips, Google found prices barely dip inside the window, so book as soon as you see a fare you're happy with.
- The day of the week you buy hardly matters: Google found booking on a Wednesday saved only about 1.4% compared with Sunday.
- Prices usually climb in the last two to three weeks before departure, especially for holidays.
These are averages, not guarantees. A single route can behave differently, which is why price tracking for your exact trip is the best signal.
Compare the true cost, not the headline fare
The cheapest fare in the search results often isn't the cheapest trip. Bags, seats and fare rules can add up fast.
Basic economy: what you give up
Most big US airlines sell a stripped-down basic economy fare. Rules vary by airline, but commonly:
- No seat choice (or only for a fee), so families and groups may be split up.
- Last to board, so overhead bin space may be gone.
- No changes and often no credit if you cancel after the 24-hour window.
- On some airlines and routes, no full-size carry-on bag, only a small personal item.
- Fewer frequent-flyer miles and no upgrades.
Budget airlines work the same way across the board: a low fare, then a fee for nearly everything, including carry-on bags and printing a boarding pass at the airport. Always check the airline's fee page before booking.
Enter fees per person, per flight direction. Fares are per person for the whole trip. The example numbers are made up; use the real ones from each airline's site.
Myths, and your rights after you book
The incognito myth
A popular tip says airlines raise prices when you search the same flight again, so you should use incognito mode or clear cookies. There's no good evidence this is how airline pricing works. Fares change because cheaper seats sell out and airlines adjust prices to demand, often many times a day. Searching in a private window does no harm, but comparing sites and tracking prices does far more.
The 24-hour rule (US flights)
Under US Department of Transportation rules (14 CFR 259.5), when you book with an airline at least 7 days before departure, the airline must either:
- let you cancel within 24 hours of booking for a full refund with no penalty, or
- let you hold the reservation at the quoted fare for 24 hours without paying.
Most US airlines offer the free 24-hour cancellation. It covers flights to, from and within the US. If you book through a travel agency or booking site, check its own policy, since the rule is aimed at airlines.
Use it: if you see a good holiday fare, book it. Keep watching for 24 hours; if the same trip drops, cancel and rebook at the lower price.
Refunds when the airline changes or cancels your flight
DOT rules that took full effect in 2024 say you're entitled to a refund to your original form of payment, not just a travel credit, if the airline cancels your flight or makes a significant change and you choose not to travel or not to accept the alternative it offers. A significant change includes:
- Departing 3 or more hours earlier or arriving 3 or more hours later on a domestic trip (6 hours for international).
- A different departure or arrival airport, or more connections than you booked.
- Being moved to a lower class of service.
Refunds are due within 7 business days for credit card purchases and 20 calendar days for other payments. If a checked bag is significantly delayed (more than 12 hours after a domestic flight arrives, with a mishandled-bag report filed), you can get the bag fee back, and you get refunds for paid extras like Wi-Fi or seat upgrades you didn't receive.
No cash for delays. There's no federal rule requiring US airlines to pay compensation for a delay. The DOT withdrew a proposal for one in November 2025. What you get for a delay (meals, hotels, rebooking) depends on each airline's own promises, listed on the DOT Airline Cancellation and Delay Dashboard.
FAQCommon questions
Is Tuesday the cheapest day to buy a ticket?
It's mostly a myth now. Google's data shows the day you buy barely matters (about 1.4% between the best and worst days). The days you fly matter much more: midweek flights are usually cheaper.
Do prices drop at the last minute?
Rarely. Airlines usually raise prices in the final weeks because last-minute travelers tend to be business travelers who will pay more. Waiting is a gamble that usually loses, especially around holidays.
What if the price drops after I book?
Within 24 hours (and booked 7+ days out), cancel and rebook. After that, some airlines give a travel credit for the difference on standard economy and higher fares if you change to the same flight; basic economy usually can't be changed. Check your airline's policy.
Are third-party booking sites safe?
Well-known ones are, and they sometimes have lower prices. The trade-off is that changes and refunds during disruptions go through the site, not the airline, which can be slower. Avoid sites you've never heard of that show prices far below everyone else.
My flight was canceled. Do I have to accept a travel credit?
No. If the airline cancels or significantly changes your flight and you decline the alternative, you're entitled to a refund of the ticket and any unused extras, to your original payment method. You can file a complaint with the DOT if an airline refuses.