ADVERTISER DISCLOSURE: The Frugal Tourist is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as MileValue.com and Cardratings. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. All information about the American Express Schwab Platinum has been collected independently by The Frugal Tourist.
EDITORIAL DISCLOSURE: Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
This article was written during the pandemic.
The unprecedented consequences of COVID-19 have completely jolted travel.
Due to the pandemic, deserted hotels, canceled flights, and anxious tourists are now more commonplace than ever before.
As airlines near bankruptcy, passengers continue to avoid travel, catapulting the industry into further financial turmoil.
In the past, bargain hunters needed to laboriously scour the web just to find deeply discounted airfare.
But with reduced demand and endless travel restrictions, airlines and online travel agencies are fighting tooth and nail for the tiny fraction of the population that is brave enough to risk travel.
Thus, airfares have sharply plummeted to a historic low.
Prices Will Eventually Go Up
With the recent rollout of multiple vaccines that have already started landing in people’s arms, combined with pandemic fatigue and cabin fever, more people are showing confidence in booking their future vacations.
As such, demand is expected to grow substantially once we are finally out of the woods—when exactly that will happen continues to be challenging to predict.
One thing is for certain, though: demand will eventually pick up, and skyrocketing airfare will naturally follow.
In anticipation of the inevitable astronomical rise in plane tickets, I will review the top search engines that consistently generate cheap airfare so you are guaranteed to get the best bang for your buck once you’re set to travel again.
Covid-19 Disclaimer
Though this article is travel-related, this is by no means a recommendation to travel at this very moment. Should you decide to move forward in purchasing a plane ticket, please be mindful of the current health guidelines being enforced by airlines and hotels. Even though the risk of contracting COVID-19 cannot be entirely eliminated unless you completely isolate yourself, traveling does substantially increase the likelihood of infection, so travel only when you are able to tolerate this risk. Furthermore, quarantine requirements and travel restrictions are all fluid, so make sure that your destination allows you to enter without requiring you to stay indoors for longer than your entire vacation.
Top Travel Search Engines
Advancements in technology have made chasing bargain airfare relatively seamless. Nowadays, you can effortlessly book flights to every corner of the globe at the click of a mouse.
In fact, constantly checking the web every minute just to score a deal is no longer necessary. Thanks to travel search engines or online travel agencies (OTA)!
However, with hundreds of airlines and online travel agencies available, it is difficult not to feel overwhelmed.
Therefore, this article will narrow down the choices to a few recommended sites so you have an idea of where to begin once you are ready to take the plunge.
These online travel agencies, time and time again, have consistently yielded cheap airfare.
They are dependable, have robust customer service policies, and most offer flexibility when plans need to be altered because of unforeseen circumstances.
While it can be an impossible feat to try to snag the best airfare deal all the time, the OTAs I feature in this article can increase the likelihood that you get your hands on that wallet-friendly plane ticket.
1. Google Flights
This incredibly powerful online travel search engine allows for extensive customization, including setting price ranges, flexible dates, and the capability to enter multiple airport codes or entire regions in the “Where From” and “Where to” search fields.
Google Flights Map
Google Flights generates a map so you can visually compare airfares to various cities within the same region, making it easier to arrive at a decision on where to go.
In the following example, I ran a search for SFO—Europe and selected Flexible Dates (“trip in the next 6 months”).
I also specifically indicated that $550 is the maximum amount I’m willing to fork out.
The search unearthed an extraordinarily cheap $91 ticket from SFO-LGW (London Gatwick) in February.
Even if February is considered off-peak, $91 for a transatlantic flight is virtually unheard of.
How to Utilize The Google Flights Map To Your Advantage
Let’s refer back to the map above.
If Edinburgh, Scotland, is on your bucket list, you can purchase the $91 ticket to London, stay there for a few nights to explore its astonishing museums and nightlife, and then take one of the several daily high-speed trains to Edinburgh.
Contrast that to the $467 airfare if you fly direct from SFO to Edinburgh.
This Google Flight strategy will not only save you a couple of hundred dollars, but it will also give you a chance to visit 2 spectacular cities in one trip – and an opportunity to see the English countryside from your train window.
Another alternative is to purchase the $184 ticket to Rome, which you can use as your base to fly to Dubrovnik ($470) or Malta ($473), essentially saving you over $250.
Besides the substantial savings, you can visit Rome for several days to explore its marvelous artistic gems and world-class archaeological sites on a budget.
Pro-Tip: Google Flights’ map function also lists lesser-known destinations you might not have otherwise considered at the beginning stages of your planning. This gives you potential ideas for where to visit in the future.
Google Flights Calendar
Aside from the map, Google Flights can also populate a calendar that compares airfares across a 2-month period.
When you are searching for a particular flight, remember to click the date box to activate the calendar.
The prices highlighted in green are the cheapest fares for your preferred time period.
Despite its advanced features, Google Flights only searches major airlines and well-known OTAs such as Orbitz, Expedia, etc., therefore, missing out on cheaper selections offered by low-cost carriers and newer OTAs.
Nonetheless, it is still a brilliant tool in determining when and where it is the cheapest to fly. Just remember to always compare your results with the other recommended OTAs in this post.
PROS:
- Super fast
- Flexibility is beyond compare – you can search for various regions, multiple dates, and several airports
- The map and calendar functions make searches simpler to navigate
- Great for open-ended searches, particularly geared towards travelers with tons of flexibility
CONS:
- Does not search all carriers and OTAs, so its results are not necessarily the cheapest
- In order to utilize all the features of the site, one needs to devote some time playing around with its many functions to get its maximum benefit
2. Momondo
Momondo is one of the most reliable search engines for finding cheap airfare.
This travel agency combs the deepest recesses of the web—from unknown Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) to obscure budget airlines—to seize the best deals available.
If you crave bargain airfares, Momondo, without a doubt, should be your first stop.
If you are starting from scratch, with virtually no idea where to go except somewhere cheap, Momondo’s “Explore” option will do the job for you.
Just type your home airport, enter “Anywhere” in the destination box (or a specific region, like South America or Asia), select a preferred date, or type “Anytime”, and wait for it to deliver the cheapest flights to your preferred region at the most affordable times.
It goes without saying that if your work calendar is flexible, Momondo’s Explore option can potentially save you a boatload of cash.
PROS:
- Runs extensive searches, leaving no stone unturned
- Searches all airlines, including local budget carriers
- Consistently generates the cheapest flight options available
CONS:
- Painfully slow compared to the other OTAs due to its wide-ranging searches
- Although the Explore option offers flexibility, other customization features lag behind. But this can change anytime as Momondo improves its interface
3. Skyscanner
Although Skyscanner sometimes excludes relatively unknown OTAs and budget airlines from its searches, it still offers travelers a wonderful platform to find cheap airfare.
Like Momondo’s Explore feature, this perennial traveler favorite also allows you to search for affordable destinations from your home airport if you need assistance figuring out where to go.
Enter your departing city, type “Everywhere” for the destination, and select “Cheapest Month.” The system will arrange your selections according to airfare.
In the image below, Skyscanner revealed that the cheapest destination coming out of San Francisco in September is Las Vegas.
Flying out every Thursday and some other days of the week will only set you back $23 one-way. That is dirt cheap!
PROS:
- Skyscanner’s “Everywhere” feature is a gift to travelers who only select their destinations based on affordability
- The website is periodically getting updated with new flexibility options to help the searcher arrive at fantastic deals
- Offers a wonderful mobile app with a user-friendly interface
CONS:
- Neglects low-cost airlines and relatively obscure OTAs in its searches
- Sometimes, the website is slow to update its pricing, but this has improved as of late; hence, it is not a bad idea to compare results with other OTAs
4. Kayak
Kayak has significantly improved its site over the years, and it now offers almost the same customization features as Google Flights, but only a tad slower.
Despite its slightly slower speed, Kayak more than makes up for it with how far and wide their searches get as they include most budget carriers, but not all, unlike Momondo.
What it does best, however, is providing historical data to its users.
The site presents airfare trends based on past patterns, which are specifically valuable when determining a particular airfare’s projected rise or fall depending on the day of the month.
Although not consistently accurate – since future tickets technically rely heavily on multiple factors – having this additional information can be helpful if you are definite about your plans and only trying to figure out if waiting for a day or two can save a few dollars.
Lastly, you can set up Kayak to send email alerts on specific flights you’re eyeing to purchase.
PROS:
- Provides valuable data based on historical trends on when tickets are expected to increase or decrease in price
- While not as far-reaching as Momondo, Kayak has a more extensive reach compared to Google Flights
CONS:
- It can be slower, but speed has certainly picked up in the past few years
Pro-Tip 1: Check the Airline Website Directly
If you have a simple itinerary involving one or two carriers, I’d write down the names of the airlines recommended by the online travel agencies above and head to the airlines’ websites to run a similar search.
This may generate a slightly cheaper price.
Furthermore, booking directly with the airline also provides additional protections as they have customer-friendly refund policies when they cancel a flight or make a schedule change, particularly during these unprecedented times.
If your search on a specific airline website resulted in more expensive airfare, go back to the search engine that gave out the best airfare and seal the deal.
Please be aware that any changes or cancellations involving an OTA may result in an expiring voucher instead of a refund.
Even if some OTAs have started offering refunds, the process can still be an effortful undertaking.
For added peace of mind, I’d consider purchasing travel insurance.
Pro-Tip 2: Mix and Match
To save more cash, these online travel agencies allow customers to combine all the other components of their trip, such as hotel, rental car, etc, under one reservation.
Those who use this option are typically incentivized with a significant price drop, so you should definitely explore this feature as well.
Another Option: Travel on Miles and Points
Another strategy that I have been able to leverage for years now is to use miles and points to book for free or discounted travel.
This tactic involves applying for travel rewards credit cards. While it is a very rewarding hobby, it is not for everyone.
If you have no problems paying off your credit card balances completely each month, then this hobby is for you.
Please feel free to contact me or join our FREE Facebook Group to get up-to-date information on the best travel rewards credit card deals in the market.
I hope to see you there!
Final Thoughts
Finding the best and cheapest airfare can be quite stressful.
First and foremost, countless travel search engines regularly battle for our attention.
There are just too many, and it can be a daunting ordeal to decide which direction to take.
Narrowing down your options to the best four online travel search engines will hopefully make the process smoother when you embark on your quest to find bargain fares.
Secondly, results vary widely across search engines, so it is not unusual for people to hesitate and second-guess themselves before hitting that buy button.
Quite frankly, it can be exhausting to overthink whether the airfare you got was the best one available.
After all, no one wants to purchase a plane ticket that will eventually go on sale the next day.
Being equipped with these reliable search engines can reduce the likelihood of buyer’s remorse.
As long as you do your due diligence and run your searches through two or three of these recommended search engines, you’re almost always guaranteed to get a terrific deal.
Above all, the more money we save from airfare shopping, the more money we can dedicate to travel funds, which we can then ultimately spend on our future vacations.
ADVERTISER DISCLOSURE: The Frugal Tourist is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as MileValue.com and Cardratings. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. All information about the American Express Schwab Platinum has been collected independently by The Frugal Tourist.
EDITORIAL DISCLOSURE: Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
USER-GENERATED CONTENT DISCLOSURE: The comments section below is not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all questions are answered.
