Everyone loves snagging a deal on some cheap flights.
But outside of the occasional sales that might pop up on social media, how exactly do you find a cheap flight for your next trip?
Here are Hack Your Trip’s top tips to bag a bargain.

1. Snag a cheap flight sale – quickly

If you spot a flight you want as part of a sale, do not waste any time booking it.
When airlines offer cheap flight sales, each flight often has extremely limited seats, and they can sell out quickly.
So, do not delay.

2. Take a flight at an off-peak time

Tuesdays and Wednesdays tend to be the cheapest days to fly, both for domestic and international flights.
However, deals can also be found at other times, including early-morning or late-evening trips on Saturdays and Sundays.
If you can travel during non-peak times – outside of school holidays, Christmas and Easter – you are also much more likely to find a cheap flight.

3. Consider alternative airports

Some cities have multiple airports – including London, Tokyo and New York.
In many cases, the different airports are a similar distance from the city and are both well-connected.
So, rather than looking for flights specifically from Sydney (SYD) to London Heathrow (LHR), instead try searching for Sydney (SYD) to London (Any).
You might find a cheaper flight that lands in London Gatwick (LGW) instead – which is still just 30 minutes by train from Central London.

4. Search deals with a comparison website

Comparison websites allow you to search for the best prices on domestic and international flights across various airlines.
Kiwi.com is one such website, which has a tagline of ‘Book cheap flights other sites simply can’t find’.
Tabs at the top of the results page let you filter the search findings by ‘Best’, ‘Cheapest’, or ‘Fastest’.
Once you select a preferred option, you can then lock it in directly with Kiwi.com.
The best thing about Kiwi.com is that it has so many tools for getting the best deals on trips.
For example, you can effortlessly book a return ticket from Perth to Singapore with your outbound leg on Scoot and your return leg on Jetstar.
This can get you a far cheaper price than if you were to book a return seat with only one of those airlines.
There are also other ‘hacks’ offered, including ‘Hidden cities’, ‘Self-transfer’ and ‘Throwaway ticketing’, which can get you unmatched deals.
If you spot a great offer but are not quite ready to book, Kiwi.com allows you to ‘Lock’ a ticket price for up to three days for a small fee.
Google Flights is another good comparison tool, as are iknowthepilot and Skyscanner.

Search seats for your next trip at Kiwi.com

5. Set up a price alert

If you have specific days you need to travel but think flight prices are looking a little high, setting up a price alert can be a good idea.
This is another service that some websites offer, including Kiwi.com.
Search for your flights and then select the ‘Set up price alerts’ icon to be emailed when the price changes.

6. Fly ‘Anywhere’ cheaply

If you are open to ideas for your next trip, have a go at searching for cheap flights to ‘Everywhere’.
You can do this on some flight booking websites like Kiwi.com by inputting your origin (for example, Sydney) and leaving ’Anywhere’ in the ‘To’ box.
You can either select certain departure and return dates (for example, May 17-24, 2025) or hit the ‘Flexible dates’ tab and search for any date in May.
When we searched flexible dates, we found return domestic seats from Sydney starting at $101, along with return international trips to New Zealand from $311, Vietnam from $313, South Korea from $553 and Los Angeles from $1,007.

7. Earn cashback on flights

Did you know that you can earn cashback on flights?
Whether booking directly with airlines or through a travel website, it is possible to get 2% or more back on your booking, which can help to make cheap flights even sweeter.
Check out our guide to flight cashback to learn more.

Summary

To find cheap flights, consider factors like travel dates and alternative airports and use comparison websites. You can significantly reduce your flight costs by acting quickly during sales, travelling off-peak, and being flexible with your destination. Additionally, setting up price alerts and exploring "Anywhere" options can also help you discover unexpected deals, while cashback can help you save even more on a great deal.

Written By: Chris
Updated: October 2024

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Making bookings several months in advance can often result in lower fares, especially for international trips. However, this is not always the case. The best way to monitor flight prices is to set up a price alert with a website like Kiwi.com or Google Flights.
Comparison websites like Kiwi.com are great for finding cheap seats both around Australia and on international routes. They help you easily discover the best prices from a range airlines, as well as mix your flight legs between multiple airlines for better deals.
Some comparison websites, including Kiwi.com, allow you to easily set up price alerts for future trips. Search for the flights you are interested in and hit ‘Set up price alerts’. You will then receive emails when the price of those seats goes up or down.
The cheapest days to take off in Australia are weekdays (outside peak travel times), including Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Cheap flights can also be found on other days, but often at less-popular times like early morning or late evening.
If you are eyeing a last-minute deal, be sure to check a comparison website where you can instantly search prices across a range of airlines. Some websites offer prices that are well below what an airline’s own website might be selling seats for, or will allow you to mix and match legs across different airlines for better deals.
Comparison websites are the best way to find cheap domestic seats within Australia or to international destinations. Websites like Kiwi.com or Google Flights are quick and easy to use and consistently find great deals.