Advanced Flight-Booking Hacks Beyond Skyscanner & Google Flights
Published: March 16, 2025
It’s a late evening, and I’m sitting at an airport lounge in Bangkok, sipping on a budget-friendly iced coffee. A few hours ago, I booked a flight to Tokyo for half the price my friend paid—on the same airline, for the same day. It wasn’t luck, and I didn’t use Google Flights or Skyscanner. Instead, I used a combination of lesser-known flight hacks that most travelers (even locals) don’t know about.
Finding cheap flights isn’t about spending hours refreshing airline websites—it’s about knowing where to look and how to book smart. Over time, I’ve learned that the people who consistently score the best deals aren’t just “lucky.” They use a set of tools and strategies that take advantage of airline pricing systems.
If you’re tired of overpaying for flights, here are my personal go-to methods for saving big on airfare—without compromising comfort.
1. Skip Google Flights & Go Straight to ITA Matrix
Most travelers rely on Google Flights, but few know that it’s actually powered by ITA Matrix, a tool originally designed for travel agents. This platform offers deeper search filters, helping you find loopholes airlines don’t advertise. ITA Matrix allows for multi-city route searches, hidden stopovers, and fare class filtering, making it far superior to traditional flight search engines. While ITA Matrix doesn’t allow direct booking, you can use websites like BookWithMatrix to turn your search results into real bookings.
2. Use Hidden City Ticketing (But with Caution)
Airlines price flights based on demand, not distance. Sometimes, a longer flight with a layover is cheaper than a direct flight to your actual destination. If a direct flight from New York to Chicago costs $250, but a flight from New York to Denver with a layover in Chicago costs $150, you can book the Denver flight and simply exit in Chicago. This is called hidden city ticketing, and while airlines don’t love it, it’s perfectly legal. There are a few things to keep in mind when using this trick. Never check luggage, as it will go to the final destination. Avoid using your frequent flyer account too often on the same airline for these kinds of tickets, as repeat use could flag your account. If you’re unsure where to start, Skiplagged is one of the best tools for finding hidden city fares automatically.
3. Tap Into ‘Mistake Fares’ Before Airlines Catch Them
Airlines sometimes post incorrect ticket prices due to system errors. These mistake fares can be hundreds of dollars cheaper than normal tickets, but you have to book quickly before they fix it. SecretFlying, The Flight Deal, and Scott’s Cheap Flights (now called Going) track mistake fares in real-time. If you find one, book it immediately but don’t call the airline, as they may correct the mistake before you check out. Since most airlines allow free cancellations within 24 hours, you can always cancel if your plans change.
4. Use Multi-Currency Pricing to Get Lower Fares
Most travelers don’t realize that airlines price tickets differently based on the country where the booking is made. A flight from Mexico to Spain might cost $600 on the airline’s U.S. website but only $480 if booked through the airline’s Mexico website. You can use a VPN to change your location before searching and compare prices on both the airline’s local website and their international version. Booking in a weaker currency, such as pesos or rupees instead of USD or euros, can also sometimes reduce costs.
5. Book One-Way Tickets Like a Pro
Sometimes, flying from a different airport first can save hundreds of dollars. Instead of booking a direct flight from your city, you can book a cheap separate flight to a nearby airport and fly from there. A flight from Los Angeles to Tokyo might cost $900, but a flight from Las Vegas to Tokyo with a layover in LA might be $600. Booking a cheap $40 flight from LA to Vegas first could save you $260. Positioning flights require some flexibility, but they are one of the best ways to cut down on expensive long-haul fares.
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