Use the “Hidden City” Trick

• This involves booking a cheaper flight with a layover in your actual destination and skipping the second leg.
• Example: If a direct flight to Paris is expensive, a flight to Rome with a layover in Paris might be cheaper.
• Caution: Airlines don’t love this trick and may penalize repeat offenders (or cancel your frequent flyer miles). Use wisely!

Book One-Way Tickets Instead of Round Trips

• Sometimes, booking two separate one-way flights can be cheaper than a round-trip ticket.
• Mix and match different airlines to find the best prices.

Use Airline Miles and Credit Card Points

• Travel credit cards can save you thousands when booking flights.
• Best cards for travel rewards:
  • Chase Sapphire Preferred (great for flexible points)
  • Amex Platinum (luxury travel perks & lounge access!)
  • Capital One Venture (easy redemption system)

Fly to Alternative Airports

• Major cities have secondary airports that can offer cheaper flights.
• Example: Instead of flying into JFK (New York), check LaGuardia or Newark.
• In Europe, flying into smaller airports (like Beauvais instead of Charles de Gaulle in Paris) can save you money.

Use VPNs to Change Your Location

• Airlines price flights differently based on location.
• Use a VPN to change your IP address and check prices from different countries.
• Example: Sometimes booking from a different country (or even a different city) can show cheaper fares.

BONUS HACK: Try setting your location to a country where the airline is based—it’s sometimes cheaper when booking directly from their home region!

Check Airlines’ Own Websites

• Many third-party booking sites don’t include budget airlines or have extra fees.
• After finding a good deal on Google Flights or Skyscanner, check the airline’s website directly for potentially lower fares.