How To Search for the Best Airfares in 2025
Written by
John Csiszar
Edited by
Amber Barkley
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Travel has been booming ever since the global shutdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. But while airfare prices are up, they’ve lagged behind inflation for more than a decade. This is great news for travelers.
Still, regardless of whether prices are lower or higher, taking a few extra minutes to search for the best airfares can result in significant savings. Here are some tips for scoring some great deals in 2025.
Use a Flight Comparison Website
The beauty of flight comparison sites like Google Flights, Kayak and Skyscanner is that you can get multiple flight options from various airlines with a single click. But even more important is the advanced functionality and customization options that sites like these offer.
For example, you can screen out flights by airline, date, price, alliance, times and numerous other variables to match your own search criteria. You can also keep your search broad, if you want to include as many options as possible.
But there are plenty of other important ways you can find the lowest fare for your needs.
Be Flexible
Most flight comparison sites present a range of information in different forms, but it is the calendar view option that can be a lifesaver if your dates are flexible. With the calendar view option, fares are displayed across various combinations of dates, so you can see at a glance which offers the lowest airfare.
If you’ve got a bit of an adventurous flair and are simply looking for the most inexpensive fares available, Google Flights has an interesting option for you: After entering your origination airport, you can use Google Flights to see the price of airfare to any city in the world. This may give you the inspiration to visit a location you’ve never thought of before.
Visit Airline Sites Directly
Once you’ve gotten a look at what the flight search engines have to offer, it can pay to conduct the same search on airlines sites directly.
As good as the comparison websites can be, they don’t always catch every flight, and sometimes don’t even find the lowest fares. They also sometimes make errors, with different prices appearing on the actual airline websites.
If you’ve narrowed down your desired flight options to two or three airlines, for example, the simple step of searching those airline sites directly could result in savings. Certain airlines may also offer promotions on their websites that aren’t picked up by search engines, so it’s worth the effort.
Look at Budget Airlines
Budget airlines offer a no-frills experience for a lower cost, but they don’t always appear in flight search engine results. You might have to take an extra step to search which budget airlines fly on certain routes, but the legwork could pay off.
Budget airlines almost always offer lower fares than the major airlines, though you’ll likely face tighter seats and few amenities. But if you’re just looking to get to your destination, they might be the ticket.
Book in Advance
The closer you get to your date of travel, the higher airfares are likely to be. According to Travel & Leisure, you’ll want to book international airfares at least 90 days in advance. Domestic flights should be booked between two weeks and two months before travel.
Once you’re within the two-week window, prices can jump dramatically.
Consider Packages
Typically, if you’re flying somewhere on vacation, you’ll need additional services, from lodging to transportation. If you’re willing to bundle your car rental and/or hotel with your airfare, you might be able to score a lower overall price. Travel sites like Expedia and Orbitz offer package deals for many destinations, often with large savings.
However, it’s worth pricing out all of the components individually to ensure that you’re actually getting the best deal.
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