How far in advance should I book my flight? Booking your flight 1 to 3 months in advance typically offers the best combination of availability and price.
Planning a trip can be exciting, yet daunting, especially when it comes to finding the best deals on flights.
Choosing the best flight booking site is challenging due to the numerous options from online travel agents (OTAs) and airlines. Using a combination of resources can help avoid overpaying. Factors like dates, times, pricing, fare class, and airline can make it overwhelming to find the best price.
But fear not! In this detailed guide, we’ll help you navigate through the multiple choices and reveal the ultimate website for booking flights for your next adventure.
- 📝 List of 19 Best Flight Search Engines That Will Offer Best Price
- 🙋🏻♀️ FAQs About Best Website To Book Flights
- Q. Which is the cheapest site for flight booking?
- Q. How do you get the best deals on flights?
- Q. Do flight prices go down on Tuesday?
- Q. Do flight prices go up the more you search?
- Q. At what time are flight tickets are cheapest?
- Q. Is it better to book flights directly with the airline?
- Q. Is it cheaper to buy flights at the airport?
- Q. Are there any hidden fees I should be aware of when booking flights online?
- Q. Can I earn rewards or loyalty points by booking flights online?
- Q. What should I do if my travel plans change after booking a flight?
- Q. How can I ensure the security of my payment information when booking flights online?
- 😇 Conclusion
- 🗨️ What do you think is the best website for booking flights? Let us know in the comments.
📝 List of 19 Best Flight Search Engines That Will Offer Best Price
One thing to keep in mind regarding booking sites/OTAs is that they do not sell Southwest fares. Other airlines have also removed their tickets fare from some booking platforms, however, the majority of airlines continue to offer their fares.
Here’s why these 19 are the greatest flight booking sites and metasearch alternatives available, as well as what makes each one unique.
Because it’s hard to predict which site will offer the best deal for your trip, you should always research prices from a few different sites before booking.
We searched through some popular OTAs to compare prices and show you the benefits and drawbacks of each.
1. Travelocity
Because Expedia owns Travelocity, this flight booking site essentially replicates Expedia’s price results but with a different colour scheme and organizational choices.
The webpage of Travelocity is simple, although it lacks a flexible-dates search option. Bag fees are exposed by clicking a drop-down for each fare on the results page, which makes it a little difficult to compare fees (you will likely have to scroll a bit).
Each flight itinerary is given a ranking from “Very Good” to “Satisfactory” to “Fair” by Travelocity, which considers the duration, kind of aircraft, and “quality of amenities” provided onboard. Some flights, but not all, are subject to a booking fee from Travelocity.
Best Feature: Travelocity’s out-of-10 flight rating offers a clear score to each itinerary, so you’re much less likely to schedule a long layover or miss out on a better itinerary.
Also Read: Missed Your Connecting Flight? ✈️ Here’s What to Do and How to Get Compensated
2. BookingBuddy
On BookingBuddy, you can compare different airfare sites in one click to discover the best airline rates.
This metasearch service allows you to quickly compare costs from several websites (such as Priceline) without having to conduct multiple searches.
BookingBuddy opens a new tab with your preferred flight dates and destinations already filled in, and you can choose which flight search sites you want to compare.
Looking for a flight and a place to stay? BookingBuddy offers a flight and hotel search that can save you money if you book them together.
Best Feature: Set up a price drop alert, and BookingBuddy will send you an email when prices on your route drop.
3. Expedia
Expedia and Travelocity are nearly identical, but on some of my searches, the fares differed between the two sites. Expedia, like Travelocity (and several other online travel agencies), will try to upsell you on adding a hotel to your itinerary.
This can help you save money, but make sure you compare prices before making a reservation.
There’s a “Show adjustable dates” option on the results page that lets you see whether there are any lower flights if you change your vacation a day or two.
Variable booking fees are charged by Expedia (and they are not always the same fees that Travelocity charges).
There’s an interstitial phase after you choose your fare from the list of options that shows you what’s included and what’s not, such as seat selection, cancellations, adjustments, and baggage rules.
Best Feature: Before you click “select” again, Expedia, like its sister Travelocity, basically double-checks that you understand what type of fare you’re choosing. It gives you clear transparency, in today’s confusing airfare market.
4. CheapOair
Flight search sites CheapOair and OneTravel, like Travelocity and Expedia, are variants of the same product owned by Fareportal Inc. CheapOair charges the same booking fee as OneTravel: anything between $0 and $35 per ticket.
Although both sites are owned by the same corporation, the fare results are not always similar, so it’s worth double-checking.
CheapOair displays some “Super Saver Fares” for which the airline you’ll be flying with isn’t revealed until after you purchase—which means you won’t know what baggage fees apply until after you book. The savings, on the other hand, might be worth it.
Best Feature: CheapOair promotes nonstop flights over itineraries with stops, which are categorized by the airline in an easy-to-read chart.
CheapOair’s Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages
- After $500 in transactions in 90 days, the CheapOair credit card delivers a $50 reward.
Disadvantages
- Booking fees are high on CheapOair.
- The Price Match Promise is only available in a few cases. Only similar flights on Expedia, Orbitz, Priceline, and Travelocity are covered by the guarantee.
5. TripAdvisor Flights
TripAdvisor is known for its hotel ratings, and now tourists can use their ratings to rate airlines and search for flights on TripAdvisor Flights.
When we tested this flight booking site, it was clear that TripAdvisor didn’t always offer the best deals, although it did on occasion.
It does, however, always provide you with the option of surfacing the results from Expedia, Travelocity, and other flight booking sites so you can compare them straight away with a single click.
On the front page of TripAdvisor Flights, there are some useful search options, such as a box for preferring nonstop flights.
Best Feature: TripAdvisor’s flight search tool is different from others in that it displays airline FlyScores alongside their tickets, making it less likely that you’ll book with an obscure, low-rated airline without realizing it.
6. Priceline
Priceline is a well-known online travel agency that introduced the Name Your Own Price tool and opaque bookings.
Discounts may be available with these types of bookings, but many of the details are not revealed until after the booking is made.
Priceline’s Name Your Own Price option for flights was discontinued in 2016, therefore the company now works like most other OTAs.
Testing a few different flights found that they were all the same price on other OTAs and the airline’s own website. Keep in mind that this isn’t always the case, but the price you get on Priceline will usually be comparable to the cost of a flight on other websites.
Tip: An “opaque booking” is one in which some flight details, such as departure and arrival times, as well as the airline, are hidden until the booking is completed.
Priceline’s Advantages and Disadvantages:
Advantages
- Flights on the Express Deal. If you have any flexibility, these flights can save you a lot of money. Until the booking is finalized, many of the flight’s specifics, such as airline and arrival and departure times, are hidden.
- Guaranteed Price Match
- Within 24 hours of booking, you can cancel your reservation for free online (except for Express Deal flights)
Disadvantages
- Priceline does not allow you to search for flexible dates. Even a day or two of flexibility can help you save money.
- Flights on the Express Deal. These aren’t always terrific deals, but they can be. The Express Deal only saves some money. It’s sometimes worthwhile to pay a bit more to know exactly what you’re getting.
7. Orbitz
Orbitz, which has been around since 2001, is another trustworthy OTA. One feature that sets this site apart is that it has its own rewards program, called Orbitz Rewards.
When you book hotels, flights, and holiday packages with Orbitz, you can earn Orbucks. Orbucks, on the other hand, can only be redeemed for hotels.
When you book a flight with Orbitz, you’ll get 1% of the total cost back in Orbucks. If you buy a $500 flight, you will receive 5 Orbucks, which can be used to purchase a hotel. It is completely free to join the Orbitz Rewards program.
Orbitz’s Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages
- Orbitz Rewards allows you to earn Orbucks that can be used on hotel reservations.
- There is a 24-hour cancellation policy in place.
- Low Price Guarantee: Orbitz will refund the difference if you find a lower price for your flight on another website within 24 hours.
Disadvantages
- A booking fee is frequently charged by Orbitz. Before completing your purchase, check for the cost on your trip summary page.
8. Agoda
Priceline owns Agoda, an online travel agency. When looking for flights, this website doesn’t give much more than a simple search with limited filter options.
Agoda is a good place to browse for unique accommodations like an apartment or a private villa, but they don’t have much to offer when it comes to travel searches.
A great feature of Agoda is that it is multilingual. By clicking the flag in the top menu bar, you can change your language.
Agoda’s Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages
- Within 24 hours of booking, you can cancel for free.
- A simple search feature.
- Option for multilingual use.
Disadvantages
- Filtering options for flights are limited.
9. Hotwire
Hotwire is a well-known OTA that has been around for about two decades.
The main search box on the home page allows you to enter your departure and arrival cities, as well as your chosen trip dates. To access the flight search, go to the main search box and pick the third tab.
When booking a hotel and a flight together, Hotwire can save you a lot of money. Many times during the booking process, you’ll see pop-ups or prompts offering big discounts if you book a hotel and a flight at the same time.
I put it to the test, and every time I compared a Hotwire vacation package offer to book a ticket and hotel separately, the package deal came out on top.
You might come across a Hot Rate flight when looking for your flight. These are flights where the actual hours, number of stops, and carriers are not revealed until after you have completed your purchase.
These require a fair level of flexibility, and the price difference was as low as $20. They can occasionally give a wonderful discount, but most of the time there aren’t useful.
Hotwire’s Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages
- Packages that include a hotel stay can save you money if you cancel within 24 hours.
- Guaranteed Low Prices.
Disadvantages
- Hotwire may levy a booking fee on occasion.
- Hot Rate flights don’t always offer huge savings.
10. Skyscanner
Another travel search engine that does not offer flights directly is Skyscanner. They provide you with a list of flights as well as links to the airline’s website or an online travel agency (OTA) where you can finish your purchase.
Skyscanner is ideal for travellers who want to be as flexible as possible. Select Everywhere in the search box to look for the cheapest destinations on your chosen dates.
Skyscanner works like most other travel search engines if you have a specified location and dates in mind.
Best Feature: For travellers concerned about their travel’s environmental impact, Skyscanner offers a special “Greener flights” option that displays only itineraries with lower-than-average CO2 emissions based on your search. In your search results, the site also recommends some routes as a “greener option.”
Skyscanner’s Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages
- Flexible searches.
- It is simple to change the language and currency.
- Price notifications.
Disadvantages
- There isn’t anything about this website that distinguishes it from others. All of the features are available on other websites as well.
11. OneTravel
OneTravel’s user interface is inspired by Google Flights’ calendar search feature. The dates area displays a calendar with pricing pre-populated when you enter your departing and destination airports.
If and when your dates are flexible, this is a useful feature for quickly focusing on the trip dates with the greatest pricing.
One significant disadvantage is that OneTravel charges a high service fee of up to $35 per ticket. At the top of its results page, OneTravel also offers distinct (and, in my opinion, sometimes worse) itineraries than most.
Upon closer investigation, many of the highlighted itineraries have an additional stop. By checking the flight number, or at the very least keep track of the different alternatives, you can make sure you’re comparing the same flights.
Best Feature: The calendar arrangement, which is difficult to find on other flight booking sites, is the best structure if your travel dates are flexible.
12. Travelzoo
Travelzoo is not like the other websites on this list. Instead of reserving specific itineraries, you can search for offers in your target destination by month or season (this week, next month, this summer, etc.).
Travelzoo is a fantastic fit for people who have a budget and a time period in mind, but no specific plans for when or even where they wish to go.
The disadvantage is that if you have certain plans in mind, such as a flight to Omaha in March, Travelzoo is unlikely to be of use.
Best Feature: Travelzoo’s flexibility requirement allows it to provide some unique bargains, such as low-cost business-class flights and multi-city itineraries that make a dream vacation a lot more reasonable than you might imagine.
13. Google Flights
Google Flights is a strong, straightforward metasearch engine that is ad-free and distraction-free.
The calendar pre-populates with pricing after you enter your departure and arrival airports, allowing you to choose dates with lower fares (OneTravel uses this tool).
Once you’ve received your results, you may follow fares for your chosen days and receive email updates.
You may also see fares for different dates by utilizing the “Price Graph,” which displays a bar graph that shows you when the cheapest fares are available.
Best Feature: Instead of selecting a specific location, you can select a bigger region such as Europe or South Africa as a destination.
The fares to numerous cities within that region will then be presented on a map all at once. This is useful if you want to travel to Europe in April but don’t have a specific destination in mind.
14. Kayak
Kayak is a travel search engine, not an OTA. It’s also a good place to start because it’s a search engine.
Kayak evaluates costs from a variety of websites in one place so you can quickly determine which solutions are the most cost-effective. Most of the time, you’ll be sent to a different website to finalise your reservation.
Hacker fares on kayaks are a fantastic way to save money on your travel. Instead of a round-trip on a single airline, these itineraries are made by combining two one-way tickets (typically on different carriers). These can be excellent discounts, and they aren’t often found in other websites’ search results.
Best Feature: Its Hacker Fares claims to combine separate one-way tickets, potentially saving you money when compared to similar itineraries, and its extensive set of filters, sorting options, and predictive technologies give passengers a lot of options.
Kayak Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages
- Hacker prices on Kayak.
- Keep an eye on flight prices with our price tracker.
Disadvantages
- When your travel plans are very flexible, Kayak is the best option. Because many of their most useful tools assist you in finding bargains, this site may be less attractive if you have a specific flight in mind.
15. Momondo
Momondo, like Kayak, is a travel metasearch engine. You’ll find a simple search box on the home page where you may enter your travel information.
One of the things I like about this site is how they show you the price trends for your flight in a really graphic way. At first look, it appears that you could save money by rearranging your vacation dates. They also provide pricing.
They also have Mix & Match fares, which are just two one-way tickets from different providers combined to get you the cheapest price. However, unlike other services, you must book these types of tickets through two different websites.
Best Feature: Momondo is the only site that mentions Southwest. It receives points for reminding users to check a competitor for anything it doesn’t provide.
Momondo’s Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages
- Excellent pricing tracking tools.
Disadvantages
- To book a Mix & Match fare, you must make two separate reservations. On most other websites, this is handled “behind the scenes.”
16. Nomad from Kiwi.com
Kiwi.com, like many others, is an online travel agency (OTA); you book directly on the site (like you would on Expedia) rather than being redirected to another site (as you would on Kayak or Momondo).
But it’s the Nomad search engine that sets it unique, allowing you to find low-cost multi-destination itineraries. You specify the start and endpoints of your travel, as well as the places you want to visit along the way, as well as the number of nights you want to spend in each location.
When you click “discover routes,” the site will create an itinerary for you that mixes and matches airlines and itineraries to offer you the best deal.
(For example, I was charged $1,031 round-trip for four flights from New York City to Rome to Moscow to Tokyo, and back to New York.) You can use the filters to exclude itineraries with multiple layovers or flights without checked luggage.
Best Feature: This is by far the most user-friendly tool I’ve come across for researching round-the-world and multi-stop trips.
17. Airfarewatchdog
For flexible travellers looking for a great discount on airfare, Airfarewatchdog is the ideal option.
You can check for tickets from one place to another, or you can “select an adventure,” which will show you fares from your city to a variety of attractions according to your preferences – castles, caves, coffee, you name it, airfare watchdog will put you in the proper way.
Their blog is full of useful travel advice, and one of the nicest features is the ability to sign up for fare notifications.
Sign up for an alert if you know you want to go there but only want to pay a low price, and you’ll be notified as soon as the price drops so you can book it right away.
Best Feature: The fare alert is the best feature because it allows you to quit looking for that perfect price every day! Allow airfare watchdog to do the heavy lifting for you.
18. Hopper
Hopper is a travel booking app that attempts to anticipate the best time to book a flight. They say that by using their app, you may save up to 40% on airfares.
The easy-to-use UI and color-coded map display the cheapest and most expensive dates to fly to your desired location.
If you have flexible travel plans, you can also set up alerts to monitor rates for certain dates or for the entire month.
Hopper’s Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages
- Simple to use.
- Choose to keep an eye on rates for a certain trip or for the entire month.
Disadvantages
- On a PC, there is no way to search.
- Filtering options are limited.
19. Flight Network
Flight Network is a Canadian online travel agency. They provide Price Drop Protection, which means you can receive the difference in price if Flight Network promotes a cheaper price on your flight.
Best Feature: The pricing on Flight Network is in Canadian dollars. Use the drop-down option on the upper right-hand side of your screen to see prices in USD.
Flight Network’s Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages
- After you register with Flight Network, you will be able to access VIP Promo Codes.
Disadvantages
- The Price Drop Protection is not as comprehensive as the warranties offered by some other websites.
🙋🏻♀️ FAQs About Best Website To Book Flights
There are a lot of questions that come to our mind while booking an online flight, some of the commonly asked questions are answered below.
Q. Which is the cheapest site for flight booking?
A. SkyScanner is often regarded as the cheapest site for flight booking due to its ability to compare prices across multiple airlines and dates.
Q. How do you get the best deals on flights?
A. To get the best deals on flights, utilize price alert features, book in advance, and consider flexible travel dates and destinations.
Q. Do flight prices go down on Tuesday?
A. While there’s no guaranteed day for the cheapest flights, some studies suggest that flight prices may be lower on Tuesdays due to airlines releasing new deals.
Q. Do flight prices go up the more you search?
A. No, flight prices typically do not increase the more you search. Prices are primarily influenced by factors such as demand, time until departure, and seat availability.
Q. At what time are flight tickets are cheapest?
A. Flight tickets are often cheapest when booked during off-peak hours, such as late at night or early in the morning.
Q. Is it better to book flights directly with the airline?
A. Booking flights directly with airlines can sometimes offer benefits such as access to exclusive deals, flexibility in managing reservations, and streamlined customer service.
Q. Is it cheaper to buy flights at the airport?
A. It’s generally not cheaper to buy flights at the airport, as airlines often charge higher prices for last-minute bookings. Online booking platforms typically offer better deals and discounts.
Q. Are there any hidden fees I should be aware of when booking flights online?
A. While most flight booking platforms strive to provide transparent pricing, it’s essential to review the fare details carefully to avoid any surprises. Be on the lookout for additional fees such as baggage charges and seat selection fees.
Q. Can I earn rewards or loyalty points by booking flights online?
A. Many flight booking platforms offer rewards programs or partnerships with airlines, allowing travelers to earn points or miles with each booking. Be sure to explore these options to maximize your benefits.
Q. What should I do if my travel plans change after booking a flight?
A. Depending on the airline and fare type, you may have the option to modify or cancel your booking, albeit with associated fees. Review the airline’s policies and contact their customer service for assistance.
Q. How can I ensure the security of my payment information when booking flights online?
A. Prioritize platforms with secure payment gateways and adhere to best practices such as using reputable websites, avoiding public Wi-Fi networks for transactions, and regularly monitoring your accounts for any unauthorized activity.
😇 Conclusion
There is no one-stop shop for finding the best flight fares every time. When it comes to pricing, most OTAs are comparable.
The best rates are usually found with opaque bookings, although they do demand some flexibility. If you don’t mind not knowing your flight timings or even whose airline you’ll be flying with, this could be the best option to save the most money.
If you prefer a more traditional booking, start by searching all of the other sites utilizing a travel search engine like Kayak or Google Flights. This will give you a decent indication of which website to use to get the best deal on your next flight.
🗨️ What do you think is the best website for booking flights? Let us know in the comments.
Also, don’t forget to book your personalized holiday package with Fiery Trippers. Let us make your vacation a romantic as well as a dreamy getaway.
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