What are the top 6 tools for finding cheap flights?
Ever wondering how to truly find the best travel deals? Or how to maximize using your credit card points?
It can be a lot to search for the best deals, especially on a budget or when you have specific days you want to travel. We have used everything we talk about to book a trip and breakdown what is the best one for you to use.
First, I want to mention the difference between a “Hard Product” vs “Soft Product” when flying. These may not matter to you too much when hoping on a domestic flight for only an hour, but when flying internationally for 8-12 hours it may matter ALOT more.
Hard Product (Physical Aspects)
This refers to the tangible, physical elements of the flight experience. It includes:
Seats (size, comfort, recline, legroom)
Cabin layout & design (seat configuration, privacy)
In-flight entertainment (screen size, quality, options)
Wi-Fi & connectivity
Overhead storage & amenities
Lavatories & onboard facilities
Soft Product (Service & Experience)
This refers to the intangible aspects of the flight, mainly focused on service and hospitality:
Crew friendliness & attentiveness
Food & beverage quality
Onboard service (timeliness, personalization)
Branding & ambiance (luxury feel vs. budget feel)
Pre- and post-flight service (lounge access, baggage handling, customer
We personally are usually more concerned with the hard product when flying. Once I find the flight I want, one of my one of my favorite things to do is once I find the flight I want I would google “Iceland air premium economy seat from JFK -> CDG (Paris, France)” to see what the seats are like so you know what you are getting. Especially because every airline had different versions of what First, Business, Premium Economy and Economy look like. They also all may call them something different. If you are using your points to get a Business class seat, you want to make sure you are getting your money’s worth.
For example: A business class flight on Iceland air from east coast like NYC or BOS often the seats look just like a first class seat on a domestic flight and are NOT lie flat but most airlines they would be a reclinable or lie flat seat.
Also, when using points to book a flight, we don’t like to spend more than $120 USD on top of points. You will see that each flight is different but this is something to look out for. These amounts can also vary by airport. Every airport has different fees so landing in London or Paris is going to be significantly more with taxes and fees than somewhere like Iceland or Dublin. With that being said major airports will always have higher fees so if you can find a smaller more regional airport, you may be likely to pay less in taxes or fees.
Air France Premium Economy Seat. Wider seats, with a little extra leg room but no recline.
Singapore Airlines Premium Economy Seat. Extended leg room, Reclines slightly with a leg rest, but not a lie flat seat.
1. Point.me
Point.me is a travel rewards platform that helps users maximize their airline and hotel points by finding the best ways to redeem them for flights and accommodations. Instead of manually searching different loyalty programs, Points.me consolidates the options and provides the best redemption opportunities. IT IS FREE for most AMEX members. You can just sign up and link your account to make sure. Anyone else would have to pay for the subscription.
This is my favorite site to use since getting my AMEX. It is very user friendly and does a fantastic job of walking you through the process step by step. So someone who is just getting into using points and miles. If you use it logged in with your AMEX - it will only pull in AMEX transfer partners - look up the list of Airlines that amex transfers points too.
However, you can still get great deals on airlines (like United) that amex does NOT transfer to - by booking through the alliance airlines. So for instance, United is part of the STAR Alliance - with Canada Aeroplan - so they might show you how to book the United flight using Canada Aeroplan.
This is great for people who know what destinations they want to visit and the dates they want to go.
How it works?
Connect Your Loyalty Programs
Users link their airline and hotel loyalty accounts to see their available points/miles.
Search for Award Flights
Instead of checking each airline separately, Points.me scans multiple frequent flyer programs and presents the best redemption options.
Optimize Points Usage
The platform finds the best value redemptions, ensuring users get the most out of their points.
It may suggest transferring points between programs (if possible) for better deals.
Book Your Flight
Once users find the best option, they are guided on how to book directly with the airline or through their loyalty program.
Who should use points.me?
Frequent travelers who collect points/miles across multiple airlines and hotels.
Credit card rewards users looking to transfer points to the most valuable airline programs.
Award travel beginners who want an easier way to find and book flights using points.
People frustrated with airline websites that make searching for award flights complicated
Why use points.me?
Saves time by searching multiple loyalty programs at once.
Helps users get maximum value for their points.
Avoids the hassle of manually finding availability on different airline sites.
2. Seats.aero
Seats.aero is a tool designed for frequent flyers and award travelers to quickly find available award flights using airline miles or points. It scans multiple airline loyalty programs and displays real-time award seat availability, making it easier for users to book flights without manually searching each airline’s website.
How It Works:
Search for Award Seats
Users enter their departure city, destination, and preferred airline loyalty programs.
Seats.aero scans for open award seats that can be booked with miles/points.
Filters & Alerts
Users can filter results by class (economy, business, first) or see all at once
The Pro version offers real-time alerts when award seats open up.
Book Directly with the Airline
Once a user finds an available seat, they book it through the airline’s frequent flyer program.
Who Should Use Seats.aero?
Frequent flyers who use miles/points to book travel.
Award travelers looking for hard-to-find seats, especially in business and first class.
People who want to avoid paying cash for flights and maximize their loyalty program benefits.
Why Use Seats.aero?
Saves time by searching multiple airline programs at once.
Finds rare award seats, even on popular routes.
Pro members get real-time alerts for the best deals.
If you want to travel more using points without the hassle, Seats.aero is a great tool. The downside of this site is it is not as user friendly as other and to see all of the best flight options you do need to pay $10 a month. With that being said, I have used this to book multiple trips with points and have gotten great deals!
3. Google Flights Explore and Google Flight Alerts
Great for finding the best prices for flights when you are paying in cash. We wrote another blog all about how to use Google Flights Explore if you want to see the step by step guide on how to use this.
Google Flights Explore - the best way to see amazing deals if you can be flexible with your dates and location
Google Flight Alerts - if you ARE set on specific dates or locations - use this tool to set alerts and google when tell you when prices drop!
Who Should Use This?
Everyone! Anyone can use this tool and the best part is it is free! When going to look for a flight for any trip, I usually start with Google Flights.
Below is a step by step guide on how to use this tool. As you can see, you can make it as wide or specific of a search as you want. For example purposes, these are the steps I do when looking for flights but just know I want to go somewhere but don’t have a specific place in mind.
1. Go to google.com/flights
2. Choose a departure airport but don’t fill out the “Where To?” or the specific dates
3. This will take you to the map of the world below that shows you all of the cheapest destinations
4. From here you can choose the length of the trip, or which specific dates you want from here
5. This will show you the last image and you cab select your flight
4. Skyscanner
If you are looking for a cheap flight to any destination, Skyscanner is for you. Just enter your departure city and select "Explore everywhere" in the "To" field. It'll deliver a list of destinations in order of price. The best part is it is FREE!
The site is SO easy to use and can open your eyes to new parts of the world if you are not set on a specific destination
Skyscanner also allows searches based on certain routes and even multicity flight options. But PLEASE NOTE - the site will only display fares from the same outbound and return airline.
How It Works:
Flight Search: Users enter their departure and destination cities, along with travel dates, and Skyscanner scans multiple airlines and booking sites to show available options.
Price Comparison: The platform compares prices from different airlines and travel agencies, allowing users to choose the most cost-effective option.
Flexible Search Options: Skyscanner offers features like:
Searching for flights to "Everywhere" for flexible travelers.
Finding the cheapest month to travel.
Setting up price alerts for specific routes.
5. Going
Going.com (formerly known as Scott’s Cheap Flights) is a subscription-based travel service that helps users find and book cheap airfare deals. Unlike traditional flight search engines like Skyscanner, Going.com specializes in curated flight deals, alerting users when airlines significantly drop prices for specific routes.
You can sign up for free and get a limited amount of deals in your inbox, or you can purchase one of the memberships.
How it works:
Sign Up & Set Preferences:
-Users create a free or premium account and specify their preferred departure airports.Deal Alerts:
- Going.com’s team searches for mistake fares, flash sales, and unusually low prices on international and domestic flights.
- Users receive email or app notifications when a deal matches their preferences.Book Directly with Airlines:
- Unlike booking sites, Going.com doesn’t sell tickets. Instead, it provides the deal details, and users book directly with the airline or an OTA (Online Travel Agency).Membership Options:
- Free Plan – Limited access to deals (only a few per month).
- Premium Plan – More frequent deal alerts, including domestic and international flights.
- Elite Plan – Best deals, including business and first-class tickets.
Why use it?
Great for travelers looking for big discounts (sometimes up to 90% off normal fares).
Ideal for flexible travelers who can adjust dates to get the best deals.
No searching required—deals are sent directly to users.Going.com is perfect for travelers who want affordable flights without spending hours hunting for deals.
Going.com is perfect for travelers who want affordable flights without spending hours hunting for deals and they ideally have a destination or some dates in mind.
6. Hopper
Hopper.com is a travel app that uses AI to predict flight, hotel, and car rental prices. It tells users whether to book now or wait for a better deal. Hopper is ideal for travelers who want to maximize savings by booking at the perfect time rather than guessing when to buy.
I started using Hopper almost 10 years ago when it was brand new. I downloaded the app to my phone and would get notifications on flights I was watching when the price went down. The main thing to know about using Hopper is when you get the notification you need to book quick or you can miss the deal.
How it works:
Search for Flights, Hotels, or Car Rentals
- Users enter their travel details, and Hopper scans prices from various airlines and providers.Price Predictions
- Hopper predicts whether prices will rise or fall and suggests whether to book immediately or wait.
- It provides a forecast with a percentage confidence level on price changes.Watch & Get Alerts
- If prices are expected to drop, users can set a price watch and receive notifications when the best deal becomes available.Book Through Hopper
- Users can book flights, hotels, and rental cars directly within the app.Freeze & Flexible Booking
- Hopper offers a Price Freeze feature, allowing users to lock in a fare for a limited time, even if the price increases later.
- Some bookings offer refundable tickets or flexible date changes.Hopper’s “Carrot Cash”
- A reward system where users earn credits for discounts on future bookings when using Hopper
Why use Hopper?
Saves money by predicting price trends.
Convenient alerts to notify users when to book.
Flexible booking options like price freezes and refundability
Who might NOT benefit?
Business travelers with fixed schedules – Hopper works best for flexible travel, not for those who need to book exact dates regardless of price.
People who prefer booking directly with airlines/hotels – Some travelers prefer to book through official sites for better support and rewards programs.
