Finding Cheap Flights

There are an abundance of ticket websites out there to help you find the best deal for a flight. There are also additional things that you can do to leverage these tools more than the average traveler.

Here are some insider secrets:

Try to find cheap flights 21 – 45 days in advance. Other than last minute deals, you will pay more as your date to leave approaches. Sometimes buying too soon months in advance also makes for higher prices.
Sometimes unsold seats are drastically discounted 2 days before departure.
Never, ever fly on weekends! Try to fly on a Monday morning, Tuesday, or Wednesday.
Try not to fly within 7 days before or after a holiday. Check your destination’s local holidays and festivals as well.
If you are buying a round trip ticket, staying longer than 90 days usually results in a higher fare. Check on just buying two 1-way tickets instead for the extra flexibility. You can also set a fictional return date and pay the change fee later. Caution: deliberately skipping your return flight will get you blacklisted on some airlines.
You may find cheap flights after midnight EST in the middle of the week. This is when airline databases are updated and sometimes you can grab a cheap ticket that has been returned back to the system.
Search for flights at all times throughout the day, you never know when a cheap ticket has been released to the system.
Take a bus (try megabus.com) or hitch a ride to the closest major airport hub.
Make sure your luggage is not over sized or overweight. Check individual airline sites for rules, some charge for a carry-on now.
Flights with longer layovers usually have lower price tags.
Early morning redeye flights are more painful bur are usually cheaper.
Fly into the largest city on the continent you are visiting. Take budget airline hops or travel overland from there to reach your destination. For instance, it may be cheaper to fly into Brussels (a major business hub) and then hitch your way to Amsterdam rather than flying straight there.
Always use frequent flier programs. It may take years, but the miles DO add up and may come in handy in the future.
Being as flexible as possible can help you find a cheap flight. Do not specify flight times, number of stops, etc.
Never buy refundable tickets if they cost more – your backpacking travel insurance may have trip cancellation coverage anyway.