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Find Cheap Flights
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Flight Hacks: Cheaper Ways to Get to Destinations
Over time, we've found budget-friendly ways to reach popular destinations and smart methods to break up long-haul journeys. Below, you'll find a list of our top flight hacks. Learn how to get to Australia from the US for just $113, or fly to Santiago, Chile for as low as $300 round trip. Plus, add quick nonstop return flights to Patagonia for just $90 more, instead of paying $1,000+ for direct flights to Punta Arenas.
Check out our Travel Know-How Page for our top travel tips. From where US citizens can travel without a passport, to bucket list around-the-world flights visiting each continent. Plus, top tips for flying with a baby and surviving a long-haul flight.
Top Flight Route Hacks
Below, you'll find some great flight hacks we've found to get you to the most hard-to-reach and expensive locations for a whole lot cheaper.
Australia from the US for $120:
Break up your journey to Australia by booking separate flights. First, from the US to Hawaii, then from Hawaii to Sydney or Melbourne Nonstop for as low as $113 round trip. This can save you a significant amount of money compared to direct flights which are normally $1,000+.
Santiago, Chile for $300s Round Trip:
Find affordable flights to Santiago, Chile by booking during Avianca Airlines Sales. We've seen round-trip flights for as low as $368. Once in Santiago, you can add a quick, nonstop return flight to Patagonia (Punta Arenas) for just $90 more. This method avoids the $1,000+ price tag for direct flights to Punta Arenas.
Greenland via Iceland from the $700s
Looking for a cheaper way to get to Greenland? Where flights directly there are usually $1,500+ and flight times are astronomical, we found a way to get there via Iceland for as little as $757, and a flight journey that takes less than 8 hours in total.
The Maldives via Dubai/Abu Dhabi
We have also found a cheaper way to get to the Maldives, crossing through Dubai or Abu Dhabi along the way. First, you're going to fly to Dubai or Abu Dhabi from as low as the $600s round trip, Then, you'll add on a round-trip journey to the Maldives for just $156 more.
Europe via Iceland or Ireland:
Use budget airlines like PLAY Air to get to Iceland or Ireland in Europe. We often see transatlantic fares in the $200s round trip to both locations. Then book a low-cost flight through Ryanair or EasyJet to your final destination within Europe.
Southeast Asia via Honolulu
Similar to the cheap Jetstar flights you can find from Hawaii to Australia, there's also really great fares through Jetstar from Honolulu to Bali. We've seen flights from as low as $239 one way.
Japan via Hawaii
Just like with cheap one-way flights to Bali and Australia, we've also seen cheap one-way flights from Honolu to Tokyo from as low as $177 one way.
Easter Island via Santiago, Chile
Like mentioned earlier, with the Patagonia flight hack, you can cheaply fly to Santiago, Chile from just the $300s round trip. From there, you can grab a connecting flight to the rural Easter Island from just $343 round trip more.
Tips for Booking Cheap Flights
Have flexibility on dates: Not having a set date can allow you to explore options over the six months showing the dates with the lowest rates on Google Explore or Kayak Explore.
Have flexibility on the location: Similar to having flexibility on a date, if you have flexibility on the location, you may find some competitive prices, and discover new places that pique your interest.
Break up the journey: Like with the flight hacks listed above, if you are willing to break up your journey, you may find cheap flights to a particular location and be able to cheaply transfer to the ideal destination with a low priced connecting flight.
Frequently Asked Questions FAQ
Q: Do flight prices go down at night?
A: There's not a particular time of day that you can expect flight prices to be at their cheapest. Any moment of the day, flight prices can flunctuate in price.
Q: What day of the week do airlines drop their prices?
A: Similar to there being no specific time in the day that flight prices are at their cheapest, there's no day of the week that you'll find the cheapest flight prices. However, you can expect to find cheaper prices surrounding popular holidays. This is when airlines often offer the best sales.
Q: What's the best website for finding cheap flights?
A: First and foremost, we recommend keeping an eye here on TravelPirates. We take away the stress of searching for the best flight sales out there. We aim to cover several US departure airports, and we offer our service completely for free! However, we also recommend using Google Flights Explore option, Kayak Explore, and the Skyscanner Calendar function.