I recently had the chance to join ABC in Phoenix to talk about finding great airfares for fall.
We’re heading into a really interesting booking window for September, October, and early November travel, when fares can come down significantly from the summer highs.
So if you’ve been thinking about a fall getaway, now is the time I’d start looking and booking.
Here are a few of the tools and tricks I use when I’m searching for my next flight.
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I Start With Google Flights
Google Flights is usually my first stop because I can quickly see how much fares change from one day to the next.
I’ll pull up the calendar, look at different departure and return dates, and check several nearby airports.
I also like the ability to track prices.
If I’m looking on my phone, I also take a screenshot and add it to my travel booking album, so I have a record of the date and prices for the entire month.
And here’s why that matters: I don’t want a website telling me something is a “great deal.” I want to know whether it’s actually a great deal compared with what I’ve been seeing.
If I know a flight has been $700 and suddenly it’s $450, that’s information I can use.
I Also Check Skyscanner
I like Skyscanner for another reason: it can be especially useful when I’m flexible about the destination or dates.
Sometimes I know when I want to travel, but I’m not completely committed to where.
That’s when I’ll start looking around.
Maybe Europe is the goal, but instead of searching for one specific city, I’ll see which destinations have the most interesting fares.
Let the airfare help shape the trip.
Sometimes that’s how you find a destination you weren’t even considering.
Then I Go Directly to the Airline
Once I find a flight I like, I check the airline’s website before I book.
And whenever the price and itinerary are comparable, I prefer booking directly with the airline.
Why?
Because if something changes – a cancellation, schedule change, missed connection, or other problem – I’d rather have my reservation directly with the airline than have another company sitting between me and the carrier.
It can also make it easier to manage your reservation, select seats, add bags, make changes, and communicate with the airline when something goes wrong.
Third-party sites can absolutely have good prices, and I use them to comparison shop. But when the final price is essentially the same, I like keeping the booking relationship directly with the airline.
Search everywhere. Book strategically.
Move Your Trip by One Day
This is one of the easiest things to try.
If your schedule allows, move your departure by a day.
Then move your return by a day.
Look at what happens to the fare.
You don’t necessarily have to change your entire vacation. Sometimes one day makes a surprisingly big difference.
I’ll do the same thing with airports.
If I’m going somewhere with multiple airports, I’ll compare them all – but I’ll also factor in parking, rental cars, transportation and my time.
A $75 airfare savings isn’t much of a savings if it costs $100 to get to the airport.
Don’t Forget the Airline’s Own Website
I also check the airline directly for sales, promotions, and special offers, and I like signing up for fare alerts on routes I fly frequently.
The important thing is to use all of these tools together.
Google Flights can help you see the landscape.
Skyscanner can help you explore possibilities.
The airline’s website is where I want to verify the actual booking.
My Biggest Tip: Start Looking Before You Need to Book
This is probably the most useful habit I’ve developed.
Don’t wait until you’re ready to buy to start watching airfare.
If I know I want to take a trip in October, I’ll start watching October fares well before I have to make a decision.
That gives me a baseline.
Then, when the price drops, I know what I’m looking at.
And that’s especially important right now.
September, October, and early November are worth watching closely as we move out of the summer travel rush.
You don’t have to chase the absolute lowest fare.
You just need enough information to recognize a really good one.
So open Google Flights. Check Skyscanner. Play around with your dates. Compare airports. Then check the airline directly.
And when you find the flight that works for your schedule, your budget, and the overall cost of the trip?
That’s your deal.
To watch the full segment from ABC in Phoenix, click HERE: https://www.abc15.com/news/smart-shopper/find-savings-on-national-cheap-flight-day-starting-sunday