Airfare Resources

FLIGHTS

Here's a quick list of websites I love with great deals on international air fare, along with tips and tricks to help you find the lowest price for your trip.

Skyscanner is a great website to search flights all over the world and keep track of price increases or decreases. I also love this site for open-ended destination searching in order to find the cheapest route to your final destination.

RyanAir has gained a lot of popularity with backpackers due to its great deals for small trips around Europe. The catch? They only fly to certain destinations around Europe, so you may not find your specific destinations there. Don't let that stop you from finding an alternate route and mixing and matching airlines.

Airfare Watchdog is the perfect way to keep an eye on prices for your destination, no matter what airline. Sign up and create your customized list of flights and locations, and receive alerts when the price for those tickets fluctuate. This is great if you plan ahead and want to know when exactly to buy your ticket. I used this when I was thinking about buying my ticket from LA to Barcelona, but wasn't sure if the 6 week rule applied to international flight prices (hint: it doesn't). I'm so glad I did this 6 months in advance.

MoMondo is another popular site that searches multiple airline carriers for you, as well as categorizes destinations by event or travel style. It's been a well kept secret thus far, but I'm sharing it for you all....just don't tell anyone.

eDreams, although small, is like an indie European Kayak and will find you the best deals from all over the continent. It may seem a bit shady at first, but I gave it a shot and got a great deal! Be sure to refresh the page often. I found that some of the prices were not accurate once I clicked on them since there is a discrepancy in the currency. Click on the price you want and double check what the airline's website says.

Vueling is a Spanish company and may have limited destinations, but if you're passing through Spain, you might find a great deal flying with Vueling.

After winning a lawsuit when sued by a couple of big airlines for cracking the code on how to save the most money on air fare, the founder of Skiplagged has helped thousands of people with his findings. Check it out for both domestic and international fares.

If you're a student or under 26, you're in luck! Student Universe offers tons of awesome stuff that you probably didn't even think of. From discount airfare, to international cell phone services, they've got it all. Regardless of what website you end up using, keep an eye out for student discounts, but if you're not a student, or under 26, you can still get in on the deals. This is a great website for last minute trips, group trips and tours, rail passes, activities by destination, and a little something they like to call FarePlay, which is sort of like an airline roulette if you're feeling spontaneous.

Ok, so Kayak isn't exactly under the radar, but it's worth the mention. Showing domestic and international flights, you might be able to create your own itinerary with individual one-way tickets, or an awesome round trip package.

No matter which company you decide to buy your ticket through, don't forget to check their baggage fee policy. Unfortunately, a lot of third party sites like these don't include baggage fees (which is why some of the prices are so low), and will end up costing you at the counter at the airport. No matter how well you thought you budgeted, nothing sucks more than having to fork up more money unexpectedly after having done the happy dance when you got that great deal on your flight. Talk about a buzz kill. Also, no matter what these sites say, always, always double check the airline's website, too. I found that some of the smaller ones can't keep up with the ever changing prices of the actual airlines. Also, if the website is not based in the US, sometimes the currency conversion can be glitchy, which is another reason to check the airline's website for accuracy. 

Getting a lower price on an airline ticket isn't easy, and it does take time, but if you're serious about saving money, it is oh so worth it. I bought my ticket to Barcelona from LA for $760, including baggage fees. My next trip from Barcelona to Florence only cost me 50 euros. For that one, I even considered flying into Milan, which was a cheaper flight, then taking Trenitalia (the Italian fast train) into Florence, but between the flight and the train ticket the price ended up being more than the price of the direct flight into Florence. These are all things to keep in mind before you buy. 

Do you know of any other websites for great deals? Leave them in the comments below!