How to Find Cheap Flights: 10 Tools & Tricks That Actually Work

Finding cheap flights is a skill — and with the right tools and strategies, you can save $200–$500 on every international flight. After booking 50+ international flights over the past 5 years, here are the 10 tools and tricks that actually work in 2025.

10 Tools and Tricks That Actually Work

1. Google Flights — The Starting Point

Google Flights is the best flight search engine. Use the 'Explore' feature to see cheap destinations from your home airport. Set price alerts for routes you want. Use the calendar view to find the cheapest dates.

2. Skyscanner — Best for Flexible Dates

Skyscanner's 'Whole month' and 'Cheapest month' features are unmatched. Search 'Everywhere' from your home airport to find the cheapest destinations worldwide.

3. Kiwi.com — Best for Multi-City Deals

Kiwi.com combines flights from different airlines to create cheaper multi-city itineraries. The 'Nomad' feature is great for round-the-world trips.

4. Hopper — Best Price Prediction App

Hopper analyzes billions of flight prices to predict whether to book now or wait. 95% accurate on price predictions 1 year in advance.

5. Secret Flying — Error Fares and Deals

Secret Flying publishes error fares and incredibly cheap deals daily. Follow on social media. Example: $300 return New York to Tokyo, $250 London to Bangkok. See secretflying.com.

6. Scott's Cheap Flights — Premium Deals Newsletter

$49/year subscription, sends 5–10 cheap flight deals per week to your inbox. Saves the average subscriber $500/year. See scottscheapflights.com (now 'Going').

7. Airline Newsletter Signups

Sign up for airline newsletters (especially low-cost carriers like AirAsia, Ryanair, EasyJet, Norwegian). They send flash sales and error fares first to subscribers.

8. Use Incognito Mode

Airlines track your searches via cookies and may raise prices on routes you've searched. Use incognito mode (or clear cookies) to avoid this.

9. Book 6–8 Weeks in Advance (for International Flights)

The cheapest time to book international flights is 6–8 weeks before departure. Book earlier for peak season (December, July–August), later for shoulder season. See CheapAir's annual flight study for current data.

10. Fly Mid-Week

Tuesday and Wednesday are the cheapest days to fly internationally (10–20% cheaper than weekends). Saturday is also cheap for international. Avoid Friday and Sunday.

Cheap Flights to Nepal — Specific Tips

Nepal flights are typically $700–$1,500 from Western countries. Tips for finding cheaper Nepal flights:

• Fly via the Middle East (Qatar Airways, Emirates, Etihad) — usually $200–$400 cheaper than direct flights
• Fly via India (Delhi or Mumbai) and connect to Kathmandu — sometimes cheaper overall
• Book 8–10 weeks in advance for October–November (peak season)
• Avoid flying during Dashain (early October) — most expensive time
• Use frequent flyer miles — Nepal is a good value redemption

Common Flight Booking Mistakes to Avoid

• Booking too early. Booking 6+ months in advance is often MORE expensive, not less.
• Booking too late. Last-minute flights are almost always expensive (except for error fares).
• Flying on weekends. Friday and Sunday are the most expensive days.
• Ignoring nearby airports. Check flights from alternative airports (e.g., London Luton vs Heathrow, New York JFK vs Newark).
• Not using miles/points. Sign up for airline credit cards with sign-up bonuses.
• Booking directly with airlines. Sometimes Online Travel Agencies (Expedia, Booking) have cheaper rates.
• Not checking visa requirements. Some cheap flights have long layovers requiring transit visas.

Best Flight Search Engines for 2025

Search Engine	Best For	Pros	Cons
Google Flights	General search	Fast, calendar view, price alerts	Doesn't include all budget airlines
Skyscanner	Flexible dates/destinations	Whole month view, 'Everywhere' search	Can have outdated prices
Kiwi.com	Multi-city, creative routing	Finds combinations others miss	Customer service poor if issues
Momondo	International flights	Often finds cheaper deals	Slower than Google
Kayak	All-round search	Price alerts, hacker fares	Sometimes outdated
Hopper	Mobile-only, price prediction	95% accurate predictions	Mobile only
Secret Flying	Error fares	Incredible deals	Limited to subscriber base

How to Use Airline Miles for Free Flights

Airline miles can save you $500–$2,000 per flight. Best strategies:

1. Sign up for airline credit cards with sign-up bonuses (50,000–100,000 miles)
2. Use airline shopping portals for online purchases (3–5 miles per $1)
3. Transfer credit card points (Chase, Amex) to airline partners
4. Book award flights 330 days in advance (when schedules open) or last-minute
5. Use partner airlines (e.g., book Qatar flights with British Airways miles)

Cheap Flights by Region

To Southeast Asia

• Fly via Middle East (Qatar Airways, Emirates) — $500–$800 from Europe
• Fly via China (China Eastern, China Southern) — $400–$700 from US
• AirAsia for intra-Asia flights — $30–$100

To Nepal

• Fly via Middle East (Qatar, Emirates, Etihad) — $700–$1,200 from US/Europe
• Fly via India (Air India, IndiGo) — sometimes cheaper overall
• Use miles — Nepal is good value for award flights

To India

• Fly via Middle East — $500–$900 from Europe
• Air India direct from US — $700–$1,000
• Use miles — India has good award availability

Finding cheap flights takes time, but the savings are worth it — $300–$500 per international flight adds up to thousands over a year of travel. Use Google Flights + Skyscanner + Hopper as your toolkit, follow Secret Flying for error fares, and book 6–8 weeks in advance for international flights. For Nepal-specific travel, see our Nepal visa guide and our Nepal travel budget guide.