How I saved $600 on flights
Travel deal-hunting tricks that actually work.
The one thing I think everyone can agree on: Almost nothing beats the rush you get when you score a deal on a trip you actually want to take.
But finding those deals? That’s the real challenge.
First, the bad news: Most of the old advice about reliably saving on travel either isn’t true or isn’t true anymore. Buying airfare at 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday won’t magically unlock lower prices, shoulder season has morphed into “slightly less peak” season, and sometimes booking early just means locking yourself into an inflated fare.
But the good news? There are very real, very modern ways to save money on travel right now. In fact, my family just got $600 back on flights we booked for ski season using the very first tip. Here is that one and a few of my other favorites.
1. Technology is your friend: Set airfare price alerts — even after you buy
If you do nothing else and click away right now, know that setting price alerts is arguably the single best way to save money on flights.
My go-to is Google Flights. Flip on the price-tracking toggle, and it will notify you anytime the fare for your preferred trip changes. You can also track multiple dates and airports if you’re flexible.
And here’s the real magic: Keep the alert going even after you book. Many airlines let you reprice your flight and receive a credit if the fare drops. I recently rebooked a family trip after discovering the price had dropped, resulting in $600 in future United Airlines credit, all thanks to a timely alert.
If you want to track award pricing, Points Path is a fantastic tool for monitoring mileage drops as well.
2. You may be searching for flights totally wrong
The way pros get the best deals is by avoiding the trap of fixating on both a specific date and a specific destination. That combination is a one-way ticket to paying more than other travelers.
Generally, you can stay rigid on one or the other — date or destination — and still find a good deal. But if you’re fixed on both? Well, then you start having to rely on luck and tip No. 1 matters even more.
Google Flights’ Explore tool highlights this beautifully. It lets you see either:
Everywhere you could fly on a specific date, or
The cheapest dates to visit a specific place
Play with both views, and you’ll immediately see where the real savings live.
3. The right credit card can exempt you from the pesky fees
Not all airline credit cards are created equal, but many offer real, tangible savings that add up fast and protect you from annoying fees. Depending on the airline and card, you may get:
complimentary checked bags
complimentary seat assignments
complimentary inflight Wi-Fi
priority boarding
annual companion certificates
That’s all just for having the card — even if you only fly that airline occasionally. It’s worth a quick search for the benefits tied to the airlines you fly most.
4. Legitimate travel discount codes really do exist
There are actual, real discount codes that can save you money — not the shady-looking ones we all learned to avoid as part of Facebook scams.
One I personally use is the We Salute program, which offers discounted fares on United Airlines, Alaska Airlines, JetBlue and more. It’s currently available to current and former military personnel and their families, but will soon expand to include first responders, teachers and other groups.
Another underrated deal: AARP travel discounts. There’s no minimum age to join AARP — so even a 25-year-old can sign up and score hotel and travel savings.
5. Joining loyalty programs really can save you cash — even if you never earn status
Even if you aren’t a frequent traveler, it’s still worth joining the loyalty programs for the brands you use.
One obvious reason: Many hotels offer 10% or more off just for booking as a member. No hoops, no status, no stays required.
It’s one of the easiest ways to save without changing anything about how you travel.
6. Subscribe to newsletters and accounts that find deals for you
Last but not at all least: Let someone else do the hard work of spotting the deals and sales. We’re biased toward recommending The Points Guy’s free daily newsletter, but a few others we consistently like are:
Thrifty Traveler
Going
Ashley Gets Around
Following the right sources means you’ll stumble into deals you never would have discovered on your own — and sometimes that’s half the fun.
Travel doesn’t magically get cheaper just because you wait for a Tuesday at 12:01 a.m. But it does get cheaper when you use the tools that actually move the needle.
Have you scored a great travel deal? Tell us where you went and how you scored the deal!
Want more Talking Points with TPG? Check out these posts:
These tiny travel hacks make a big, big difference
"If I had ordered ahead on the Starbucks app rather than waiting in the long line, I would have been sipping that sweet caffeine from the comfort of my seat rather than waiting for my miniature cup of Diet Coke (I don’t do airplane coffee) during the inflight service."
Chasing the Thrill of “Free”
"And while the hunt for the reward can lead to some arguably questionable choices, such as years ago when frequent flyers were quite literally diving in Wendy’s dumpsters collecting tokens off used Wendy’s cups for free AirTran flights, you don’t always have to find yourself surrounded by literal or metaphorical trash to come up a real winner in this points and rewards space."
 | A guest post by
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I subscribe to and use TripIt Pro and create itineraries right after booking. I find their “fare tracker” service (only available with the Pro subscription, not the free version) to be extremely helpful. The notifications are timely and easy to understand. They provide the key information you need to request either a refund or a future flight credit. The money I’ve saved in the form of future flight credits more than offsets the cost of the annual subscription.