I find cheap flights for a living & helped people save $50,000 in the last 6 months. Giving free advice/searches for the next 4 hours (AMA!) :-)

Do your books cover all of the methods you use yourself in finding deals, or do you keep some of it secret to keep your business going?

ha! that would be pretty dastardly of me...

no, i don't keep anything secret. it's partially just a matter of practice. i've gotten very good at not only searching, but searching quickly, so i can check a ton of places faster than a layperson might be able to

Are these deals, that are often credit card rewards, primarily geared towards Americans?

The deals I find for a living and send to my cheap flights list don't involve credit cards. just straight cash homie

but yes, the list is geared towards Americans and Canadians. happy to help in this AMA if you're flying from somewhere else though!

I'm in Canada. YYZ to be specific. Looking for the best way to find cheap flights!

awesome! great deals out of YYZ pop up a lot. anywhere in particular i can help you with today?

Nope. Pretty open to all options. More interested in the methodology than having you search for me. Thanks though!

I'm getting married in July, but I think we're going to delay our honeymoon until about this time next year and go on a bigger trip.

ahh, if you wanna learn methodology i put out a short ebook How To Find Cheap Flights. you can find it at the website above or i'm happy to send to you on the house since you're a redditor.

i know you said not to search for you but i couldn't resist. one good option:

YYZ-PDL (Ponta Delgada in the Azores) for $343 USD roundtrip 8/19 through 8/27 or 831

Ha thanks! That's a good price! Where do I find this deal?

here you go mate:

https://www.google.com/flights/#search;f=YYZ;t=PDL;d=2016-08-19;r=2016-08-31

thanks. i tried clicking through those links. it says $500 CAD. But once I click through and go to book it's $950 CAD.

hang tight, lemme try somewhere else for ya

Hey Scott!

I remember seeing you on reddit a few months ago where I emailed you to get a copy of your books which you ended up sending to me gratis! I've since read them and used the techniques that you explain to book my trip to California (from NY) for about $0.45 on the dollar. Seeing my cousins was great, but doing it for cheap -- all the more so.

Just wanted to say thanks for the books! Can't wait to take my next trip.

For anyone else reading this, do yourself a favor and sign up for the email list. I just got an email about flying to Africa for $600 round trip (normally $1800+) so if you like to travel, it's a really good thing to sign up for just incase you ever want to take a trip on the cheap.

Question time!

What was the single best meal you had in any country on any continent with the exception of North America?

that's awesome! always so glad to hear success stories :-)

oooo great question. since tacos al pastor in mexico city can't be included, i'll go with banh mi sandwiches from a street cart in Vietnam. left my heart there

Have you had any success at finding one-way flights to the US? Are these easy or hard to find? (I booked a one way flight to southeast asia to travel around and will eventually have to come back)

some! typically one-ways cost more than half a roundtrip, but it varies, and they do pop up from time to time.

anything in particular i can help with?

BOS to SLC, Jun 24 ( or close to it) Las Vegas to Boston, July 9

The BOS to SLC is particularly hard to find a reasonable flight.

Ideas?

yeah, best i'm seeing is $424 combined when you book two separate one-ways:

https://www.google.com/flights/#search;f=BOS;t=SLC;d=2016-06-24;r=2016-06-28;tt=o

https://www.google.com/flights/#search;f=LAS;t=BOS;d=2016-07-09;r=2016-07-13;tt=o

it's $20 cheaper in you leave on 6/22, but other than that don't have great news for you.

i would recommend waiting on this fare. it's still 6 months out and you're flying from/to major airports. plenty of time for a sale/mistake fare to pop up

Hi there! I live in Wichita, KS, and I always have trouble finding cheap flights. Do you have any tips for the layperson on how to search? The main places I'm interested in are Raleigh, NC, Anchorage, AK, and Bogota, Colombia. Thank you!

yeah wichita is a tough place to get cheap flights from, unfortunately. the main thing I'd recommend is getting into frequent flyer miles. it costs the same number of miles to fly from Wichita to Bogota as it would to fly from NYC or LAX to Bogota.

Thanks! Do you have any tips or tricks for extra miles?

oh yeah, i wrote a whole book on it!

http://www.flyforfreeguide.com/books/how-to-fly-for-free/

sorry i can't type out more of it now. overloaded at the moment with flights to search for!

We're in Buffalo,NY (buf) and are itching to go to Ireland / scotland end of this year. We are willing to travel to get to a cheaper airport if necessary. Any tips or ideas?!

absolutely! here's a nonstop roundtrip from Toronto to Dublin October 7 through 20 for $470 roundtrip.

https://www.google.com/flights/#search;f=BUF,YYZ;t=DUB;d=2016-10-07;r=2016-10-20

tons of availability, even over Thanksgiving :-)

https://www.google.com/flights/#search;f=BUF,YYZ;t=DUB;d=2016-11-17;r=2016-11-30

What makes you any different from websites like skyscanner?

i use skyscanner! they're not so much competition as a useful tool to find fares.

i think i do it a lot better than other places like airfarewatchdog though.

example: airfarewatchdog sent out a "hot deal" the other day from LAX to London, not even in business class, for $2,000! that's no cheap flight in my book. i would never pay that!

instead, i found a one-way flight from LAX to London yesterday for $179 and sent it out to the list.

the problem is other "deal" sites get affiliate links so they make money off of gullible customers. they have a perverse incentive to give bad advice about what's a good deal

What makes you different then airfarewatchdog?

honestly, i think i do it a lot better than them.

example: airfarewatchdog sent out a "hot deal" the other day from LAX to London, not even in business class, for $2,000! that's no cheap flight in my book. i would never pay that!

instead, i found a one-way flight from LAX to London yesterday for $179 and sent it out to the list.

the problem is other "deal" sites get affiliate links so they make money off of gullible customers. they have a perverse incentive to give bad advice about what's a good deal

I signed up for your emails. When can I expect one?

i send ~25/month out to the premium list, and 1/3 of those also go to the free list. hopefully the first good deal will be coming to your inbox later this week!

i'd give you a more specific date, but i purposefully only send out really good fares rather than spamming inboxes to meet an artificial quota

how do I get on the free list? sorry for being a cheapskate man, but website is cool, with everyone being all smiles (except for Jacob N.)

lol no prob! here's a link:

https://formcrafts.com/a/cheapflightsfree

i am a united card member. i fly across the country 2 or 3 times a year. is it worth paying a little more to stay premier member? I do enjoy upgrades. is united better that american?

oh man, that totally depends on how much you enjoy the perks of being elite status and value it. are you United gold? platinum?

i used to be suuuuper wary of frequent flyer programs because i worried they would give me perverse incentives that would ultimately cost me more. i don't still think that way, mostly because i've learned to game the system to make sure i'm getting good value out of my miles.

Can you help me get cheap Red Wings tickets? Or do you only do flights and whatnot?

i'll trade you cheap Red Wings tickets for cheap Broncos tickets this weekend. deal?

Hi. Thank you for doing this Ama. I don't fly very often but this year I paid quite a lot for really short trips (Milan-Madrid 300 round trip) and (Zurich -London 220 round trip). Do you use any particular website to search for deals ? And I have one more question, how does the fly-miles work? It depends on the company or they count between the different airlines ?

my pleasure! and great questions.

i usually use a mix of Google Flights, Momondo, Vayama, and SkyScanner when searching for deals. the specific one depends on various circumstances.

Frequent flyer miles work as a pseudo-currency you can redeem for flights/upgrades on that airline

What are the most obvious things people should do to get the best deals that are often overlooked?

great question!

i'll give you two obvious ones:

(1) always search separately on Southwest.com because their results don't show up in search engines like Kayak

(2) flexibility is king. if you have a destination in mind and dates that are set in stone, 90% of what can be done to get a cheap flight is already eliminated. instead, for people who really want cheap flights, i recommend searching for the fare, not the destination. that is, seeing first where there's really good deals from your home airport and then deciding among those great deals which destination/dates sound best to you. may sound intuitive, but almost everyone searches for flights with dates/destination in mind first

Whats an example of a roundtrip flight you have sent your premium members from NY? (sent this week or last)

since i'm a bit Type A, i'll just list all of them for you:

• South Africa & Europe (2 for 1) for $565 roundtrip
• Barbados for $186 roundtrip
• Rio for $498 roundtrip
• Beijing or Shanghai for $599 roundtrip
• Colombia for $291 roundtrip
• Mumbai ($615) or New Delhi ($650) roundtrip
• Istanbul for $444 roundtrip
• any of the following cities for $490 roundtrip

Amsterdam, Netherlands (AMS) Budapest, Hungary (BUD) Copenhagen, Denmark (CPH) Moscow, Russia (SVO) Munich, Germany (MUC) Paris, France (CDG) Prague, Czech Republic (PRG) Riga, Latvia (RIX) Vienna, Austria (VIE)

I have $1000, want to get away and visit another country for a while and do tourist shit, don't care when or where, is this possible for me to do?

oh god yes. you should be able to do it and have plenty of money left over

Did you try finding flights that are departing from and to a destination other than U.S ?

i don't do that for the cheap flights list i run, but happy to try if you're looking for anywhere specific!

Could you check from Bahrain to Istanbul ? cheapest i found was $221

roundtrip or one-way? approximately when?

Round trip, from February 4th till 17th

double-checked, but that looks like the best fare. good job!

Thanks!

welcome!

You are like a god. What is this voodoo, I'm always looking to travel but struggle to afford it. Can you find flights from London to NYC return roughly from July 14th to 24th? Thanks for this awesome thread btw

thank you for the kind words! happy to help!

i didn't have much hope for your route since it's peak summer trans-Atlantic, but we may be in luck! found a flight on Air Europa with no bag fees for 435 pounds ($617) roundtrip

https://www.google.com/flights/#search;f=LHR,LGW,LCY,STN,LTN,QQS;t=JFK,EWR,LGA;d=2016-07-14;r=2016-07-24;sel=LGWMAD0UX1014-MADJFK0UX91,JFKMAD0UX92-MADLGW1UX1015

i'd book that ASAP if i were you!

On average are these cheap flights just one off/last minute situations or would a person be able to book a vacation for a specific date and be pretty confident that one of these deals would appear?

almost never are they last-minute deals. that's partly because last-minute deals rarely exist anymore. they used to, but nowadays airlines actually jack up prices in the final week because they're trying to squeeze more money out of business travelers.

it's hard to ever predict with certainty where/when a deal will pop up, but you can be confident some good deals will emerge and you'll be able to book them for down the road. for example, a deal i sent this morning for $565 roundtrip from NYC to South Africa & Europe was able to be booked anytime throughout 2016.

Can you help me find a deal from New york/richmond/dc to Japan in May??

here's one from NYC to Tokyo May 3 through 15 for $688 roundtrip.

https://www.google.com/flights/#search;f=JFK,EWR,LGA;t=KIX,TYO;d=2016-05-03;r=2016-05-15;sel=JFKPVG0MU588-PVGNRT2MU523,NRTPVG0MU524-PVGJFK0MU297

far better than the usual price of around $900

Good deal but looking to stay longer. Are these deals usually contigent on specific days?

looks like you could stay all the way to the 23rd

https://www.google.com/flights/#search;f=JFK,EWR,LGA;t=KIX,TYO;d=2016-05-03;r=2016-05-23;sel=JFKPVG0MU588-PVGNRT2MU523,NRTPVG0MU524-PVGJFK0MU297

yeah, only available on certain days. if you click the calendar it'll show you price previews

Hey there! Planning a trip to Atlanta to Boston for two weeks in March. Dates are flexible, but the beginning of the month is better. Any flights? Thanks!

this $167 spirit flight (dates can be changed) looks like your best bet

https://www.google.com/flights/#search;f=ATL;t=BOS;d=2016-03-02;r=2016-03-16;sel=ATLBOS0NK163,BOSATL0NK146

you can save $10 if you book two one-ways and book the return on Skiplagged

https://skiplagged.com/flights/BOS/ATL/2016-03-16

just be sure you know the rules regarding hidden city ticketing first!

I need to get from Utah to Beijing to see my brother. Any advice/can you find any real cheap flights?

do you have a general timeframe you're looking to go? or anytime?

I'd love to get there for the second week in February (Chinese new year), but If it's cheaper another time that would be better

not seeing anything under $950 in that timeframe, unfortunately. if you go end of February (sample: 2/28 through 3/14) you can get the price down to $755

https://www.google.com/flights/#search;f=SLC;t=PEK;d=2016-02-28;r=2016-03-14;sel=SLCLAX0DL2170-LAXSEA0DL5750-SEAPEK0DL129,PEKSEA0DL128-SEALAX0DL128-LAXSLC0DL2004

That's not bad, thanks! Also, do you have any tips on how one would find a flight like that regularly? Certain websites to use etc? What's the ideal amount of time from when you book a flight til when the flight is as far as price goes?

you could set up an airfarewatchdog alert for that route, but honestly i don't think they do that great a job. not to be too self-promoting but i regularly find great prices to Beijing that i send out to my cheap flights list as well.

for international flights, if you have dates that are set in stone i'd recommend booking 5-6 months out. if you're flexible with dates and want the best price, probably closer to around ~3 months. of course, if you see a great price at any point it's worth booking

I'm planning a trip from YYC to YYZ around a certain date (March 13th, my girlfriend's birthday. She's going for business and I want to be there to surprise her) and my question is this: when is the best time to look at booking a flight? Right now, it looks like it would be tough to get a round trip for under 550$, but I'm fairly flexible in my schedule.

awww :-) hope she's not a redditor!

not the most convenient routing, but if you want cheap, here's one from 3/9 through 3/16 for $412 CAD

https://www.google.com/flights/#search;f=YYC;t=YYZ;d=2016-03-09;r=2016-03-16;sel=YYCYXE0WS112-YXEYWG0WS3274-YWGYYZ0WS536,YYZYWG0WS535-YWGYYC1WS739

Thanks! I'd never considered using layovers for discounts. Appreciate the response

my pleasure :-)

Wow, this looks very intriguing. I'm from London, and my fiancée's from Pittsburgh so we fly between the two a few times a year (we live in London). We're hoping to get some of her family out here this April/May, Pittsburgh to London Heathrow. We usually end up paying somewhere around $1000/ticket, do you have any tips for us? Thanks for the AMA!

happy to help!

here's a possibility. May 16 through 23 for $684 roundtrip (though it requires an overnight in Toronto on the return)

https://www.google.com/flights/#search;f=PIT;t=LHR,LGW,LCY,STN,LTN,QQS;d=2016-05-16;r=2016-05-23;sel=PITLGA0DL5157-LGAYYZ0WS1213-YYZLGW0WS3,LGWYYZ0WS4-YYZDTW1DL5309-DTWPIT1DL3873

Wow, thanks for taking the time to look :) that looks great

my pleasure :-) hope it works for you!

Hey what is cheapest fare from San Diego to Newark/New York/Anywhere in New Jersey from around March 19th to like March 26th?? I cant find anything better than $500. Thx in advance

here's an option on those dates for $428

https://www.google.com/flights/#search;f=SAN;t=JFK,EWR,LGA;d=2016-03-19;r=2016-03-26;sel=SANPHX0AA567-PHXPHL0AA1985-PHLLGA0AA1986,LGAPHL0AA2030-PHLSAN0AA807

Do you have any tips on saving money on national flights in Canada (e.g. Toronto to Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton)? Thank you!

it's not Canada-specific, but being flexible with dates/locations, not waiting until last minute to book but also not booking more than 3 or 4 months ahead of time. you may be in luck too since a new budget Canadian airline was just announced!

one of your books is how to fly for free. Is that possible today still?

absolutely :-) in the past two months i've taken free trips to Mexico and Portland!

Wow this is neat... Shot in the dark since my needs are kind of specific, but if you're still doing these, I need to get from San Francisco to Toronto on July 12, then Toronto to San Diego on July 18, and then from San Diego back to San Francisco on the 25th-ish (maybe a day later). Is there any hope for me?

this may be my greatest challenge yet...

so i think you're looking at around $500 all-in, which honestly i expected it to be more.

don't try to book it all as one trip. instead, book 3 separate one-ways

SFO-YYZ: $208 YYZ-SAN: $204 SAN-SFO: $85

https://www.google.com/flights/#search;f=SFO;t=YYZ;d=2016-07-12;r=2016-07-16;tt=o

https://www.google.com/flights/#search;f=YYZ;t=SAN;d=2016-07-18;r=2016-07-22;tt=o

https://www.google.com/flights/#search;f=SAN;t=SFO;d=2016-07-26;r=2016-07-29;tt=o

you could try holding out for a little bit better, but i probably wouldn't risk it

I'd like something this summer from Houston to someplace with a beach and some all inclusive resorts?

Stupid auto mod.

haha that automod has been hyperactive today. annoying.

any timeframe you're thinking about?

This summer

length?

Around a week

$174 roundtrip nonstop to Cancun

https://www.google.com/flights/#search;f=IAH;t=NAS,PUJ,CUN;d=2016-05-31;r=2016-06-07;sel=IAHCUN0NK488,CUNIAH0NK489

$186 roundtrip nonstop to Cabo

https://www.google.com/flights/#search;f=IAH;t=SJD;d=2016-05-31;r=2016-06-07

Looking for YYZ to LIM and back. Depart June 3 2016. Return June 17. A day or two either way is ok. Can you help?

ya, lookin at $459 USD

http://www.momondo.com/flightsearch/?Search=true&TripType=2&SegNo=2&SO0=YYZ&SD0=LIM&SDP0=03-06-2016&SO1=LIM&SD1=YYZ&SDP1=17-06-2016&AD=1&TK=ECO&DO=false&NA=false#Search=true&TripType=2&SegNo=2&SO0=YYZ&SD0=LIM&SDP0=03-06-2016&SO1=LIM&SD1=YYZ&SDP1=17-06-2016&AD=1&TK=ECO&DO=false&NA=false

Do you look up flight/hotel bundles? or just flights? I've been looking for a flight and hotel for a Vegas vacation for two in mid March. With a hotel on the strip, the best I can find is $370 per person. Would you find the flight cheaper and book the hotel separate?

personally i just do flights. bundles can make sense sometimes for Vegas or resorts though.

where are you flying from? and how many nights at the hotel? have you broken down what it normally costs per night?

Fly out of Seattle. Two nights. I've seen some crazy low hotel prices on the strip. Excalibur for $28 a night according to Google... WHAT? That can't be right.

oh yeah it's right. i've stayed there before haha. casinos basically give their rooms away free because they want you to gamble in their casino and know it'll be more convenient for you

So if I search flight and hotel separately, I can find a round trip ticket for $229 pp, and a 3 night stay for $109 total. That's just using google. What magic can you do?

Since Southwest doesn't show up in flight search engines, I checked separately there and you can get roundtrip $184 pp including checked bags and free cancellation. that's what i'd recommend :-)

I have a girlfriend in Toronto and I live in San Diego. I'm planning on moving out there in about a year, but of course want to still see her semi-regularly in the meantime without spending too much. Is there anything better than just buying my tickets in advance and going to Kitchener instead? I would take other forms of travel if they're cheaper, I just haven't found one yet.

looks like in March and April flights are cheaper if you fly to Buffalo and then roadtrip over (if that's a possibility) i'd be sure to always search for flights leaving LA area as well.

looks like you can save ~$100 if you do hidden city ticketing

https://skiplagged.com/flights/SAN/YYZ/2016-03-22/2016-03-29

if you're not familiar, be sure to read up on it beforehand so you know the rules

Hey there!! So exciting to see someone follow their dreams and make this a reality. I am 30/m who has not traveled that much. Super open to wherever and whenever but not sure where to start. Any advice on places to go, and what are some good start locations to look at?

oh man, great question! totally depends what sort of stuff you're into. big cities, beaches, nature, hiking, art, food? also, where you're flying from and how cheap you wanna keep it?

if you want a single word answer, i vote Mexico because i love that place. if you want somewhere that will feel interesting yet still familiar, go with Prague.

Haha, well i read your 15 minutes, and stated to be open. I am extremely open to wherever. I live in Los Angeles, and bad experience with Mexico, but that could have been just because it was just shy of San Diego. I am a fan of people, but cuisine, and sites would be more inticing.

how about Rome? checks all 3 of those boxes :-)

So what would be a starting zone to get there. Passport of course, but i mean what credit cards should i be looking at to accumulate miles and then what season should i start looking to go for better fares. Also am i looking for layovers or is there nonstops that could be cheaper. Not looking to go tomorrow but within the next few years would be nice. Lets say im starting with negative 200 dollars, as i just bought my passport :)

if i were in your shoes, i would get the American Airlines credit card with a 50k signup bonus. it only costs 40k miles roundtrip anywhere to Europe if you depart between Oct. 15 and May 15.

if you want to pay for a flight, there's no quick answer on layovers vs. nonstops. i'd just search for whatever's cheapest and then take it. you don't search any differently whether it's a layover or nonstop

Looking for SMF to SJU for 8-10 days that includes 7/1-6. Any advice for finding this cheap?

found it at $394, about $50 to $100 better than i'd normally expect for peak summer travel from west coast to the caribbean

https://www.google.com/flights/#search;f=SMF;t=SJU;d=2016-07-02;r=2016-07-11;sel=SMFCLT0AA475-CLTSJU1AA783,SJUMIA0AA287-MIACLT0AA856-CLTSMF0AA494

are your deals with the main airlines or a mix of budget and main carriers?

a mix. i figure other than a bad experience here or there, most people don't care what airline they fly so long as they can do it for a lot less money

Friend needs to fly cheap (she's on a shoestring budget) to NOLA during Mardi Gras. Any advice/suggestions?

Edit: She's flying 2/5-7 from PHL to NOLA.

are those dates set in stone? if so bad news. that's one of the most expensive times to fly to MSY. $500+ bad.

if she can add on a couple days on either side it'll be cheaper.

are those dates set in stone? if so bad news. that's one of the most expensive times to fly to MSY. $500+ bad. if she can add on a couple days on either side it'll be cheaper.

Due to her job, unfortunately, the dates are... anywhere nearby that might be cheaper to fly into (but still close enough to be just a few hours drive)?

the only place substantially cheaper would be Houston, which is a 5-hour drive or so. that's $295 for 2/5-7, or $250 for 2/5-8

https://www.google.com/flights/#search;f=PHL,ZFV;t=MSY,GPT,BTR,IAH;d=2016-02-05;r=2016-02-07

sorry i don't have better news :-/

sorry i don't have better news :-/

No need to apologize! It was pretty much what she expected. Even miracle workers can only do so much. :)

Thank you!

yeah, that's the sad part of my work is as much as i love trying to find cheap flights, the results are ultimately beholden to what the airlines offer

She was thrilled for the tip about Houston!

awesome! hope it works out for her!!

What was your favorite airport that you have been to? Also What are some airlines to avoid?

Singapore Airport is the most opulent one I've ever been in. i love the open air tropical airports like Kona though :-)

I just booked me and my husband two round trip tickets to Greece for about ~650. Going in April leaving from Iah. Was this a good deal?

yep! i'd estimate that fare would typically cost north of $800 per person, so i'd say you did well :-) have a blast!

So, my local airport is tiny and thus flights in and out always seem to be incredibly expensive. Any tips in navigating this? There are larger airports 2.5 hours and 4 hours away but I am reticent to add that much travel time to an already long day of flying, and it seems as though there isn't that big of a difference anyway.

what's the airport?

LIT. (Little rock, Arkansas)

Edit: we mostly fly to and from RDU or CLT as we are originally from NC, though we do a bit of international and west coast travel as well.

i'd highly recommend trying to get into frequent flyer miles if i were you. it'll cost the same number of miles to fly from LIT to Europe, for example, as it would from CLT to Europe

I have to go to MSP to IAH , leaving on Jan 30, back on the night of Feb 4. I searched a lot, price for two way seemed similar to taking two different one way flights. So i booked one way flight from MSP to IAH for Jan 30 thining i will look into cheaper return flights when i get some time later on. I need to book a flight from IAH to MSP for Feb 4 , time after 3 pm. Is this someething you could help me with ? : IAH -> MSP day : Feb 4 Time : after 3 PM

Thanks

you might be in luck. so the best fare the search engines will tell you for that one-way is $174. yikes.

if you can leave at 1:52pm on Feb. 4, or a 6am flight on Feb. 5, you can get it via hidden-city ticketing for $94

https://skiplagged.com/flights/IAH/MSP/2016-02-05

if you want that option, make sure to read a bit about hidden city ticketing first and how it works. plus you can't check a bag on the return, only carry-ons

Thanks much !! :)

:-)

Chicago to Lisbon in the beginning of October. Havent found any flight under 800. is it possible to fly cheaper?

i'm not seeing anything even under $1,000, unfortunately. i'd definitely recommend waiting on that one. no need to book before april or may at the earliest. can hold out for a better price

Do your emails include flights from London airports?

sadly, not yet. i run a one-man operation so for now i only have the bandwidth to include American and Canadian airports. hoping to expand down the line

How about CHI to Moscow? Is there a better time to visit?

how's $452 roundtrip sound? tons of availability January through March

http://www.momondo.com/flightsearch/?Search=true&TripType=2&SegNo=2&SO0=ORD&SD0=SVO&SDP0=29-02-2016&SO1=SVO&SD1=ORD&SDP1=09-03-2016&AD=1&TK=ECO&DO=false&NA=false#Search=true&TripType=2&SegNo=2&SO0=ORD&SD0=SVO&SDP0=29-02-2016&SO1=SVO&SD1=ORD&SDP1=09-03-2016&AD=1&TK=ECO&DO=false&NA=false

Roundtrip flights from Los Angeles to Orlando, anytime from early June to mid August, @1 week between arrival and departure?

best bet looks like $209 roundtrip on Frontier in early/mid June. dates have some flexibility. be aware that Frontier has bag fees

https://www.google.com/flights/#search;f=LAX;t=MCO;d=2016-06-07;r=2016-06-14;sel=LAXMCO0F91632,MCOLAX0F91631

It's always been my dream since I've picked up German to visit Germany but I've never found anything under $1200 for a flight from Louisiana to Germany. Not sure what I'm doing wrong. Any idea for this route?

Edit: I have to specific time frame, but I am a Uni student, so I follow the standard schedule, if that helps any

so the bad news is i'm not seeing any great deals at the moment. the good news is you can do it under $1,000 (and even get a free stopover in Iceland if you want!)

https://www.google.com/flights/#search;f=MSY;t=FRA,MUC,TXL;d=2016-05-13;r=2016-05-28

that flight can be booked for students for $908 here:

http://www.momondo.com/flightsearch/?Search=true&TripType=2&SegNo=2&SO0=MSY&SD0=FRA&SDP0=13-05-2016&SO1=FRA&SD1=MSY&SDP1=28-05-2016&AD=1&TK=ECO&DO=false&NA=false#Search=true&TripType=2&SegNo=2&SO0=MSY&SD0=FRA&SDP0=13-05-2016&SO1=FRA&SD1=MSY&SDP1=28-05-2016&AD=1&TK=ECO&DO=false&NA=false

This almost sounds too good to be true, thank you very much for doing this, any chance you can help me find something from amsterdam (or anywhere in or near the netherlands) to buenos aires? Preferably in april for a month?

ooo that's a tough one! best i'm seeing is $718 roundtrip, which ain't too bad.

http://www.momondo.com/flightsearch/?Search=true&TripType=2&SegNo=2&SO0=AMS&SD0=EZE&SDP0=01-04-2016&SO1=EZE&SD1=AMS&SDP1=29-04-2016&AD=1&TK=ECO&DO=false&NA=false#Search=true&TripType=2&SegNo=2&SO0=AMS&SD0=EZE&SDP0=01-04-2016&SO1=EZE&SD1=AMS&SDP1=29-04-2016&AD=1&TK=ECO&DO=false&NA=false

alternatively it'll save you $30 if you fly to Montevideo and then make your way over to Buenos Aires (if you wanna see both that is)

https://www.google.com/flights/#search;f=AMS,ZYA;t=MVD;d=2016-04-06;r=2016-05-04

Thank you! That's amazing, yeah, I'm a Brazilian, living in Europe, with friends in Argentina, I'd love to fly around more, visit my family in Brazil, but exactly, the trickiness of finding cheap flights is holding me back

i hear you. flights to Brazil from the US at least have been getting a lot cheaper lately, if it's any condolence. but Buenos Aires can still be pretty tough

What is your favorite in-flight snack?

beer. no question

This stuff is crazy, never thought flights could be so cheap. Could you find anything from Norfolk (ORF) to San Jose, Costa Rica? Looking at prices for future honeymoon.

any particular timeframe you were thinking for the honeymoon? (congrats!)

Would you have any advice booking a trip from San Francisco to Las Vegas? The dates I was looking at were 06/09-06/12. Thanks

if you can make it 6/8 through 6/11 the price drops from $261 to $93

https://www.google.com/flights/#search;f=SFO;t=LAS;d=2016-06-08;r=2016-06-11

Hi! I recently moved near Charlotte, NC and am in a long distance relationship. My gf lives in Tampa, FL and we are having trouble with the whole "not seeing each other" thing.

I think if we could find cheap flights staying for a few days at a time, we would both be much happier. I wouldn't mind popping down for a few days every few weeks, etc. My schedule is totally of my making, but the budget is super tight. Any ideas?

totally sympathize. i was in mexico while my lady was in connecticut. not easy!

sounds like you're in a good position in terms of being flexible about when you visit.

have you looked into frequent flyer miles at all? without getting too bogged down in the details, your situation is basically perfect to be using British Airways miles. it'd cost between 9,000 and 15,000 miles roundtrip to go from CLT to TPA, and you can get a credit card from them with a signup bonus of 50k!

Hi There! How do you go about doing this better than what can be found by your average user?

PS I am looking for two people from Toronto to Lisbon May 24th return July 10. Could you show me your airline pricing prowess in action pretty please?

searching for flights is a skill like any programming or any other. the search engines are only as smart as what we tell them to do. so doing hundreds of searches a day, you get quick and better at it, know where to look and what's a good price.

not sure if that answers your question or not. if you've got something more specific i'm happy to help!

the best price i found for 5/24 through 7/10 is $464 USD:

http://www.momondo.com/flightsearch/?Search=true&TripType=2&SegNo=2&SO0=YYZ&SD0=LIS&SDP0=04-05-2016&SO1=LIS&SD1=YYZ&SDP1=10-07-2016&AD=1&TK=ECO&DO=false&NA=false#Search=true&TripType=2&SegNo=2&SO0=YYZ&SD0=LIS&SDP0=04-05-2016&SO1=LIS&SD1=YYZ&SDP1=10-07-2016&AD=1&TK=ECO&DO=false&NA=false

that's a pretty solid fare for summertime travel to Europe!

Planning a trip to Hawaii in August for a week. Traveling from LAX. What would be my best option?

which island ya looking for? or any of them?

Main island

so the bad news is August is the toughest time to find cheap flights to Hawaii. we're talking $750 roundtrip from LAX to Honolulu. yikes.

if you're a bit flexible, one possibility is this 7/30 through 8/5 flight for $451

https://www.google.com/flights/#search;f=LAX;t=HNL;d=2016-07-30;r=2016-08-05

even cheaper if you do the week prior

in general, though, if you want a cheap flight to Hawaii, it'll probably have to be in a month other than August :-/

Just to ask a followup for a Hawaiian flight: I am planning on taking a trip from LAX to Maui sometime in late May/early June. I've noticed the prices jump significantly depending on the departure dates(s). After the first week in June, prices go through the roof!

My Questions:

1) What day of the week would be cheapest (generally) to book a departure/return flight?

2) Where are the best places to book island hop flights? I've got friends in Maui and my family will be on the big island. I'm looking to do both.

Thanks!

(1) generally speaking, the cheapest fares are on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday.

(2) almost certainly you'll have to fly Hawaiian. depending on your dates you might be able to route it so your return flight from Maui to LAX just includes a long stopover on the Big Island, rather than having to buy two separate flights

I'll bite! I'm looking for flights from Orlando to Reykjavik in the month of May, 6 or 7 nights, flexible on dates, but I would prefer a direct flight, or travel time no more than 13 hours each way. Cheapest. I've found is around $550 RT, and I pride myself on finding deals!

What can you find?

i was all set to congratulate you on finding the best fare, but then at the last second i think i found something better.

$484 roundtrip on Delta

depart May 3 or 4, come back May 10 or 11

http://www.momondo.com/flightsearch/?Search=true&TripType=2&SegNo=2&SO0=MCO&SD0=KEF&SDP0=04-05-2016&SO1=KEF&SD1=MCO&SDP1=11-05-2016&AD=1&TK=ECO&DO=false&NA=false#Search=true&TripType=2&SegNo=2&SO0=MCO&SD0=KEF&SDP0=04-05-2016&SO1=KEF&SD1=MCO&SDP1=11-05-2016&AD=1&TK=ECO&DO=false&NA=false

that's a solid fare in May for Iceland. i'd book quick if i were you!

That's really good! I was going back and forth on booking delta since I'd basically spend two full days traveling, but $484 is tempting ...

Curious what deals you can find on a direct flight?

not nearly as good, unfortunately. mid-$700s on Icelandair. that's the only one that goes direct it seems, alas

Hmm, saving $300 or waste a day off traveling all day, decisions decisions ...

haha yeah, always a tough call when you start getting into the questions of "how much is my time really worth"

I'm getting married in New Orleans on Nov. 19th. Any tips on the best ways (beyond signing up for the list which I plan to do) to find cheap flights from Detroit & Chicago to N.O. for specific dates (11/17 or 11/18)?

found some on either day for $145 one-way.

https://www.google.com/flights/#search;f=ORD,DTW;t=MSY;d=2016-11-18;r=2016-11-23;tt=o

roundtrip is gonna be cheaper than two one-ways ($268 plus they're nonstop) so i'd recommend that if you have a return date in mind. either way both prices are pretty decent. you could wait around and hope they'll fall, but the max they'd fall is like $40 or $50, so might be worth it just to lock in the decent price now since it's a pretty important trip!

Wow, $145 for anything out of Chicago is amazing! I came here specifically looking to see if you could find any good prices from Chicago? What is the best flight you can find to Scotland the end of April/beginning of May please?

$729 with the possibility of a free stopover in Iceland if you want it

https://www.google.com/flights/#search;f=ORD;t=EDI,GLA;d=2016-04-29;r=2016-05-10;sel=ORDKEF0FI852-KEFGLA1FI430,GLAKEF0FI431-KEFORD1FI853

can depart on any Friday or Sunday, return on any Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday

I travel from Philadelphia to Sacramento a few times a year and usually pay about 300$-450$ round trip. Am I over paying?

$300 isn't bad at all. $450 isn't great. whether or not you're overpaying though mostly depends on how set in stone your dates are. if they're flexible, you should be able to get cheaper. if they're pretty firm, you're more at the airlines' mercy.

in general i'd give those fares a B-

Are there any international destinations out of MLB that I should keep an eye for deals on?

great question! i'm slightly ashamed to say i've never actually searched for flights out of MLB. there's lots of great deals out of Orlando though. i found some flights from Sanford to Brussels the other day for $362 roundtrip. gonna be hard to beat that