What it is: Meta-search that excels at “Everywhere” and “Cheapest month” searches — great for discovery and budget inspiration.

Pros

• Everywhere search: discover cheap destinations from your airport.
• Good coverage for many low-cost carriers.
• Price alerts & multi-month calendar views.

Cons

• Often redirects to OTAs — final price can include extra fees.
• Can surface complicated multi-city combos; validate routing.

How to use — step by step

1. Open Skyscanner, set departure airport, choose “Everywhere” as destination for inspiration.
2. Switch to “Whole month” or “Cheapest month” to find low-cost windows.
3. Pick 3 promising dates and validate on Google Flights (or the airline) for routing and baggage rules.
4. Set a Skyscanner price alert and enable push/email notifications.

Best practice tips

• If Skyscanner redirects to an OTA, open that OTA in incognito to compare final totals.
• Use Skyscanner for initial discovery, then buy direct with the airline when possible for support.

What it is: Fast visualizer for dates and price history — excellent for validating fares and checking nearby airports.

Pros

• Extremely fast UX and useful “Explore” map.
• Price graph and cheapest date grid reveal best days.

Cons

• Doesn’t always list some smaller LCCs in certain regions — cross-check with Skyscanner.

How to use

1. Enter origin, open calendar and toggle “price graph”.
2. Use Explore to find cheap destinations from your airport.
3. Click a result, then click through to the airline for booking and support.

Tips

• Use Google Flights to confirm routing and quick price history — then check booking on the carrier site.

What it is: Aggregator with price alerts, “Trips”, and “Hacker Fares” (mix-and-match itineraries).

Pros

• Excellent alert system and flexible date scanning.
• Good multi-city and trip planning features.

Cons

• May redirect to OTAs — final price can vary from search preview.

How to use

1. Use flexible dates and “±3 days” when scanning multiple windows.
2. Save searches to “Trips” and set alerts for routes you care about.
3. Investigate “Hacker Fares” when direct itineraries are expensive (check baggage rules).

Tips

• Compare KAYAK alerts with other alert systems to avoid false positives and to cross-verify drops.

What it is: Mobile-first prediction app that tells you when to buy vs wait based on historical and current data.

Pros

• Clear buy/wait notifications and app-only flash deals.
• Simple mobile workflow for price-watching.

Cons

• Less powerful on desktop; predictions are statistical not guaranteed.

How to use

1. Install Hopper, search your route, and tap “Watch” to enable alerts.
2. When Hopper recommends “Buy”, cross-check on Google Flights for routing/baggage fees before paying.
3. Use Hopper’s Price Freeze where available if you want to lock a fare for a short period.

Tips

• Use Hopper’s recommendations as part of a broader strategy — combine with Google Flights and airline checks.

What it is: One of the largest OTAs with powerful filters, map view and the “Genius” loyalty program.

Pros

• Huge inventory, solid review signals and immediate availability.
• Genius program (instant perks for returning users).

Cons

• Rates can be prepaid or pay-later; verify the fine print.

How to use

1. Filter for free cancellation and total price (not just nightly rate).
2. Compare “Pay now” vs “Pay later” — pick the option matching your flexibility.
3. If you see a lower OTA price, call the hotel to check if they will match or beat it.

Tips

• Genius discounts are worthwhile if you travel multiple times a year — join for free and check unlocked offers.

What it is: OTA with a straightforward rewards system: collect 10 nights for a free night.

Pros

• Predictable rewards model for frequent stayers.

Cons

• OTAs can complicate refunds/disputes — keep all booking confirmations.

How to use

1. Book refundable rates if your plans might change.
2. Track nights toward rewards if you travel often; combine with hotel loyalty where possible.

Tips

• When combining rewards and loyalty status, prioritize which benefit yields higher net savings.

What it is: Peer-to-peer stays, unique properties and experiences, often great for longer stays and groups.

Pros

• Unique homes and local experiences; long-stay discounts common.
• Good for groups — splitting a whole apartment often beats multiple hotel rooms.

Cons

• Cleaning & service fees can add 10–40% to the listed nightly rate — check totals.
• Host reliability varies; pick Superhosts and check reviews.

How to use

1. Filter for the type of stay (Entire place vs Private room) and desired amenities.
2. Check total price including fees before booking.
3. Message hosts for possible weekly/monthly discounts on longer stays.

Tips

• For work/stay trips, confirm Wi-Fi speed in messages before booking.

What it is: Large OTA offering flight+hotel/car package bookings and member promotions.

Pros

• Bundles simplify travel and may reduce total cost in many cases.
• Single vendor support if you book a package.

Cons

• Bundles sometimes hide fees; always replicate components to validate true savings.

How to use

1. Try a package search for combined savings; then replicate parts separately to confirm.
2. Check Expedia member deals/discount codes for additional savings.

Tips

• Packages are valuable when you prefer single-vendor accountability — ideal for family/cruise trips.

What it is: Aggregated error fares and flash deals — great if you can travel on short notice.

Pros

• Massive upside when mistakes are found.

Cons

• Error fares can be cancelled; book conservatively (no add-ons) and prepare for possible refunds.

How to use

1. Subscribe to push or Twitter alerts; act immediately when a good fare appears.
2. Confirm visa/entry rules and ticket fine print before committing to non-refundable add-ons.

Tips

• Screenshot the purchase confirmation and fare details. If canceled, you’ll have evidence for disputes.

What it is: Curated flight deals sent by email based on airports you pick; free and premium tiers available.

Pros

• Hand-curated deals save time and surface high-value routes.

Cons

• Requires flexibility; paid tiers offer more frequent/elevated deals.

How to use

1. Sign up, choose your departure airports, and set the alert cadence.
2. Respond quickly to high-value deals — they often sell out fast.

Tips

• Combine Going alerts with your own price-watch to avoid missing rare, targeted deals.

What it is: Curated travel packages, last-minute deals and flash vacation bundles.

Pros

• Ready-made vacations for spontaneous travelers; regional feeds make results relevant.

Cons

• Deals move quickly; be prepared to book and travel on short notice.

How to use

1. Subscribe to the regional feed for your departure airport, enable push notifications.
2. Have passports and travel windows flexible to take advantage of last-minute packages.

Momondo is a meta-searcher with colorful visualizations — use it as a secondary check if primary tools disagree.

How to use

1. Run a parallel search on Momondo to confirm any outlier cheap fares you find on other engines.

What it is: Strong regional OTA for APAC with many local promotions.

How to use

1. When traveling in Asia, compare Agoda with Booking.com/hotel direct — Agoda may have exclusive inventory.

What it is: Opaque deals (Express Deals) hide hotel/airline specifics until after purchase but can be significantly cheaper.

How to use

1. Use opaque deals only if location/general category is sufficient and you can accept non-refundable terms.

Warning

Opaque purchases often have strict cancellation policies. Treat them as final bargains with risk.