best flight travel site

• Credit cards
• View all credit cards
• Banking guide
• Loans guide
• Insurance guide
• Personal finance
• View all personal finance
• Small business
• Small business guide
• View all taxes

You’re our first priority. Every time.

We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with confidence. And while our site doesn’t feature every company or financial product available on the market, we’re proud that the guidance we offer, the information we provide and the tools we create are objective, independent, straightforward — and free.

So how do we make money? Our partners compensate us. This may influence which products we review and write about (and where those products appear on the site), but it in no way affects our recommendations or advice, which are grounded in thousands of hours of research. Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products or services. Here is a list of our partners .

6 Best Websites for Booking Cheap Flights

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

The desire to get a good deal unites practically all travelers. Whether you're looking for a cheap getaway or a luxury vacation, no one wants to spend more than necessary. When it comes to booking flights, travelers may naturally head to an airline's website. However, that's not always the best site to book flights.

Whether it's taking advantage of credit card perks, earning bonus miles or saving money, the best flight booking site can vary depending on your situation and willingness to get creative. Let's take a look at six of the best sites to book flights and when each is the best option.

» Learn more: The best travel credit cards right now

The best flight booking sites

1. google flights.

For ease, speed and features, Google Flights is arguably the best website for flight searches. Search results appear almost instantly. Filters let you narrow down to nonstop options, select a subset of airlines, limit by price or factor in the price of a bag. Similarly, you can use Google Flights filters to avoid certain airlines, multi-stop itineraries, long layovers, early flights or pretty much whatever you might want to avoid.

You can easily check flexible dates, and if you're flexible on where you go you can use the Explore map to see prices for a variety of destinations for certain dates, a certain month or anytime in the next six months.

Google Flights partners with hundreds of airlines and online travel agencies (OTAs) to pull current flight prices. That way you don't have to search each of these sites to be able to see the options. Once you select your preferred trip, Google Flights links you to the top booking options for actually booking your flight — including the airline itself and the best OTA booking options.

The downsides of Google Flights are few. One is the lack of Southwest flight prices. Although Southwest flight schedules will show in flight search results, Southwest flight prices aren't available. That's because Southwest chooses to publish flight prices only on its website.

» Learn more: Why Southwest is not on Google Flights

Another downside is that Google Flights doesn't always show the cheapest prices — particularly for international flights. That means it's worth double-checking prices on another site before booking through Google Flights.

Like Google Flights, Kayak searches hundreds of other websites and flight booking platforms to find the best deal. Kayak generally doesn't let you book flights directly. However, one benefit of Kayak is the streamlined process. Rather than having to click through several pages to confirm your selection, clicking "view deal" on the results page can take you right to the cheapest booking option.

Also, some travelers may find Kayak's flexible date search a bit easier to work with as you can see results from several days in the search results — eliminating the need to check each day's results separately.

But perhaps the most important reason to use Kayak instead of Google Flights is that it can catch better deals. For example, we found a $550 round-trip flight from Los Angeles to Barcelona using Google Flights. Kayak found a way to lower that price to just $472 round-trip — at least once you scroll past an advertisement.

Note that Kayak manages other flight search sites — including Momondo and Cheapflights — so the results may be very similar between these sister sites.

» Learn more: Is Kayak legit?

So far, we've focused on ease in flight searching, and that's going to be enough for many travelers. However, now let's add in some additional elements to consider when choosing the best flight booking site: earning rewards and saving by booking packages. Expedia excels at both of these.

Through the new One Key rewards program , travelers can earn 0.2% in OneKeyCash from flight bookings made through Expedia. That's not much, but it can stack on top of the awards you earn from the airline and those that you earn on your credit card purchase.

Even better, you'll earn credits toward One Key elite status by booking your flight through Expedia. As you climb up the tiers, you'll unlock up to 20% savings on hotels, get hotel upgrades, priority support and even price drop protection.

Plus, Expedia boasts that travelers can "save up to 30%" when bundling a hotel with a flight booking — although actual discounts are likely to vary.

» Learn more: The pros and cons of Expedia

4. Capital One Travel

For many Capital One cardholders, Capital One Travel might just be the best flight booking site. Part of this is to take advantage of cardholder benefits.

For example, Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card holders earn 5x Capital One miles when booking flights through the Capital One Travel portal. Plus, Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card holders get up to $300 off travel booked through the Capital One Travel portal each cardholder year.

» Learn more: How to maximize the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

Also, Capital One Travel can help you truly get the best price for your flight. Capital One partnered with travel data company Hopper to show suggestions about when it's the best time to book.

Capital One backs up these recommendations with money. If you book a flight through Capital One Travel when Hopper recommends doing so, you'll get up to a $50 credit toward future travel if the price drops within the next 10 days.

» Learn more: How the Capital One Travel portal works

Would you be willing to book a trip as two separate tickets in order to save money? That's the idea behind Kiwi. Instead of simply searching flights from your home airport to your destination, Kiwi checks all potential options to get between A and B. That could mean taking a bus or train from your home city to another to catch a flight to your destination. Or, Kiwi might pair a low-cost domestic flight with a cheap international flight from another city to lower your total cost.

Protect your upfront travel expenses by booking with a card that has travel insurance or by purchasing a separate policy .

For example, when we priced out a round-trip flight from Phoenix to Tokyo, the cheapest option when booked as one ticket cost $1,353 round-trip — and that's with an overnight stay in Vancouver.

Pricing out the same itinerary and dates through Kiwi drops the price to just $789 round-trip. The secret? Booking this as two round-trip flights: One from Phoenix to Los Angeles on Frontier and a separate round-trip from Los Angeles to Tokyo on Zipair.

Keep in mind that there are risks with booking separate tickets to get where you want to go. If a delay or cancellation causes you to miss your connection, the second airline/bus/train company isn't obligated to honor your ticket and rebook you on the next option. So make sure to factor in all of the risks of booking travel like this.

» Learn more: When to use Kiwi for your next flight booking

6. BookWithMatrix

ITA Matrix is a very powerful and ultra-customizable search platform for finding exactly the flight itinerary you want — whether that's booking a longer layover, avoiding certain aircraft types or booking nerdy trips such as the Alaska Milk Run .

The catch: Travelers can't actually book flights through ITA Matrix. And, unlike Google Flights, ITA Matrix doesn't even link to the best flight booking site for that itinerary. Instead, travelers are left to attempt to re-create the same itinerary through another flight booking website — which can be hard in the case of certain complex itineraries.

Enter BookWithMatrix. Travelers can copy-paste their perfect itinerary from ITA Matrix into BookWithMatrix to get bookable links through the airline or select OTAs.

Alternatively, travelers have the option to install the PowerTools extension in Google Chrome .

This extension adds booking links right on the ITA Matrix itinerary page, avoiding the need to browse to another page.

Final thoughts on the best flight booking site

There's not a one-size-fits-all best website for booking flights. Instead, the best flight booking site for you is going to depend on how simple you want the process to be, whether you're willing to get creative with your booking, and even which credit cards you have.

For most travelers, the simplicity of Google Flights is going to make it the best one-stop shop for searching and booking flights. However, it's worth considering other options if you're flying internationally, want to book a flight-and-hotel package or have a Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card .

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

on Chase's website

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1.5%-6.5% Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year). After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

$300 Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

on Capital One's website

2x-5x Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options.

75,000 Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

Advertiser Disclosure

Many of the credit card offers that appear on this site are from credit card companies from which we receive financial compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). However, the credit card information that we publish has been written and evaluated by experts who know these products inside out. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers that are on the market. See our advertising policy here where we list advertisers that we work with, and how we make money. You can also review our credit card rating methodology .

The 12 Best Websites for Booking Flights at the Cheapest Prices [April 2024]

Katie Seemann

Senior Content Contributor and News Editor

343 Published Articles 49 Edited Articles

Countries Visited: 28 U.S. States Visited: 29

Stella Shon

News Managing Editor

85 Published Articles 619 Edited Articles

Countries Visited: 25 U.S. States Visited: 22

Senior Editor & Content Contributor

88 Published Articles 653 Edited Articles

Countries Visited: 41 U.S. States Visited: 28

Book Direct Through the Airline’s Website

4. priceline, 8. skyscanner, 9. travelocity, 10. google flights, 11. cheapoair, price comparisons, final thoughts.

We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.

Searching for a flight can be a bit overwhelming. There are so many factors: dates, times, price, fare class, airline, and more. Even when you know exactly when and where you want to fly, where should you look for the absolute best price?

Unfortunately, no website consistently has the lowest prices. Most of the popular OTAs (Online Travel Agencies) are usually in the same ballpark for the price, but not all offer the same benefits or search functionality.

We’ve combed through many popular OTAs to compare prices and show you the benefits and drawbacks of each site.

More often than not, booking directly through the airline’s website will give you the best price, or will at least be the same as the OTAs.

Some airlines, like Southwest, won’t even show up on sites like Expedia or Orbitz, so you have to book direct. It can also be the most simple way to book. If a problem arises, you don’t have to deal with a third party to get it resolved.

Another reason to book directly through an airline’s website is to use those frequent flyer miles — hooray for award flights!

Of course, to book through the airline’s website, you first need to know which airline has the best prices. There are lots of travel search engines and OTAs that can help you find the best deals so you know which airline’s website to visit. Some OTAs even offer perks that might make it worth booking someplace other than the airline’s site.

Hot Tip: A card such as The Platinum Card ® from American Express earns an impressive 5x Membership Rewards points per $1 spent on flights booked directly with airlines or with  AmexTravel.com on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.

Momondo is a travel metasearch engine similar to Kayak. The home page displays a simple search box where you can plug in your travel details.

One of the things we love about this site is the visual way it shows you the price trends for your flight. At first glance, you can tell if you could save some money by shifting around your travel dates a bit. It also offers a price tracker and lots of filtering options on the left-hand side of the screen.

Pros and Cons of Momondo

• Great price tracking tools
• Mix & Match fares require you to make 2 separate reservations; this is usually handled “behind the scenes” on other websites

Hot Tip: We cover the ins and outs of finding cheap airfare with this website in our guide to using Momondo .

Kayak is not an OTA. Rather, it’s a travel search engine — making it a great place to start your flight search.

The site compares prices from many websites in a single spot, so you can easily see the cheapest options . Most of the time, you’ll click through to a different site to complete your booking.

Kayak offers the ability to combine 2 one-way tickets (usually on different airlines) in 1 itinerary, which is a great way to save money on your flight. These itineraries can be pretty good deals and something that doesn’t always appear in search results of other websites.

A couple of new features were introduced in early 2024 — Kayak PriceCheck and Ask Kayak. Kayak PriceCheck allows you to upload a screenshot of an itinerary in the Kayak app, and Kayak will compare it to prices on hundreds of other sites to ensure you’re getting the best deal. Ask Kayak is an AI tool that helps you personalize your travel planning.

Pros and Cons of Kayak

• Ability to combine 2 one-way flights on a single itinerary
• Price Alerts to keep an eye on flight prices
• Kayak PriceCheck
• Kayak offers the most benefit when your travel plans are very flexible; many of its most valuable tools help you search for deals, so this site might be less appealing when you have a specific flight in mind

Bottom Line: For more information about Kayak’s travel search tools, check out the complete guide to booking travel with Kayak .

Daily Deals Special: Click here for up to 40% off at Expedia

Expedia is another tried-and-true OTA that people have been using since the 1990s. Back then, Expedia was a go-to source for searching and booking flights. But how does it stack up now?

You aren’t necessarily getting a better deal booking through Expedia, but you aren’t paying any more than you might on the airline’s website.

A nice perk of using Expedia is that it offers a rewards program called One Key. This program offers member pricing plus the ability to earn points for flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises, activities, and more.

The One Key loyalty program is also used by Hotels.com and Vrbo.

If you’re a member of an airline’s frequent flyer program, you’ll be happy to know that you can still earn airline miles on a flight booked through Expedia . However, you often won’t be able to earn miles/points toward status or be eligible for seat upgrades.

Pros and Cons of Expedia

• Earn and redeem points through the One Key program
• Booking through Expedia may limit your mileage earned toward elite status
• Your ability to be eligible for upgrades can be limited when you book through Expedia

Hot Tip:  For more information, check out our post about how to use Expedia to find great deals on flights, hotels, vacation packages (and more).

Priceline is a popular OTA that introduced the Name Your Own Price tool and opaque bookings. These types of bookings can offer discounts, but many of the details are hidden until after the booking. The Name Your Own Price tool was discontinued for flights in 2016, so now Priceline operates like most other OTAs .

One of the nice things about searching for flights on Priceline is that it has a nice color-coded calendar, so you can easily see which days offer the lowest prices.

The search results on Priceline are clear and easy to navigate. As you scroll through your search results, you can easily see the cheapest nonstop options and things like flights with no change fees or early bird flights.

Another way to save money is by looking at Priceline’s Express Deals . These opaque bookings are ones where select details of the flight (like the departure, arrival times, or even the airline) are hidden until the booking is complete.

Pros and Cons of Priceline

• Express Deal flights can offer a good discount if you have some flexibility; many of the details of the flight, including airline and arrival and departure times, are hidden until the booking is complete
• Color-coded calendar and easy-to-read search results
• Price Match Guarantee
• Free online cancellation within 24 hours of booking (except for Express Deal flights)
• No rewards program
• Express Deal flights can be good deals, but they can sometimes be even more expensive than a standard booking

Bottom Line: For more information, check out the complete guide to booking travel with Priceline .

Daily Deals Special: Check out Orbitz’s Daily Deals

Orbitz is another reliable OTA that has been around since 2001. One thing that makes this site a little different is that it offers its own rewards program called Orbitz Rewards . You can earn Orbucks when you book hotels, flights, and vacation packages through Orbitz. However, you can only redeem Orbucks for hotels.

When booking a flight through Orbitz, you’ll earn 1% of your purchase price back as Orbucks (or 2% if you use the Orbitz mobile app). If you book a $500 flight, you will earn 5 Orbucks, which is worth $5 toward a hotel booking. Joining the Orbitz Rewards program is free.

Unfortunately, Orbitz sometimes charges a 1% booking fee . Keep an eye out for these on your trip summary page before finalizing your purchase, and factor them into your calculations to see if you’re getting a good deal or not. While earning Orbucks is great, paying a booking fee could wipe out all of the benefits.

Pros and Cons of Orbitz

• Orbitz Rewards lets you earn Orbucks that can be applied to hotel bookings
• 24-hour cancellation policy
• Low Price Guarantee: if you find a lower price for your flight on another website within 24 hours, Orbitz will refund the difference
• Flight booking fees

Bottom Line: For more information, check out our guide to booking travel with Orbitz .

Agoda is an OTA owned by Priceline. This website doesn’t offer much more than a simple search with limited filter options when looking for flights. If you’re looking for unique accommodations such as an apartment or private villa, Agoda is worth checking out, but it doesn’t offer much when searching for flights.

One cool thing about Agoda is that the site is multilingual. You can select your language by clicking on the flag in the top menu bar.

Pros and Cons of Agoda

• Simple search functionality
• Multilingual option
• Limited filtering options for flights

Hot Tip: Agoda has a loyalty program called VIP, but it only applies to hotel stays. For more information, check out our guide to booking travel through Agoda .

Special: See these Hotwire Flight Deals

Hotwire is a popular OTA that has been around for almost 20 years.

The simple home page offers the main search box to input your departure and arrival cities as well as your desired dates of travel.

Hotwire can offer a great deal when booking a hotel along with your flight . Many times during the booking process, you’ll see pop-ups or prompts advertising great savings when booking a hotel at the same time. We tested it, and every time we priced out a Hotwire vacation package deal against purchasing a flight and hotel separately, the package deal was cheaper.

Bottom Line: If you need a hotel in addition to your flight, booking both together through Hotwire can save you money.

Another thing to remember when using Hotwire to find great flight deals is that sometimes a booking fee will be charged.

Pros and Cons of Hotwire

• Package deals that include a hotel stay can save money
• Low Price Guarantee
• Hotwire can sometimes charge a booking fee

Bottom Line: For more details about finding great deals, check out our complete guide to booking travel through Hotwire .

Skyscanner is another travel search engine that does not sell flights directly. It shows you a list of flights and links to the airline’s website or OTA to complete the purchase.

This site excels for travelers with flexibility . In the search box, you can select Explore everywhere  to search for the cheapest destinations on your chosen dates.

If you have a set destination with specific dates, Skyscanner operates like most other travel search sites.

Pros and Cons of Skyscanner

• Flexible searches, including Explore everywhere  and Multi-city search
• Easy to change language and currency
• Price alerts

Hot Tip:  For more information, check out our in-depth piece on Skyscanner . 

Travelocity is yet another OTA that has been around for a while and is very similar to the other websites we’ve been looking at.

On the plus side, there are some nice filtering options to help you find the best flight for your needs. On the downside, prices can change between selection and booking. We did a dummy booking, and by the time we got to the payment section, the flight price had gone up from $157 to $338!

Much like other online travel agencies, Travelocity can also charge booking fees, so keep an eye out for those in the payment section of the booking process.

Pros and Cons of Travelocity

• Price Guarantee: If you find a lower price on an identical itinerary within 24 hours, Travelocity will refund the difference in price
• Free cancellation on flights within 24 hours of booking (on most airlines)
• Travelocity sometimes charges a booking fee
• Prices can change between flight selection and payment

Bottom Line: For more information, check out our guide to booking travel with Travelocity .

Google Flights is not an OTA. Rather, it’s a metasearch engine similar to Kayak. Once you find a flight, Google Flights will link you to the airline’s direct website or an OTA to complete the purchase. It is a powerful search engine built on the ITA Matrix , which was originally developed for travel agents.

This site shows you price trends and how your travel dates could affect the cost of your ticket. Plus, it allows you to track the prices of a route , so you can jump on low prices when they pop up. These features make Google Flights a great tool to help you feel confident that the price you’re getting is a good deal.

Google Flights recently rolled out a price guarantee feature on select flights departing from the U.S. If you book a flight with the price guarantee badge and the price drops, you’ll get a refund of the difference (with a maximum of $500 per calendar year) from Google Flights via Google Pay. However, you can only receive up to 3 price guaranteed refunds at any one time.

Pros and Cons of Google Flights

• Price graph shows you the pricing trends for your route and allows you to see what days might be cheaper to fly
• Price tracking will send you an email when your flight’s price increases or decreases
• Automatic price guarantee on select flights
• Since this search engine is so powerful with lots of options, it could get complicated for a novice traveler

Hot Tip: You can earn frequent flyer miles on flights booked through an OTA, but you might not earn miles toward elite status.

CheapOair is an OTA that offers its own credit card. Before applying for the card, we recommend considering a better travel rewards credit card  for more lucrative and flexible travel rewards.

This site might not be as cheap as you would think. That’s because it can charge expensive “agency fees.” For most flights, the fees can be up to $35; however, once you read the fine print, you’ll see they can actually be as high as $200 per ticket!

In addition, CheapOair charges a fee to change or cancel any ticket, including within 24 hours, which is free on many other sites.

Pros and Cons of CheapOair

• Price Match Promise: CheapOair will refund the difference in price if you find a lower price on the same itinerary on a major OTA within 24 hours of booking
• CheapOair charges hefty booking fees in addition to fees to cancel or change your flight
• Price Match Promise is very limited; the guarantee is only good for identical flights on Expedia, Orbitz, Priceline, and Travelocity

Bottom Line: CheapOair might not be cheap after all. It advertises low base fares, but it charges booking fees, which usually result in a higher price than the airline’s website. For more information, check out our guide to CheapOair .

Hopper is an app that tries to predict the right time to buy a flight. It claims that using its app can save you up to 40% on flights. The simple interface and color-coded map show you the cheapest and most expensive times to fly to your chosen destination.

You can also set up alerts to watch the prices for your specific dates or watch a whole month if you have flexible travel plans.

Pros and Cons of Hopper

• Easy to use
• Choose to watch prices for a specific trip or choose to watch prices over a whole month
• No ability to search on a desktop
• Few filtering options

Hot Tip: There are many credit cards with travel insurance and extra protections like trip interruption and cancellation protection and baggage delay coverage . We suggest looking at Chase credit cards or Amex credit cards for great insurance coverage.

We searched for a flight from Los Angeles (LAX) to New York City (JFK) across different travel booking websites to compare pricing head-to-head. Below is the cheapest ticket each website offered.

In this search, we weren’t taking anything other than price into consideration. When you are actually booking a flight, there will most likely be more factors that go into your decision of which flight to book.

In this example, Google Flights, Hopper, and Priceline tied for the cheapest flight cost with Expedia, Hotwire, Orbitz, and Travelocity coming in just $3 more expensive. CheapOair was by far the most expensive option.

There is no one-stop shop to find the lowest prices on a flight every time. Most OTAs are in the same ballpark when it comes to price.

If you’ve got some flexibility, many of these sites can help you find the lowest-priced travel dates and destinations.

If you prefer a more traditional booking, start out with a travel search engine like Kayak or Google Flights to search all of the other sites. That will give you a good idea of the best website to use to save the most money on your next flight.

Are you a student? Don’t miss our guide to the best websites for cheap, discount student flights .

Like this post? Pin it on Pinterest!

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card ® from American Express, click here .

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best website to use to book the cheapest flights.

There is no single website that has the cheapest flights all of the time. Most of the travel search engines and online travel agencies all have similar pricing, however you can find some really nice deals when looking at opaque (hidden) bookings or vacation packages.

What is an opaque booking?

An opaque booking hides many of the flight details, including arrival and departure times and the operating airline, until your booking is complete. Many sites including Hotwire, Orbitz, and Travelocity offer these types of bookings.

Will I earn frequent flyer miles when I book through an online travel agency?

Generally, yes, you will still be able to earn frequent flyer miles on flights booked through an online travel agency. However, miles earned to qualify for elite status may be not be awarded unless you book directly through the airline’s website.

What are the best websites to buy cheap flights to Europe?

Your best bet would be to start with a travel search engine like Kayak or Google Flights. You will be able to see prices from many different websites in one place and you can track flight prices to help determine the best time to purchase tickets. Be sure to check out our guide to the best websites to book European vacation packages if you want to bundle your flight with a hotel and/or rental car.

Is it cheaper to book directly on the airline's website?

Often, an airline will offer the lowest prices through its own website. However, you can often save money booking through an online travel agency (OTA) that has the ability to combine flights from more than 1 airline into a single itinerary.

Was this page helpful?

About Katie Seemann

Katie has been in the points and miles game since 2015 and started her own blog in 2016. She’s been freelance writing since then and her work has been featured in publications like Travel + Leisure, Forbes Advisor, and Fortune Recommends.

INSIDERS ONLY: UP PULSE ™

Get the latest travel tips, crucial news, flight & hotel deal alerts...

Plus — expert strategies to maximize your points & miles by joining our (free) newsletter.

We respect your privacy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA. Google's privacy policy and terms of service apply.

Related Posts

UP's Bonus Valuation

This bonus value is an estimated valuation calculated by UP after analyzing redemption options, transfer partners, award availability and how much UP would pay to buy these points.

The 10 Best (and Worst) Airfare Search Sites for 2024

Frommer’s regularly pits the best airfare search engines, aggregators, and booking sites against each other in a battle royale to see which can find the lowest price on more than two dozen identical searches for flights. 

This year’s results bring new discoveries. We are excited to announce that none of our new top three—the best of the best—is a household name. We are equally excited to discover that if you’re specifically looking for a last-minute deal on airfare, a fourth website, one that’s not even in our top three, is the best choice. And two former airfare search sites fell out of our Top 10 entirely: This year, both Booking.com and FlightNetwork failed to take off. As for the rest of our Top 10, each one has its pluses and minuses, which we’re about to reveal in our reviews below.

On this year’s list, two sites that previously languished in the bottom half of the reviews have upped their games and zoomed into the top ranks—and one former low performer improved so much that it nabbed the top slot.

We have winnowed down a wide field to the 10 best airfare sites for 2024. Here they are.

We tested 15 sites on 32 itineraries, trying both last-minute flights (leaving in a week) and APEX fares (booked three months out). We covered major gateways (NYC to LAX, LAX to Hong Kong, NYC to Paris) and secondary ones (Philly to Tampa, Chicago to Rome, Miami to Rio). We threw in a curve ball (Dallas to Dubai) and included a flight with no North American legs (London to Barcelona) to see how well each handled Europe‘s wilderness of low-cost carriers.

We also ignored low fares that would be miserable to fly due to excessively drawn-out layovers, too many stops, or flying long detours just to change planes. Basically, we rejected any itinerary that increased total travel time by more than half. Airlines may think those are viable plans, but we don’t.

We then used a rigorous, weighted scoring system that rewarded three points to any airfare search site that found the best fares, two points for second-best, and so on. We also penalized fares with negative points if the price proved to be higher than the average result from all competitors. Fares within 1% of one another were considered equal.

• An aggregator is only as good as the OTAs it canvasses. There are booking engines that sell tickets directly (Hotwire, Kiwi, CheapOAir, etc.). And then there are aggregators, which are sites that do not book tickets but instead search dozens of other booking engines, airfare sites, and OTAs (online travel agencies) and compile the results in one place; travelers then click through to their selection to make the actual purchase on the third-party site that’s actually selling it.

Some of the booking sites that aggregators show you are safer than others. All quality aggregators will remove unreliable ticket sellers from their searches, but problems can slip through. As you should do when you are referred to any unfamiliar company, always do a quick Better Business Bureau check for an unfamiliar airfare seller and search for complaints and red flags. 

Also, some OTAs are prone to dangling lead prices a few bucks below what they will actually offer once you click through, and some misleadingly categorize “direct” flights—which do actually stop, but don't require you to change planes— as “nonstop.” Because prices can change from moment to moment, even the most honorable aggregator may lead you to a site where you can’t find the airfare you were originally quoted. When that happened to us frequently in our review tests, we let you know.

Aggregator Google may be the Titan of online search, but it fumbles when it comes to airfares. 

Google does have some things going for it. It is unbelievably fast, refreshing results even as you key in destinations or change filters. It displays average prices on a popup calendar when you’re choosing dates so you can see at a glance the cheapest days to fly. It also lets you peruse a price grid and price graph on the results page. 

Google’s flight search features a fabulous “Explore” feature that allows you to select major city pairs and find the lowest fare for your dates (plus price trends for the month surrounding it), or just see at a glance how much it roughly costs to fly from your designated airport to dozens of destinations. It is also one of only three sites, including our #1, to feature a filter to include fees for checked and cabin bags in the prices. 

So why is the mighty Google at the back of the pack?

Its price results were all over the place. It found the best fare a grand total of one time, flying from Miami to Rio—but four of our top five sites matched it. Then it tanked on rooting out the absolutely lowest fares for two major routes: NYC to Paris and LA to Hong Kong. Its results for pricier direct flights on those itineraries were just average. 

Google frequently found the exact same flight as many other sites did, but at prices just a little bit higher—often just 5% to 15%, but in some cases bafflingly higher, like the last-minute Dallas-Dubai jaunt on Emirates; Google wanted $673 more than our price champion for that flight, and around $250 more than several other sites found.

After quietly doing away with its Hot Rates (deeply discounted opaque airfares), Hotwire fell out of our ranking after 2017. Now it’s back, but with a huge caveat: Never use Hotwire for last-minute fare. 

Hotwire performed, by far, the worst of any site we tested at last-minute prices, chalking up the highest airfare a whopping six times. The two better-than-average rates it did find were balanced out by a pair of worse-than-average ones on other itineraries. 

Hotwire made up some ground by being flatly average when it came to booking farther in advance. It never found the cheapest overall fare, but it often nabbed lower or even the lowest rates on direct flights.

Beyond that, it failed pretty hard, and we think we know why. Hotwire was the only site that missed big chances to bring no-frills carriers into the mix. On New York–to-Paris, it found a decent $745 fare on Scandinavian, albeit with a stopover—but everyone else found a direct Flybee flight for even less ($666–$687). The best Hotwire could muster for a direct flight: $987 on Norse.

More egregiously, because Hotwire only searches one airport at a time by default, it missed lots of cheaper no-frills flights that were available at nearby alternate airports. Because of that blind spot, Hotwire insisted on a British Airways fare for our London-Barcelona hop that actually cost around four times more than booking a combo of no-frills RyanAir, easyJet, and Vueling from other airports in London—a tactic every other site knew enough to include in results. Hotwire pulled the same face-plant on last-minute fares on the same route; the Air France tickets it offered us cost twice as much as the low-cost carriers in that scenario.

Another mark against Hotwire is its poor set of filters. Along with other problems, it offered no way to indicate a maximum total flight time or layover duration you’d be willing to deal with. That’s pretty much a standard sidebar slider everywhere else. We did like the way its showcases, above the results, how much it would cost to fly on three days to either side of your chosen date.

By the way: If you’re wondering why Expedia (and its corporate siblings, Orbitz and Travelocity) is not on this list, it is because those results are all right here in Hotwire. Expedia now just uses the Hotwire engine for its airfare functions, so if you search Expedia now, you’ve searched Hotwire.

This year,  Hopper , the travel app with an intuitive and colorful interface, tumbled five places from #3. 

When it came to finding cheap airfares, Hopper was a mixed bag. It did well enough on advance-purchase APEX fares, scoring slightly better prices than average about a third of the time. But that decent performance was counterbalanced by a dismal performance in the last-minute category. Hopper got whatever is the opposite of a silver medal, second only to Hotwire in putting up the worst prices the most often. Oddly, the only place where it fared better than average was on our curveball Dallas-to-Dubai itinerary. 

In terms of utility, Hopper still gives its users advice about the best dates to book based on price trends, but that feature used to offer far, far more insight on every flight—it once had bar graphs and historical prices, baggage fees and seat pitches, and the cost of various amenities. Those are all gone, although on the final booking page, Hopper will at least link you to the airline’s own page on baggage regulations and costs (except when that link is broken). 

Some features remain. The calendar for selecting dates is color coded to show the cheapest travel days for two months, so you can easily spot where a bit of flexibility might save you money. In addition to a paltry half-dozen sort-by filters (price, flight duration, number of stops, etc.), Hopper can limit the results to its self-defined categories of Basic (cheapest), Standard (economy fares, but with at least free carry-ons and seat selection), Enhanced (more legroom, priority boarding, free snacks, etc.), plus Premium and Luxury for folks who probably don't need this roundup of the best places to book airfares online. One nice touch: Hopper includes a novel option to limit results to flights with no change fee.

Speaking of fees, Hopper sure does like to pressure you to pay a lot of them for its own add-on services, like freezing a fare for up to 21 days for a sliding scale cost, plus flight protection and cancel-for-any-reason insurances—each of which Hopper, annoyingly, makes you decline on two screens in a row before you can proceed. (On that note, for security’s sake, we always recommend you buy travel insurance from a third party, never from the provider who sells you the trip, in case that provider becomes unreachable.)

We’re not sure what happened to the Czech booking site Kiwi.com to make it tumble from #2 to #7 in less than two years, but the numbers don’t lie. Most of its fares were just a little above or below average, though it did find the cheapest last-minute flights from Miami to Rio and Chicago to Rome. 

What tanked its score was twofold. It performed poorly on advance-purchase direct flights (out of eight itineraries, it scored under average three times and worst of all another three). Kiwi did come up with the cheapest overall fares on NYC to Paris and L.A. to Hong Hong with connecting flights—but then so did most of the sites that outranked it.

Kiwi does have some features to recommend it. It caters to travelers who can be flexible. The default departure date is "anytime," allowing you to see which days are cheapest, and once you do choose a date, pop-up calendars show indicative prices for every day over two months. The results page has a fare grid for three days to either side of your chosen dates, and a trends bar graph showing what prices are likely for a dozen days out (and you can scroll even earlier or later). It’ll even throw in train and bus options, if available, which on our list is unique to Kiwi. It also has the second-best set of filters in the game, rivaled only by our #1. 

But there’s a hitch. We must point out that Kiwi does catch some bad reviews for lackluster customer service when something goes wrong. Frommer’s has received complaints about Kiwi from readers, and few rivals would be jealous of its status with the Better Business Bureau, which fields complaints about its Miami office. Bearing that in mind, some travelers may feel more comfortable using Kiwi to find ideal itineraries but then buy them elsewhere. 

The last time we ran our tests, Priceline lost the precarious grip it had kept on the #10 spot for years and fell off the list entirely. During its time in the wilderness, Priceline evidently cleaned up some of its worst practices. It has vastly improved its filters, provided daily price comparisons on the popup date-picker calendars, and no longer turns up its nose at low-cost carriers. That, plus its solid, if not breathtaking, price performance, has placed Priceline back in good graces and firmly in the middle of the pack.

Overall, last-minute fares were Priceline’s biggest weakness, underperforming even our #7 contender, Kiwi, on that score. It was the advance fares that lifted Priceline to #6. It even pulled off a few nice moves. Priceline alone realized you could shave $40 off a CHI-ROM flight in exchange for a short layover in Istanbul. It was also one of only two tested sites to figure out you could save 35% on a last-minute trip from NYC to L.A. as long as you were willing to endure a brief layover. 

Priceline of course also still offers its original, quirky travel hack: The “Express Deals.” These are opaque fares in which you get to pick your airports and travel dates, but not learn precise flight times, airlines, or stopovers until you pay. Before purchasing, you’ll only know whether it’s a morning, mid-day, or evening takeoff and that there will be “0–1” plane changes. If you are willing to put up with that degree of uncertainty, you can save up to 40%, though the discount is typically more around the 10% mark.

Aggregator Tripadvisor  holds its position in fifth place, proving that while it may no longer be just a platform to vent about travel mishaps, but its airfare results are holding steady. 

Tripadvisor offers the clever cost-saving option to include nearby airports—you never know when Newark-to-Fort Lauderdale will cost half a LaGuardia-to-Miami ticket—and its great set of filters includes one that lets you limit the booking sites it checks to only the names you trust.

What’s holding it back at #5—aside from being annoyingly slow—is that whenever it found the cheapest tickets, or even a better-than-average airfare, so did our top three sites. And those higher-ranked sites pulled off this feat even more often. Tripadvisor also turned in a resoundingly meh performance on last-minute airfares, with overwhelmingly average results nearly across the board. 

The highest ranked OTA on our list, CheapOAir reigns supreme when it comes to last-minute airfares. How good are the airfares it sells? A few rivals managed to find the best price one or two times, but CheapOAir did so an impressive six times. 

However, alongside those six wins, CheapOAir posted three prices that were worse than average (but not the worst). You could say it’s all or nothing with these folks—even more so when it came to advance-purchase fares, where CheapoAir’s performance was all over the place. Put it this way: If we ignored its stellar performance in the last-minute category and scored things based only on buying tickets a few months out, CheapOAir would rank 7th, not 4th. 

A few other quibbles: CheapOAir won the booby prize for Most Annoying Popups—pestering us to "Speak to a travel expert" or pick "Air-hotel package or flights only?" to a vexing degree. It was also the slowest of our bunch, and sometimes pretty glitchy. 

On the plus side, the popup date-picker calendars automatically populate with airfare prices for every day, so you can see at a glance which day is cheapest to fly. CheapOAir also had a handy cheat sheet chart at the top of results showing the costs, both non-stop and cheapest, for the best half-dozen airlines. The filters were also pretty good, including options to show alternate dates and nearby airports (both can be great cost-saving techniques).

Always give CheapOAir a look if you are planning to fly in the immediate future—but then also run the numbers at our top three, just in case.

This decade-old upstart quickly outgrew its travel hacker roots to find a comfortable roost on our ranking among the top three—even when we left out the problematic "Hidden city" fares that were once its calling card. 

Hidden city fares—which you can easily exclude by unticking the box next to the word "SKIPLAGGING"—are tedious to explain but boil down to this: They can sometimes cost less, but you don't get to check any luggage. Most crucially, hidden city fares are against airline rules and can result in unpleasant, pricey consequences or even lawsuits if you're caught. But Skiplagged gives you the option to exclude this controversial type of airfare, which we did for our tests. 

Ironically, the site that named itself for a technique that games multi-leg journeys turned out to be strong on direct flights. Our top three sites were pretty much neck-and-neck when it came to pricing (all excellent at the long game, average on last-minute airfares), so it comes down to their other features.

Skiplagged's delightfully simple graphic interface lets you compare, at a glance, the lengths of trips, including layover durations. When you enter a departure airport or city, the arrival is defaulted to "Anywhere;" if you leave it that way, you get a page of photos with prices for a bunch of tempting getaways all across North America (sadly, though, nowhere else).

Skiplagged’s popup calendars show how much the flight costs on each day over two months, so you can easily see how tinkering with the departure or return can save you money. (On the two sites that placed higher in our review ranking, this feature only indicates price ranges, not precise fares).

We do have a few criticisms. Some of Skiplagged’s seemingly low fares from questionable OTAs were actually higher than the competition once you click over and discover service fees and the like. Skiplagged also lacks robust filters, doesn't disclose baggage fees, and rounds down all the prices—that last complaint is minor since we're only talking about a few cents, but just feels sneaky.

Skyscanner remains one of the best performers on price and essentially tied with #3, Skiplagged, in securing the lowest fares on advance purchase tickets. Skyscanner was consistently average on last-minute bookings—but we give it a shout-out for it nailing the cheapest price by far on a quick getaway from Philly to Tampa, even if it was on Spirit. Something else it shares with Skiplagged: mediocre filters.

This time, Skyscanner earned the edge for a few reasons. You can choose "Explore everywhere" as your destination to get a nice grid of destinations and the cheapest cost to get there. Unlike the similar feature at Skiplagged, which is constrained to North America, if you keep scrolling down on Skyscanner, you will get destinations on other continents as well.

This was also one of the first aggregators to include low-cost airlines, and it continues to innovate by including a star rating for all third-party booking sites (and how many users rated it), which helps with vetting unfamiliar OTAs.

Skyscanner offers the option to include nearby airports and to search for destinations in an entire country rather than just a city. While the initial popup calendars for travel dates do not show, as do some others, the precise prices to fly on alternate days, they do indicate each day’s relative cost category via a color code. Then, once you get to the results page, the tiny "Show whole month" link at the top will provide a page with two months’ worth of estimated prices.

Click here for Frommers' Top 10 Ranking of the Best Hotel Booking Sites

• All Regions
• Australia & South Pacific
• Caribbean & Atlantic
• Central & South America
• Middle East & Africa
• North America
• Washington, D.C.
• San Francisco
• New York City
• Los Angeles
• Arts & Culture
• Beach & Water Sports
• Local Experiences
• Food & Drink
• Outdoor & Adventure
• National Parks
• Winter Sports
• Travelers with Disabilities
• Family & Kids
• All Slideshows
• Hotel Deals
• Car Rentals
• Flight Alerts
• Credit Cards & Loyalty Points
• Cruise News
• Entry Requirements & Customs
• Car, Bus, Rail News
• Money & Fees
• Health, Insurance, Security
• Packing & Luggage
• -Arthur Frommer Online
• -Passportable
• Road Trip Guides
• Alaska Made Easy
• Great Vacation Ideas in the U.S.A.
• Best of the Caribbean
• Best of Mexico
• Cruise Inspiration
• Best Places to Go 2024

Get Daily Travel Tips & Deals!

By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use .

The 14 Best Flight Search Sites for Booking Cheap Airfare

Contributing Editor Carl Unger believes that every trip is worth taking. He loves an extended trip to Europe as much as he enjoys exploring the towns and landscape near home. Basically, you'll find him wherever there is good food, fresh air, and plenty of stories to bring home.

Carl has been writing for SmarterTravel since 2005. His travel writing has also appeared on USA Today and the About.com Boston travel guide.

The Handy Item I Always Pack: "It's not revolutionary, but a small Moleskine notebook is my one travel must-have. It's great for noting things you want to remember and it takes up hardly any space in your bag."

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: "Japan. I'd love to take a month off and visit the cities, temples, and countryside. I'm fascinated by the country's juxtaposition of ancient traditions and modern ambitions."

Travel Motto: “Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.” –Terry Pratchett

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: "Window."

Travel Smarter! Sign up for our free newsletter.

Wondering which website you should be booking your airfare with to get the best deal? You’re not alone. There are seemingly endless options when it comes to choosing the best flight booking site these days.

In addition to the option of booking directly with your airline, there are dozens of flight booking websites, also known as online travel agencies (OTAs), to choose from. The uncomfortable truth is that no one flight search engine can guarantee the best price 100 percent of the time, but using a mix of the right resources can help ensure you’re not overpaying.

The Best Flight Booking Sites

One important thing to remember about booking sites/OTAs is that Southwest fares are not sold on them. Some other airlines have also pulled their fares from some booking sites , but most airlines do make their fares available.

Here’s why these 14 are the best flight booking sites and metasearch options out there, and the best defining feature of each. Since it’s impossible to know which site will provide the best price for your particular trip, you should always compare fares from a few sources before you book.

Best Flight Search Site for Comparing Flight Types: Travelocity

It should be noted that Expedia owns Travelocity , so this flight booking site basically gives you Expedia price results with a different color scheme and organizational preferences. Travelocity’s homepage is streamlined but doesn’t offer a flexible-dates search. On the results page, bag fees are revealed by a pop-up screen that activates when clicking each fare, which makes it a little difficult to compare fees (you will likely have to scroll a bit). Travelocity charges booking fees for some but not all flights.

Best Feature: Travelocity displays all fares for a selected flight in a convenient pop-out window, allowing you to compare fares on a given itinerary while still scrolling through options from the search results on the same screen.

Why You Should Always Pack a Second Bag in Your Carry-On?

Best Flight Search Site for Comparison Shopping: BookingBuddy

Editor’s note: BookingBuddy is owned by SmarterTravel Media, SmarterTravel.com’s parent company.

Compare multiple airfare sites with one click to find the best flight deals on BookingBuddy . This metasearch site lets you easily compare prices from other sites (like Priceline) without having to do a bunch of different searches. You can choose which flight search sites you want to compare, and BookingBuddy opens up a new tab with your selected flight dates and destinations already filled in.

Looking for a flight and hotel? BookingBuddy offers a combination flight and hotel search that can save you some decent money by bundling.

Best Feature: Sign up for a price drop alert, and BookingBuddy will email you when costs drop on your route.

Best Flight Search Site for Transparency: Expedia

As previously mentioned, Expedia is nearly identical to Travelocity, but fares did vary between the two sites on some of my searches. As with Travelocity (and to be fair, a number of other OTAs), Expedia will try to up-sell you on adding a hotel to your itinerary. This can save you money, but be sure to compare prices before you book. Expedia charges variable booking fees (and they are not always the same fees that Travelocity charges). When you select your fare from the list of options, there’s an interstitial step that displays what is and isn’t covered in the fare, including seat selection, cancellations, changes, and baggage rules.

Best Feature: Like its subsidiary Travelocity, Expedia basically double-checks that you understand what sort of fare you’re choosing before you click “select” again. It’s a helpful bit of transparency in today’s cluttered airfare landscape.

Best Flight Search Site for Nonstop Flights: CheapOair

Much like Travelocity and Expedia, flight search sites CheapOair and OneTravel (discussed later in this article) are versions of the same product, owned by Fareportal Inc. Though the sites are owned by the same company, the fare results are not always identical, so it’s worth checking both. CheapOair shows some “Super Saver Fares” for which you don’t find out the airline you’ll be flying until after you book—which means you also don’t find out what baggage fees apply until after you book. However, the savings might be worth it. CheapOair charges a service fee on air travel transactions, from $0 to $35 per ticket.

Best Feature: CheapOair prioritizes nonstop prices over itineraries with stops, organized in an easy-to-read chart that’s organized by airline.

5 Travel Neck Pillows That Actually Work

Best Flight Search Site with Flight Reviews: Tripadvisor Flights

Tripadvisor is known for its hotel reviews, and now travelers can apply their ratings to airlines, plus search for airfare on Tripadvisor Flights . On testing this flight booking site it’s clear that Tripadvisor doesn’t always serve up the cheapest fares, but sometimes it did. It always, however, gives you the option to surface Expedia, Travelocity, and other flight booking sites’ results, so you can compare right away with one click. Tripadvisor Flights also has some helpful search options up front, like a checkbox for prioritizing nonstop flights.

Best Feature: Tripadvisor’s flight search tool is unique from others in that it offers review-based FlyScores of airlines alongside their fares, so you’re less likely to book with an obscure, poorly rated airline without realizing it.

Best Flight Booking Site for Environmentally-Conscious Flyers: Skyscanner

Skyscanner is a popular metasearch site that works with hundreds of other travel providers to find the best fares. You can specify nonstop-flights-only right from the homepage, and there’s also a handy “everywhere” option if you don’t have a particular destination in mind and want to see what’s available. Search results show the “best” option (based on a combination of price and speed) as well as the fastest and cheapest, and you can filter by airline, alliance, number of stops, and flight times. When you select a result, you’ll see a variety of places to book that particular flight. Skyscanner casts a wide net, so you’ll often see very cheap fares from booking sites you’ve never heard of; to help you figure out how trustworthy they are, Skyscanner shows user star ratings for each.

Best Feature: For flyers concerned about the environmental impact of their travel, Skyscanner has a unique “Greener flights” filter, which shows only itineraries with lower-than-average CO2 emissions based on your search. The site also highlights certain itineraries in your results as a “greener choice.”

Best Flight Booking Site for Flexible Travel: OneTravel

OneTravel has a similar interface to CheapOAir, with a convenient chart prioritizing the best nonstop flight options at the top of the results page. The search results automatically populate similar but cheaper flights on alternate dates close to the user’s original search date, which is great if there is flexibility in your plans. If you are committed to your arrival and departure dates, however, you can toggle off alternate dates in the filters section. One major drawback: OneTravel charges a steep service fee of up to $50 per ticket.

Best Feature: The search results page is subdivided into Recommended, Cheapest, Shortest, and Alternate Date tabs, making it easy to find exactly what you’re looking for at a high-level and continue to filter down from there.

Best Flight Booking Site for People on a Budget: Travelzoo

Travelzoo is quite different from the other sites listed here. Instead of booking specific itineraries, you can search broad timelines (this week, next month, this summer, etc.) for deals in your desired destination by either month or season. This makes Travelzoo a good fit for people with a budget and time frame, but no firm idea of when or even where they want to go. The downside is that if you do have specific plans in mind—for example, you need a flight to Omaha in March—Travelzoo is not likely to be helpful.

Best Feature: Travelzoo’s flexibility requirement can afford some great deals you won’t find elsewhere, like cheap business-class flights and multi-city itineraries that will make a dream trip a lot more affordable than you’d think.

How to Get Over Your Fear of Flying

Best For Where You Don’t Care Where You Go, You Just Want a Good Price: Google Flights

Google Flights is a powerful, simple metasearch site that comes free of ads and distractions. After you enter your departure and arrival airports, the calendar pre-populates with prices so you can target dates with lower fares. Once you have your results, you can track fares on your selected dates and receive updates by email. You can also view fares over various dates using the “Price Graph,” which shows you a bar graph that makes it easy to see when the lowest fares are available.

Best Feature: Instead of putting in a certain city as a destination, you can put in a larger region such as Europe or South Africa. You’ll then see fares to various cities within that region displayed all at once on a map. This can be helpful if you want to go to Europe in April, for example, but don’t have a particular destination in mind.

Best Flight Booking Site for Filtering: Kayak

Often imitated and frequently duplicated, Kayak was a game-changer when it launched back in the mid-2000s. And it’s still one of the most powerful metasearch tools available. You can also set up fares alerts to track prices over time. The interface is noisier than Google Flights thanks to a preponderance of ads, but still easy to use. Like Google, it has a flexible search feature that lets you search for good deals to a region like Europe or even simply put in “anywhere.” Another handy feature available on many itineraries: an “Our Advice” box that lets you know whether you should buy now or wait, depending on whether Kayak thinks fares will go up or down over the next seven days.

Best Feature: Its Hacker Fares claim to piece together separate one-way tickets, potentially saving you money compared to similar itineraries, and its wide range of filters, sorting options, and predictive technologies put a lot of tools at travelers’ disposal.

Best Flight Booking Site That Included Southwest: Momondo

Like Kayak, Momondo is a metasearch site that takes you to other sites to make your purchase. One plus: Momondo surfaces results from Southwest, including flight times and other details from the carrier … but no prices. Only by clicking through to Southwest could I see the fare. Still, it’s nice to have a reminder that Southwest is an unlisted option. Another plus: Momondo searches for fares from a ton of smaller OTAs, which could lead to a deal that other metasearch tools miss.

Best Feature: The mention of Southwest is unique to Momondo.

Best Flight Booking Site for Multi-Stop Itineraries: Nomad from Kiwi.com

Kiwi.com is an OTA like many others; you book directly on the site (as you would on Expedia) rather than being linked off to a different site (as you would on Kayak or Momondo). But what sets it apart is its Nomad search engine, which lets you find cheap itineraries for multi-destination trips. You enter the starting and ending places of your journey as well as the cities where you want to stop along the way, including how many nights you want to spend in each place. Hit “find routes,” and the site will put together an itinerary that mixes and matches airlines and routes for the lowest possible price. (For example, I was quoted a route involving four flights—New York City to Rome to Moscow to Tokyo and back to New York—for a measly $1,031 round-trip.) You can filter your results to weed out routes with multiple layovers or flights that don’t include checked baggage.

Best Feature: This is by far the easiest tool I’ve used to research around-the-world and multi-stop itineraries.

The One Thing You Should Never Do If An Airline Loses Your Luggage

Best Flight Booking Site for Fare Alerts: Airfarewatchdog

Full disclosure, airfarewatchdog is a sister site to SmarterTravel, so we are slightly biased with this one, but promise it is worth your while. Airfarewatchdog is the best for flexible travelers who are just looking for a great deal on airfare. Search fares from a city, to a city, or you can “ choose an adventure ,” which will show you fares from your city to various hotspots depending on what you are looking for – castles, caves, coffee, you name it, airfarewatchdog will point you in the right direction. Their blog features great travel tips, and one of the best features is the fare alerts you can sign up for. If you know you want to travel somewhere, but all you want is a cheap price, sign up for an alert, and you’ll find out as soon as the price dips so you can book it right away.

Best Feature: The fare alert—it allows you to stop searching daily for that perfect price! Let airfarewatchdog do the work for you.

Best Mobile-Friendly Flight Booking Site: Hopper

Hopper is primarily an app for your phone (although it can be used as a website ) but it is worth putting on here just the same. Have you ever been scared to book a flight because it might go down, or afraid to not book it in case it goes up? One of the features of Hopper that makes it shine is its price predictor, which means you never have to worry about making the wrong booking decision. Another bonus is it shows you the price with all of the fees and taxes included, so there is no sticker shock when you finally go to book. After you search, if you aren’t ready to book, you can set up an alert to watch that trip, dates and all. 

Best Feature: Hands down the price predictor. 

Which Flight Booking Site is Best for Me?

In determining which of these sites are the best ones for you to compare prices with, it’s helpful to determine which sites meet your trip-booking needs. Do you want to clearly see bag fees up front? Do you want an easy “flexible dates” function, or are your dates firm? If your travel plans are loose, do you want to see prices for multiple destinations? Different flight booking sites have different capabilities.

Once you determine which site is worth your time depending on the trip, compare prices with a few to make sure you’re getting the best deal. And always check the airline’s own site: OTAs are good at displaying fees associated with an individual flight, but it’s trickier to compare fare options (classes like basic economy vs. economy) on that flight.

6 Things Not to Wear on a Plane

Lastly, it’s important to remember that this list can be separated into two main types: booking sites (also called OTAs) that you book directly with as a third party, and aggregators otherwise known as metasearch sites that’ll send you to a booking site to make your transaction. The latter are better if you want to use any frequent flyer programs you might belong to and acquire points.

Editor’s note: This story was originally published in 2019. It has been updated to reflect the most current information. Sarah Schlichter and Megan Johnson  contributed to this story. Some of the links featured in this story are affiliate links, and SmarterTravel may collect a commission (at no cost to you) if you shop through them. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

You Might Also Like:

We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.

Top Fares From

Don't see a fare you like? View all flight deals from your city.

Today's top travel deals.

Brought to you by ShermansTravel

Porto to Lisbon: 7-Nt, Small-Group Portugal...

Indus Travels

Greenland: Luxe, All-Incl. 11-Nt Exploration Small-Ship...

Swan Hellenic

Ohio: Daily Car Rentals from Cincinnati

Trending on SmarterTravel

Find and compare cheap flights

Trending cities, the most searched for cities on momondo, trending countries, the most searched for countries on momondo.

We search and compare billions of real-time prices on plane tickets so you can easily find the cheapest, quickest, and best flight deals for you.

• Flights from Los Angeles to New York
• Flights from San Francisco to New York
• Flights from Dallas to New York
• Flights from Fort Lauderdale to New York
• Flights from Miami to New York
• Flights from Orlando to New York
• Flights from Chicago to New York
• Flights from Ontario to New York
• Flights from Seattle to New York
• Flights from Burbank to New York
• Flights from Los Angeles to Bangkok
• Flights from New York to Bangkok
• Flights from San Francisco to Bangkok
• Flights from Chicago to Bangkok
• Flights from Seattle to Bangkok
• Flights from Dallas to Bangkok
• Flights from Washington, D.C. to Bangkok
• Flights from Ontario to Bangkok
• Flights from Houston to Bangkok
• Flights from Boston to Bangkok
• Flights from New York to Miami
• Flights from Los Angeles to Miami
• Flights from Boston to Miami
• Flights from Chicago to Miami
• Flights from Washington, D.C. to Miami
• Flights from Atlanta to Miami
• Flights from Philadelphia to Miami
• Flights from Dallas to Miami
• Flights from Detroit to Miami
• Flights from San Francisco to Miami
• Flights from Los Angeles to Tokyo
• Flights from New York to Tokyo
• Flights from San Francisco to Tokyo
• Flights from Seattle to Tokyo
• Flights from Dallas to Tokyo
• Flights from Ontario to Tokyo
• Flights from Chicago to Tokyo
• Flights from Washington, D.C. to Tokyo
• Flights from Boston to Tokyo
• Flights from Santa Ana to Tokyo
• Flights from New York to Chicago
• Flights from Los Angeles to Chicago
• Flights from Boston to Chicago
• Flights from San Francisco to Chicago
• Flights from Washington, D.C. to Chicago
• Flights from Seattle to Chicago
• Flights from Orlando to Chicago
• Flights from Dallas to Chicago
• Flights from Atlanta to Chicago
• Flights from Philadelphia to Chicago
• Flights from New York to London
• Flights from Los Angeles to London
• Flights from San Francisco to London
• Flights from Washington, D.C. to London
• Flights from Boston to London
• Flights from Chicago to London
• Flights from Seattle to London
• Flights from Dallas to London
• Flights from Miami to London
• Flights from Atlanta to London
• Flights from New York to Paris
• Flights from Los Angeles to Paris
• Flights from Washington, D.C. to Paris
• Flights from San Francisco to Paris
• Flights from Boston to Paris
• Flights from Chicago to Paris
• Flights from Dallas to Paris
• Flights from Seattle to Paris
• Flights from Atlanta to Paris
• Flights from Miami to Paris
• Flights from New York to Copenhagen
• Flights from Washington, D.C. to Copenhagen
• Flights from Boston to Copenhagen
• Flights from Los Angeles to Copenhagen
• Flights from Chicago to Copenhagen
• Flights from San Francisco to Copenhagen
• Flights from Seattle to Copenhagen
• Flights from Atlanta to Copenhagen
• Flights from Philadelphia to Copenhagen
• Flights from Denver to Copenhagen
• Flights from Los Angeles to Manila
• Flights from San Francisco to Manila
• Flights from New York to Manila
• Flights from Ontario to Manila
• Flights from Seattle to Manila
• Flights from Chicago to Manila
• Flights from San Jose to Manila
• Flights from Washington, D.C. to Manila
• Flights from Houston to Manila
• Flights from Honolulu to Manila
• Flights from New York to Las Vegas
• Flights from Dallas to Las Vegas
• Flights from Chicago to Las Vegas
• Flights from San Francisco to Las Vegas
• Flights from Los Angeles to Las Vegas
• Flights from Seattle to Las Vegas
• Flights from Atlanta to Las Vegas
• Flights from Boston to Las Vegas
• Flights from Denver to Las Vegas
• Flights from Washington, D.C. to Las Vegas

Los Angeles

• Flights from New York to Los Angeles
• Flights from Seattle to Los Angeles
• Flights from Boston to Los Angeles
• Flights from Dallas to Los Angeles
• Flights from Chicago to Los Angeles
• Flights from Washington, D.C. to Los Angeles
• Flights from San Francisco to Los Angeles
• Flights from San Jose to Los Angeles
• Flights from Oakland, California to Los Angeles
• Flights from Portland to Los Angeles
• Flights from New York to Istanbul
• Flights from Washington, D.C. to Istanbul
• Flights from Los Angeles to Istanbul
• Flights from San Francisco to Istanbul
• Flights from Chicago to Istanbul
• Flights from Miami to Istanbul
• Flights from Dallas to Istanbul
• Flights from Seattle to Istanbul
• Flights from Boston to Istanbul
• Flights from Atlanta to Istanbul
• Flights from New York to Rome
• Flights from Chicago to Rome
• Flights from Washington, D.C. to Rome
• Flights from Boston to Rome
• Flights from San Francisco to Rome
• Flights from Los Angeles to Rome
• Flights from Dallas to Rome
• Flights from Miami to Rome
• Flights from Atlanta to Rome
• Flights from Philadelphia to Rome
• Flights from New York to Barcelona
• Flights from Los Angeles to Barcelona
• Flights from San Francisco to Barcelona
• Flights from Washington, D.C. to Barcelona
• Flights from Miami to Barcelona
• Flights from Chicago to Barcelona
• Flights from Boston to Barcelona
• Flights from Atlanta to Barcelona
• Flights from Dallas to Barcelona
• Flights from Philadelphia to Barcelona
• Flights from New York to Orlando
• Flights from Boston to Orlando
• Flights from Philadelphia to Orlando
• Flights from Chicago to Orlando
• Flights from Dallas to Orlando
• Flights from Washington, D.C. to Orlando
• Flights from Los Angeles to Orlando
• Flights from Detroit to Orlando
• Flights from Houston to Orlando
• Flights from Providence to Orlando

How to find cheap flight deals with momondo

• KAYAK for Business NEW

Compare flights from 100s of sites.

• Hi New York City Hostel $61+
• West Side Ymca $113+
• Central Park West Hostel $161+
• Radio Hotel $170+
• Pod 51 $188+
• Pod Times Square $189+
• The Manhattan At Times Square $192+
• The Gallivant Times Square $193+
• Pod 39 $195+
• OYO Times Square $198+
• Paramount Times Square $202+
• YOTEL New York $204+
• The Washington by LuxUrban, Trademark Collection by Wyndham $211+
• DoubleTree by Hilton New York Downtown $214+
• The New Yorker A Wyndham Hotel $223+
• Flight Atlanta - New York (ATL - LGA) $51+
• Flight Miami - Newark (MIA - EWR) $51+
• Flight Chicago - New York (ORD - LGA) $55+
• Flight Fort Lauderdale - Newark (FLL - EWR) $55+
• Flight Fort Lauderdale - New York (FLL - LGA) $75+
• Flight Orlando - Newark (MCO - EWR) $75+
• Flight Dallas - New York (DFW - LGA) $76+
• Flight Orlando - New York (MCO - LGA) $78+
• Flight Miami - New York (MIA - LGA) $80+
• Flight Denver - New York (DEN - LGA) $90+
• Flight Houston - Newark (HOU - EWR) $92+
• Flight Los Angeles - Newark (LAX - EWR) $105+
• Flight Burbank - Newark (BUR - EWR) $107+
• Flight Dallas - Newark (DFW - EWR) $109+
• Flight Chicago - Newark (ORD - EWR) $110+
• Monumental Movieland Hotel $51+
• Grand Hotel Kissimmee At Celebration $55+
• Rosen Inn International $71+
• Flight Atlanta - Orlando (ATL - MCO) $31+
• Flight Houston - Orlando (HOU - MCO) $35+
• Flight Houston - Orlando (IAH - MCO) $35+
• Book A Bed Hostels $26+
• Generator London $36+
• Corbigoe Hotel $54+
• Ramada London North M1 $61+
• Flight New York - London (JFK - LGW) $322+
• Flight New Windsor - London (SWF - STN) $364+
• Flight Los Angeles - London (LAX - LGW) $385+
• Flight Boston - London (BOS - LGW) $430+

Fort Lauderdale

• Red Carpet Inn Airport Fort Lauderdale $65+
• Days Inn by Wyndham Fort Lauderdale Airport Cruise Port $65+
• The Link Hotel on Sunrise $67+
• Flight Atlanta - Fort Lauderdale (ATL - FLL) $44+
• Flight Philadelphia - Fort Lauderdale (PHL - FLL) $46+
• Flight Chicago - Fort Lauderdale (ORD - FLL) $52+
• Green Tortoise Hostel Seattle $59+
• Travelodge by Wyndham Seattle By The Space Needle $121+
• Coast Gateway Hotel $133+
• Flight Denver - Seattle (DEN - SEA) $78+
• Flight Ontario - Seattle (ONT - SEA) $80+
• Flight Phoenix - Seattle (PHX - SEA) $96+
• Fabhotel Royal Residency Lakdikapul $19+
• Katriya Hotel & Towers $25+
• Royalton, Hyderabad $42+
• Flight New York - Mumbai (JFK - BOM) $486+
• Flight New York - Ahmedabad (JFK - AMD) $567+
• Flight New York - New Delhi (JFK - DEL) $578+
• Best Western Sapporo Odori Koen $28+
• Smile Hotel Premium Sapporo Susukino $30+
• Nest Hotel Sapporo Ekimae $31+
• Flight Los Angeles - Tokyo (LAX - NRT) $594+
• Flight San Francisco - Tokyo (SFO - NRT) $634+
• Flight Los Angeles - Tokyo (LAX - HND) $736+
• Royal Grove Waikiki $112+
• Kuhio Banyan Club $120+
• Pacific Marina Inn $128+
• Flight Los Angeles - Honolulu (LAX - HNL) $243+
• Flight San Francisco - Honolulu (SFO - HNL) $262+
• Flight San Jose - Honolulu (SJC - HNL) $275+
• Super 8 by Wyndham Dallas Love Field Airport $52+
• Dallas Love Field Inn $56+
• Wyndham Garden Dallas North $67+
• Flight Chicago - Dallas (MDW - DFW) $46+
• Flight Atlanta - Dallas (ATL - DFW) $51+
• Flight Minneapolis - Dallas (MSP - DFW) $56+
• OYO Hotel And Casino Las Vegas $25+
• The STRAT Hotel, Casino & Tower $29+
• Four Queens Hotel and Casino $46+
• Circus Circus Hotel, Casino & Theme Park $46+
• Flight Los Angeles - Las Vegas (LAX - LAS) $24+
• Flight Burbank - Las Vegas (BUR - LAS) $39+
• Flight Oakland - Las Vegas (OAK - LAS) $47+
• Flight San Francisco - Las Vegas (SFO - LAS) $59+
• Freehand Chicago $35+
• Chicago Getaway Hostel $52+
• Travelodge by Wyndham Downtown Chicago $103+
• Flight Atlanta - Chicago (ATL - MDW) $37+
• Flight Denver - Chicago (DEN - ORD) $47+
• Flight Dallas - Chicago (DFW - MDW) $48+

San Francisco

• Hi San Francisco Downtown Hostel $51+
• The Mosser $74+
• Axiom Hotel $117+
• Flight Los Angeles - San Francisco (LAX - SFO) $33+
• Flight Ontario - San Francisco (ONT - SFO) $38+
• Flight San Diego - San Francisco (SAN - SFO) $51+

Washington, D.C.

• Generator Hotel Washington DC $68+
• Days Inn by Wyndham Washington DC/Connecticut Avenue $121+
• Georgetown Residences by LuxUrban, Trademark Coll by Wyndham $146+
• Citizenm Washington DC Noma $161+
• Hotel Harrington $164+
• Beacon Hotel & Corporate Quarters $169+
• Hyatt Place Washington DC/US Capitol $177+
• Motto by Hilton Washington DC City Center $187+
• Arc Hotel Washington DC, Georgetown $188+
• Henley Park Hotel $188+
• Citizenm Washington Dc Capitol $192+
• Morrison Clark Historic Inn $193+
• Flight Atlanta - Baltimore (ATL - BWI) $36+
• Flight Boston - Baltimore (BOS - BWI) $52+
• Flight Fort Lauderdale - Baltimore (FLL - BWI) $57+
• Flight Dallas - Baltimore (DFW - BWI) $73+
• Flight Houston - Baltimore (HOU - BWI) $78+
• Flight Houston - Baltimore (IAH - BWI) $78+
• Flight Chicago - Baltimore (ORD - BWI) $96+
• Flight Boston - Washington, D.C. (BOS - DCA) $123+
• Flight Los Angeles - Baltimore (LAX - BWI) $124+
• Flight Dallas - Washington, D.C. (DFW - DCA) $125+
• Flight Boston - Washington, D.C. (BOS - IAD) $129+
• Flight Houston - Washington, D.C. (HOU - DCA) $133+
• Hotel Boutique Casa Mallorca $70+
• Suites Malecon Cancun $70+
• Avani Cancún Airport Hotel $85+
• Flight Dallas - Cancún (DFW - CUN) $178+
• Flight Fort Lauderdale - Cancún (FLL - CUN) $181+
• Flight Houston - Cancún (HOU - CUN) $181+

United States

• Flight Newark - Fort Lauderdale (EWR - FLL) $56+
• Flight Newark - Miami (EWR - MIA) $56+
• Flight Dallas - Las Vegas (DFW - LAS) $60+
• Kauai Palms Hotel $189+
• Tip Top Motel $194+
• Kauai Beach Villas $220+
• Flight Los Angeles - Hawaii (LAX - USHI) $213+
• Flight San Francisco - Hawaii (SFO - USHI) $262+
• Flight San Jose - Hawaii (SJC - USHI) $275+
• Super 8 by Wyndham San Diego Hotel Circle $86+
• California Suites Hotel $95+
• Best Western Seven Seas $105+
• Flight Phoenix - San Diego (PHX - SAN) $50+
• Flight San Jose - San Diego (SJC - SAN) $57+
• Flight Oakland - San Diego (OAK - SAN) $63+
• Shared Living Not A Hotel $34+
• Super 8 by Wyndham Phoenix West $53+
• Hometowne Studios by Red Roof Phoenix - Dunlap Ave. $55+
• Flight Ontario - Phoenix (ONT - PHX) $38+
• Flight Dallas - Phoenix (DFW - PHX) $47+
• Flight Denver - Phoenix (DEN - PHX) $50+

Los Angeles

• Boutique Hostel $34+
• Freehand Los Angeles $41+
• City Center Hotel $104+
• Rotex Western Inn $107+
• Four Points by Sheraton Los Angeles International Airport $108+
• La Quinta Inn & Suites LAX $123+
• Holiday Inn Los Angeles - LAX Airport $136+
• Flight Phoenix - Los Angeles (PHX - LAX) $50+
• Flight San Francisco - Los Angeles (SFO - LAX) $56+
• Flight Oakland - Los Angeles (OAK - LAX) $58+
• Flight Dallas - Los Angeles (DFW - LAX) $67+
• Flight Denver - Los Angeles (DEN - LAX) $79+
• Flight Austin - Los Angeles (AUS - LAX) $84+
• Flight Houston - Los Angeles (HOU - LAX) $85+
• Selina Gold Dust $58+
• Motel 6 Miami. Fl $75+
• La Quinta Inn by Wyndham Miami Airport North $78+
• Miami Gardens Inn & Suites $84+
• Days Inn by Wyndham Miami International Airport $91+
• La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Miami Airport East $94+
• Holiday Inn Express & Suites Miami-Kendall $112+
• The Palms Inn & Suites Miami, Kendall, Fl $112+
• Radisson Red Miami Airport $113+
• Holiday Inn Miami West - Airport Area $113+
• Courtyard by Marriott Miami West/FL Turnpike $121+
• Flight Atlanta - Miami (ATL - MIA) $33+
• Flight Philadelphia - Miami (PHL - MIA) $47+
• Flight Chicago - Miami (ORD - MIA) $51+
• Flight Chicago - Miami (MDW - MIA) $52+
• Flight Raleigh - Miami (RDU - MIA) $53+
• Flight Baltimore - Miami (BWI - MIA) $60+
• Flight Dallas - Miami (DFW - MIA) $63+
• Flight Houston - Miami (HOU - MIA) $75+
• Flight Houston - Miami (IAH - MIA) $75+
• Flight New York - Miami (LGA - MIA) $75+
• Hometowne Studios by Red Roof Denver - Glendale/Cherry Creek $64+
• Super 8 by Wyndham Denver Stapleton $76+
• Days Inn & Suites by Wyndham Denver International Airport $98+
• Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham Denver Airport $99+
• Baymont by Wyndham Denver International Airport $104+
• Quality Inn & Suites Denver International Airport $104+
• Hyatt Place Pena Station Denver Airport $104+
• Flight Minneapolis - Denver (MSP - DEN) $35+
• Flight Austin - Denver (AUS - DEN) $56+
• Flight Ontario - Denver (ONT - DEN) $60+
• Flight Los Angeles - Denver (LAX - DEN) $62+
• Flight Detroit - Denver (DTW - DEN) $74+
• Flight San Francisco - Denver (SFO - DEN) $74+
• Flight Atlanta - Denver (ATL - DEN) $76+
• Hi Boston Hostel $65+
• Ramada by Wyndham Boston $156+
• Temple Place Suites $169+
• Flight Baltimore - Boston (BWI - BOS) $42+
• Flight Orlando - Boston (MCO - BOS) $51+
• Flight Chicago - Boston (ORD - BOS) $73+
• Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Atlanta Airport $64+
• La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Atlanta Airport North $98+
• Sonesta Select Atlanta Cumberland Galleria $103+
• Flight Fort Lauderdale - Atlanta (FLL - ATL) $35+
• Flight Baltimore - Atlanta (BWI - ATL) $37+
• Flight Miami - Atlanta (MIA - ATL) $37+
• Generator Madrid $33+
• C&h Aravaca Garden $39+
• Toc Hostel Madrid $45+
• Flight New York - London (JFK - LGW) $273+
• Flight New York - Paris (JFK - CDG) $331+
• Flight New York - Paris (JFK - ORY) $348+
• Rodeway Inn Fairgrounds-Casino $64+
• Econo Lodge Airport at RJ Stadium $69+
• Tampa Inn Near Busch Gardens $70+
• Flight Chicago - Florida (ORD - USFL) $51+
• Flight Philadelphia - Florida (PHL - USFL) $53+
• Flight Newark - Florida (EWR - USFL) $56+
• Flight Atlanta - Tampa (ATL - TPA) $38+
• Flight Chicago - Tampa (MDW - TPA) $63+
• Flight Richmond - Tampa (RIC - TPA) $63+

New Orleans

• Ramada by Wyndham New Orleans $66+
• Wyndham Garden Hotel Baronne Plaza $94+
• Maison Saint Charles by Hotel RL $103+
• Flight Houston - New Orleans (HOU - MSY) $46+
• Flight Atlanta - New Orleans (ATL - MSY) $48+
• Flight Dallas - New Orleans (DFW - MSY) $51+

Frequently asked questions about KAYAK

How do i find travel deals on kayak.

Simply use one of our travel search engines to scan for prices gathered from hundreds of travel sites. KAYAK’s search results pages have loads of filter options to help you find deals, discover exactly what you’re looking for and make booking seamless. Plus, there’s no extra fee from KAYAK.

How can I use KAYAK to manage my travel bookings?

KAYAK Trips creates a travel itinerary for you that will give you flight status alerts, can be shared with friends and more. Simply forward your booking confirmations to [email protected] or use the KAYAK app and sync your email account to keep all your travel plans organized in one app, even if you didn’t book with KAYAK. You can share your holiday plans with friends and family and also check out your travel stats for past vacations, like how far you’ve traveled, your most popular cities and how many times you’ve traveled around the world. Even if you don’t have signal, don’t worry, as you can access Trips to check out your itineraries whilst on the road. Your data is safe and secure with us and you won’t have to re-enter credit card info when booking future trips. If you want to make changes or cancel bookings, then you should contact the travel provider, which is provided on the booking confirmation.

What makes KAYAK a great travel app?

On the KAYAK app for iOS and Android you’ll find all the great travel offers found on the website and much more. There are special mobile rates and app only deals that allow you to save even more money. Plus, you can get notifications straight to your phone letting you know when prices for your next trip have dropped. But the KAYAK app is much more than just a travel app. Use the Trips function to manage your travel itinerary and get up to date status alerts on flights, check-in changes and to store your boarding pass. Even if you’re in the middle of nowhere on your travels, you can still access your travel notes via Trips, as no internet connection is required.

What are KAYAK Price Alerts?

Instead of manually checking back in on the price of your next flight or stay, let KAYAK do the hard work for you with KAYAK Price Alerts. Once you’ve saved your search, our data will determine how the price will rise or fluctuate over the coming days. You’ll then get a push notification letting you know when’s the perfect time to book.

Flight search

• Adults Remove adult 1 Add adult
• Children Aged 2-11 Aged 2 to 11 Remove child 0 Add child
• Infants In seat Remove infant in seat 0 Add infant in seat
• Infants On lap Remove infant on lap 0 Add infant on lap
• Premium economy

Find cheap flights from Russia to anywhere Close dialog These suggestions are based on the cheapest fares to popular destinations in the next six months. Prices include required taxes + fees for 1 adult. Optional charges and bag fees may apply.

• Saint Petersburg

Useful tools to help you find the best deals

Popular destinations from russia, frequently asked questions.

Search Cheap Flights

Add a place to stay

Featured travel

Discover airfare

 Flights under $200

It’s time to get away—up and away!

Book on American Airlines for sweet deals to all your favorite destinations

Things are looking up—and booking up! 

Head to United Airlines and snag awesome flight deals now. 

Travel advice and inspiration from the experts

Advice for healthier air travel

When you’re ready to board a plane, here is our advice for traveling safer and smarter.

How to plan a trip right now

Ready to get back out there? Here are some things to consider as you start to plan your next trip.

Trips to recharge

Recharge, reboot and recenter. Here's where to go when the time is right.

Deals designed for you

Last minute

All-inclusive

Pet-friendly

Solo Traveler

How to find cheap flights, what is the best day to buy a plane ticket.

This just in! Airfares offered on Thursdays tend to be the cheapest, according to flight demand on Travelocity in 2021. Tuesday and Wednesday prices are also good, but you may want to prepare your budget if booking during the weekend, as data shows that is when prices are generally at their highest.

What are the cheapest days to fly?

Frequent travelers may already know this, but earlier in the week can be the cheapest time to fly. In 2021, flights departing on a Monday were generally the cheapest of the week, whereas you may pay a premium for weekend flights when demand is usually high. On average, tickets were most expensive for Saturday departures, so if you need to fly out on a weekend, you might look for deals ahead of time.

How far in advance can you book a flight?

Trying to figure out how early you should book your flight? It’s possible to start comparing international airfares on Travelocity up to 12 months in advance. However, it does depend on the carrier as not all airlines release their prices that far out. According to our 2021 flight demand trends, last minute planners can still bag a bargain with some of the cheapest fares appearing 0-2 weeks prior to their travel dates.

*According to flight demand on Travelocity.com from January to December 2021. Savings are subject to change based on departure location, date and destination.

Destination ideas to plan your next trip

Popular domestic flights.

• Flights to Las Vegas
• Flights to Orlando
• Flights to Honolulu
• Flights to Miami
• Flights to Maui
• Flights to Washington
• Flights to Chicago
• Flights to Minneapolis
• Flights to Newark
• Flights to New York
• Flights to Phoenix
• Flights to Los Angeles
• Flights to Portland
• Domestic Routes

Popular States in the US

• Cheap Flights to Florida
• Cheap Flights to Hawaii
• Cheap Flights to North Carolina
• Cheap Flights to California
• Cheap Flights to Arizona
• Cheap Flights to South Carolina
• Cheap Flights to Alaska
• Cheap Flights to San Diego
• Cheap Flights to New Jersey
• Cheap Flights to Colorado

Popular Airlines

• Cheap Delta Tickets
• Cheap JetBlue Airways Tickets
• Cheap American Airlines Tickets
• Cheap Spirit Airlines Tickets
• Cheap United Tickets
• Cheap Volaris Tickets
• Cheap Philippine Airlines Tickets
• Cheap Alaska Airlines Tickets
• Cheap Frontier Airlines Tickets
• Cheap Hawaiian Airlines

Top Routes to Orlando

• Chicago (ORD) to Orlando (MCO)
• Philadelphia (PHL) to Orlando (MCO)
• New York (JFK) to Orlando (MCO)
• Detroit (DTW) to Orlando (MCO)
• Newark (EWR) to Orlando (MCO)
• Dallas (DFW) to Orlando (MCO)
• Los Angeles (LAX) to Orlando (MCO)
• Minneapolis (MSP) to Orlando (MCO)
• Baltimore (BWI) to Orlando (MCO)
• Raleigh (RDU) to Orlando (MCO)

Top Routes to Los Angeles

• Dallas (DFW) to Los Angeles (LAX)
• Atlanta (ATL) to Los Angeles (LAX)
• Chicago (ORD) to Los Angeles (LAX)
• New York (JFK) to Los Angeles (LAX)
• Portland (PDX) to Los Angeles (LAX)
• Boston (BOS) to Los Angeles (LAX)
• Philadelphia (PHL) to Los Angeles (LAX)
• Newark (EWR) to Los Angeles (LAX)
• Detroit (DTW) to Los Angeles (LAX)
• Orlando (MCO) to Los Angeles (LAX)

Top Routes to Denver

• Minneapolis (MSP) to Denver (DEN)
• Dallas (DFW) to Denver (DEN)
• Philadelphia (PHL) to Denver (DEN)
• Atlanta (ATL) to Denver (DEN)
• Los Angeles (LAX) to Denver (DEN)
• Phoenix (PHX) to Denver (DEN)
• Boston (BOS) to Denver (DEN)
• Detroit (DTW) to Denver (DEN)
• Kansas City (MCI) to Denver (DEN)
• Orlando (MCO) to Denver (DEN)

Top Routes to Miami

• Philadelphia (PHL) to Miami (MIA)
• Newark (EWR) to Miami (MIA)
• New York (JFK) to Miami (MIA)
• (ATL) to Miami (MIA)
• Boston (BOS) to Miami (MIA)
• Detroit (DTW) to Miami (MIA)
• Dallas (DFW) to Miami (MIA)
• Los Angeles (LAX) to Miami (MIA)
• Chicago (ORD) to Miami (MIA)
• Raleigh (RDU) to Miami (MIA)

Top Routes to New York

• Los Angeles (LAX) to New York (JFK)
• Orlando (MCO) to New York (JFK)
• Raleigh (RDU) to New York (JFK)
• Tampa (TPA) to New York (JFK)
• Charlotte (CLT) to New York (JFK)
• Phoenix (PHX) to New York (JFK)
• Kingston (KIN-Norman Manley Intl.) (KIN) to New York (JFK)
• Port of Spain (POS-Piarco Intl.) (POS) to New York (JFK)
• San Francisco (SFO) to New York (JFK)
• Atlanta (ATL) to New York (JFK)

Top Routes to Dallas

• Los Angeles (LAX) to Dallas (DFW)
• Chicago (ORD) to Dallas (DFW)
• Detroit (DTW) to Dallas (DFW)
• Minneapolis (MSP) to Dallas (DFW)
• Orlando (MCO) to Dallas (DFW)
• Atlanta (ATL) to Dallas (DFW)
• Raleigh (RDU) to Dallas (DFW)
• Phoenix (PHX) to Dallas (DFW)
• Houston (HOU) to Dallas (DFW)
• Newark (EWR) to Dallas (DFW)

Top Routes to Tampa

• Philadelphia (PHL) to Tampa (TPA)
• Detroit (DTW) to Tampa (TPA)
• Chicago (ORD) to Tampa (TPA)
• New York (JFK) to Tampa (TPA)
• Minneapolis (MSP) to Tampa (TPA)
• Newark (EWR) to Tampa (TPA)
• Boston (BOS) to Tampa (TPA)
• Dallas (DFW) to Tampa (TPA)
• Raleigh (RDU) to Tampa (TPA)
• Hartford (BDL) to Tampa (TPA)

Top Routes to Washington

• Los Angeles (LAX) to Washington (DCA)
• Orlando (MCO) to Washington (DCA)
• Boston (BOS) to Washington (DCA)
• Jacksonville (JAX) to Washington (DCA)
• Dallas (DFW) to Washington (DCA)
• Tampa (TPA) to Washington (DCA)
• Hartford (BDL) to Washington (DCA)
• Phoenix (PHX) to Washington (DCA)
• Detroit (DTW) to Washington (DCA)
• Charlotte (CLT) to Washington (DCA)

Top Routes to Atlanta

• Los Angeles (LAX) to Atlanta (ATL)
• Philadelphia (PHL) to Atlanta (ATL)
• New York (JFK) to Atlanta (ATL)
• Dallas (DFW) to Atlanta (ATL)
• Orlando (MCO) to Atlanta (ATL)
• Boston (BOS) to Atlanta (ATL)
• Baltimore (BWI) to Atlanta (ATL)
• Raleigh (RDU) to Atlanta (ATL)
• Newark (EWR) to Atlanta (ATL)
• Tampa (TPA) to Atlanta (ATL)

6 key tools and tips to find the cheapest airfare

Editor's Note

Inflation may be slowing down, but travelers may still feel the sting of high flight prices — finding cheap airfare to your desired destination at your preferred time can be a challenge. For people with flexible schedules looking for some great deals and inspiration, the array of available planning tools can be confusing and intimidating.

Fortunately, TPG is here to help by sharing some of our best tools, tips and tricks for finding the cheapest and best airfares. We've covered the topic of cheap airfare extensively, featuring many tried-and-true methods that our staff uses to book travel that can also work for you.

TPG also regularly posts deal alerts on some of the best airfares to make it even easier for you to find affordable flights.

Here are our favorite tools, tips and tricks for securing cheap airfare deals. Be sure to click on the related links for more details.

Google Flights

Google Flights is perhaps the most intuitive, straightforward and useful flight search tool on the internet. Its many features and functionalities help you identify the best flight prices and options for both specific flight times and flexible itineraries.

You can also search based on what TPG recommends as the best times of day to book flights.

When you're exploring Google Flights, examine the map search feature. It can show you the least expensive fares to various destinations, which can be a great source of inspiration. You can also click on the date grid to see flight pricing for entire months at a time, and the price graph to see overall trends for pricing on your target itinerary.

Another useful feature is Google's embedded price tracker. The tracker appears on the search results page, allowing you to track overall prices on the route you're searching. When tracking prices, if you sign in to your Google account, you can receive notifications for price changes, new offers and expiration dates of an itinerary you have saved. You'll then receive notifications of price changes directly to your inbox, preventing the need to manually search multiple times a day in the hopes of a price drop.

Note that while this tool includes nearly all airlines, it won't show ticket prices on some carriers, like Southwest Airlines.

Google Flights also recently added a Price Guarantee program where you might be eligible for a refund of the difference in the price if it drops. The way this works is if a "guarantee badge" is next to the itinerary, your flight is eligible for the program if the fare falls by more than $5 — as long as you purchase directly with Google. The difference is capped at $500, and you are eligible for up to three itineraries per year.

For more detailed information on how to use Google Flights, check out TPG's how-to guides to some features and tips:

• How to use Google Flights to maximize your next booking
• 4 new Google Flights features and trip-planning tools
• 9 awesome features you might not know about Google Flights
• How to use Google Flights to plan your next award trip

Additional flight-comparison sites

Google Flights is a great site to use. However, there are a few other comparable sites that work in a similar fashion with slightly different features. Just note that similar to Google Flights, Southwest fares will not be pulled.

As one of the original fare-comparison sites, Kayak serves as a one-stop shop for finding the best price. The site will pull in fares directly from the airlines, and you'll also be able to compare against third-party booking websites, such as Expedia.com and Orbitz.com.

Kayak also offers many enhanced filter options, where you can search by a specific airline, an airline alliance, aircraft, layover airports and more.

If your dates are flexible, there's also a calendar grid allowing you to see pricing up to three days before and after your desired dates, but you need to make sure to include that in your search. Kayak also goes one step further than some other sites and displays the pricing of a round-trip flight with two separate airlines — one for the departure and one for the return — if pricing is, in fact, cheaper.

Momondo is great for those who love a good visual. If your travel dates are flexible, it's very easy to find the least expensive dates at a quick glance. The site also offers many filters and allows you to set up price alerts if the fare goes down. Momondo will also advise you whether now is a great time to purchase or if you should hold out, based on recent fare trends.

Unfortunately, though, if booking a round trip, the site will not display the cheapest airline for the departure and return and will only list fares from the same airline. This means you'll want to search as two one-ways, which can be time-consuming.

If you are looking for a cheap flight to any destination, Skyscanner is the site for you. Just enter your departure city and select "Explore everywhere" in the "To" field, and the world is your oyster. You'll then receive a list of destinations in order of price. The site is incredibly easy to use and can truly open your eyes to new parts of the world if you are destination-agnostic.

The Flight Deal alerts

If you want to receive real-time deal alerts without having to search for them yourself, following The Flight Deal on Twitter is a great option. This team constantly finds deals (from many destinations), and you might be lucky enough to find one from your home airport.

Go one step further and set up your Twitter account to receive push notifications specifically from The Flight Deal. This means anytime the team sends out a tweet, you'll receive a notification right on your phone, so you don't have to keep checking Twitter.

Subscription sites

Many independent travel websites promise to find you the cheapest deals available. Not all of these websites are worthwhile, however, and some are flat-out scams, directing you to travel agencies that may be selling more expensive tickets with hidden fees or extensive surcharges.

When looking for deals, TPG scans a few websites that generally provide reliable airfare notifications and highlighted offerings. Many of these websites offer premium paid subscription services that could be worthwhile, depending on your appetite for travel and passion for deals.

Registering for regular email deal alerts from these websites and subscribing to their Twitter feeds can provide regular travel inspiration and alerts for breaking deals to your favorite destinations.

Some of TPG's favorite airline deal websites:

• Airfare Watchdog
• Dollar Flight Club
• Going (formerly Scott's Cheap Flights)
• Secret Flying

Note that many of these deal websites include links to "hacker fare"-type itineraries involving multiple airlines, circuitous routings and extended layover and travel times. Discounted fares on these flights may not include mileage awards features or may not be eligible for status points. So read the fine print and itineraries closely on these deals.

Assuming the details work for you, scanning or subscribing to airfare deal websites can be a great way to find super-discounted flight prices that may not appear on Google Flights or other standard booking platforms.

Related: TPG's deals page

Book directly with airline websites

In the effort to try to hack the system and find the best "secret" airfare deal, people often neglect to search the place where many of these deals originate: the airline itself.

Virtually every airline features a deals section on its website. Many of these so-called deals can be underwhelming. However, sometimes the airlines offer incredible, short-term deals that will likely be fully booked before even reaching some deal-consolidating websites.

For example, Southwest Airlines recently had a deal offering 40% off all flights , but the tickets had to be booked with a specific coupon code directly on the Southwest website.

You can find out the latest by regularly checking airline websites like the American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines deal pages. Many airlines also offer package deals combining hotels and rental cars, but you should price these out individually, as the value of these offers can vary widely.

Subscribing to airlines' newsletters about deal alerts can be another way to find out the latest offers, but you'll risk your email inbox being filled with destinations that might not interest you. Still, these push alerts may inspire you to take a last-minute vacation you didn't think was affordable.

Airline websites also sometimes have mileage or status promotions that you can use to maximize your rewards — but often, you must book these deals directly on the airline's website.

Southwest Airlines is a special case for finding airfare deals because its fares are not generally available on third-party websites.

Google Flights will show Southwest itineraries on sample flight schedules but will not show the pricing. You can book Southwest flights on the Kayak for Business website but not on consumer searches. So it may be worth your while to double-check any fare deal you find with a similar itinerary mapped on the Southwest website.

Particularly when booking directly on an airline website, branded airline cards can be a good call for earning status and rewards specific to those airlines, including the United Explorer Card , the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® (see rates and fees ) and the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card .

The information for the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Related: Book travel via a portal or directly? How to decide

Optimize credit card usage

Booking tools can help ensure you're finding the most economical flight option for your next trip, but it's also important to use the right credit card to pay for the flight. There are a variety of top travel rewards cards that could fit this bill, but a few stand out:

• The Platinum Card® from American Express: This card offers 5 points per dollar on flights booked directly with the airline or through Amex Travel (up to $500,000 in purchase per calendar year), a terrific return of 10% based on TPG's most recent valuations .
• Chase Sapphire Reserve : This card offers 3 points per dollar on all travel purchases , and while the resulting return (6%) is slightly lower than with the Amex Platinum, it does provide some of the most comprehensive travel coverage out there.
• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: (see rates and fees )This card is one of the simplest to use, offering 2 miles for every dollar you spend on all purchases. This isn't spectacular, but it can still be a great option for buying airfare, thanks to the way it allows you to redeem miles at a fixed value . It allows you to use miles to cover the cost of any travel purchase, though you also have the option to transfer your Capital One miles to airline partners.

Related: The best credit cards for airfare purchases

Bottom line

Finding the lowest airfare can be more of an art than a science, but a number of strategies and tools can help you with this search.

Everyone's travel goals and circumstances differ. However, use one of the above strategies, and you'll be on the right path to snag that much-wanted trip without such a high price tag.

Additional reporting by Bill Fink.

• KAYAK for Business NEW

Where do you want to go?

Save money on airfare by searching for cheap flight tickets on KAYAK. KAYAK searches for flight deals on hundreds of airline ticket sites to help you find the cheapest flights. Whether you are looking for a last-minute flight or a cheap plane ticket for a later date, you can find the best deals faster at KAYAK.

London flights

• Flight Belfast - London (BFS - STN) £31+
• Flight Edinburgh - London (EDI - STN) £31+
• Flight Edinburgh - London (EDI - LTN) £45+
• Flight Glasgow - London (GLA - LGW) £51+
• Flight Glasgow - London (GLA - STN) £51+
• Flight Glasgow - London (GLA - LTN) £51+
• Flight Belfast - London (BFS - LTN) £51+
• Flight Edinburgh - London (EDI - LGW) £52+
• Flight Newcastle upon Tyne - London (NCL - LHR) £59+
• Flight Belfast - London (BHD - LGW) £60+
• Flight Belfast - London (BFS - LGW) £63+
• Flight Edinburgh - London (EDI - LHR) £65+
• Flight Belfast - London (BFS - LHR) £72+
• Flight Belfast - London (BHD - LHR) £72+
• Flight Glasgow - London (GLA - LHR) £73+
• Flight Manchester - London (MAN - LHR) £75+
• Flight Manchester - London (MAN - LGW) £109+
• Flight Glasgow - London (GLA - LCY) £113+
• Flight Edinburgh - London (EDI - LCY) £123+
• Flight Belfast - London (BFS - LCY) £132+
• Flight Belfast - London (BHD - LCY) £132+
• Flight Bristol - London (BRS - LHR) £205+
• Flight Manchester - London (MAN - LCY) £248+
• Flight Exeter - London (EXT - LHR) £291+

Amsterdam flights

• Flight London - Amsterdam (SEN - AMS) £58+
• Flight London - Amsterdam (STN - AMS) £64+
• Flight London - Amsterdam (LTN - AMS) £69+
• Flight Birmingham - Amsterdam (BHX - AMS) £73+
• Flight Bristol - Amsterdam (BRS - AMS) £75+
• Flight Liverpool - Amsterdam (LPL - AMS) £75+
• Flight Manchester - Amsterdam (MAN - AMS) £75+

Paris flights

• Flight Manchester - Paris (MAN - BVA) £29+
• Flight London - Paris (LGW - ORY) £44+
• Flight London - Paris (SEN - CDG) £50+
• Flight Manchester - Paris (MAN - CDG) £50+
• Flight Bristol - Paris (BRS - CDG) £52+
• Flight Manchester - Paris (MAN - ORY) £53+
• Flight Bristol - Paris (BRS - ORY) £54+
• Flight London - Paris (LTN - CDG) £57+
• Flight London - Paris (LGW - CDG) £59+

Los Angeles flights

• Flight London - Los Angeles (LGW - LAX) £370+
• Flight London - Los Angeles (LHR - LAX) £415+
• Flight Manchester - Los Angeles (MAN - LAX) £439+
• Flight Edinburgh - Los Angeles (EDI - LAX) £470+
• Flight Inverness - Los Angeles (INV - LAX) £497+
• Flight London - Los Angeles (LCY - LAX) £504+
• Flight Birmingham - Los Angeles (BHX - LAX) £521+

Alicante flights

• Flight London - Alicante (STN - ALC) £26+
• Flight Bristol - Alicante (BRS - ALC) £35+
• Flight London - Alicante (LTN - ALC) £39+
• Flight Edinburgh - Alicante (EDI - ALC) £44+
• Flight London - Alicante (LGW - ALC) £51+
• Flight Manchester - Alicante (MAN - ALC) £51+
• Flight Belfast - Alicante (BFS - ALC) £53+

Pakistan flights

• Flight London - Islamabad (LGW - ISB) £405+
• Flight London - Karachi (STN - KHI) £429+
• Flight London - Karachi (LGW - KHI) £437+
• Flight London - Karachi (LHR - KHI) £442+
• Flight London - Islamabad (LHR - ISB) £442+
• Flight London - Lahore (LHR - LHE) £461+
• Flight Manchester - Karachi (MAN - KHI) £461+

India flights

• Flight London - Mumbai (LHR - BOM) £364+
• Flight London - Kochi (LGW - COK) £393+
• Flight London - New Delhi (LGW - DEL) £396+
• Flight London - New Delhi (LHR - DEL) £407+
• Flight London - Amritsar (LGW - ATQ) £416+
• Flight London - Bengaluru (LHR - BLR) £418+
• Flight London - Hyderabad (LHR - HYD) £420+

Belfast flights

• Flight Liverpool - Belfast (LPL - BHD) £47+
• Flight Manchester - Belfast (MAN - BHD) £47+
• Flight Glasgow - Belfast (GLA - BHD) £49+
• Flight London - Belfast (LTN - BHD) £51+
• Flight Birmingham - Belfast (BHX - BHD) £53+
• Flight London - Belfast (LGW - BHD) £58+
• Flight Edinburgh - Belfast (EDI - BHD) £59+

Glasgow flights

• Flight Birmingham - Glasgow (BHX - GLA) £41+
• Flight Belfast - Glasgow (BFS - GLA) £45+
• Flight Belfast - Glasgow (BHD - GLA) £45+
• Flight London - Glasgow (STN - GLA) £48+
• Flight London - Glasgow (LTN - GLA) £48+
• Flight London - Glasgow (LGW - GLA) £49+
• Flight Southampton - Glasgow (SOU - GLA) £55+

New York flights

• Flight London - New York (LGW - JFK) £262+
• Flight London - New Windsor (STN - SWF) £290+
• Flight London - Newark (LGW - EWR) £311+
• Flight London - Newark (LHR - EWR) £315+
• Flight London - New York (LHR - JFK) £328+
• Flight London - New Windsor (LTN - SWF) £332+
• Flight London - New Windsor (LGW - SWF) £344+
• Flight Manchester - New York (MAN - JFK) £354+
• Flight London - New Windsor (LHR - SWF) £360+

Barcelona flights

• Flight Liverpool - Barcelona (LPL - BCN) £31+
• Flight Nottingham - Barcelona (EMA - BCN) £31+
• Flight London - Barcelona (STN - BCN) £32+
• Flight Birmingham - Barcelona (BHX - BCN) £33+
• Flight London - Barcelona (LTN - BCN) £35+
• Flight London - Barcelona (LGW - BCN) £38+
• Flight Newcastle upon Tyne - Barcelona (NCL - BCN) £39+

Orlando flights

• Flight London - Orlando (LGW - MCO) £253+
• Flight London - Orlando (LHR - MCO) £377+
• Flight Edinburgh - Orlando (EDI - MCO) £390+
• Flight Manchester - Orlando (MAN - MCO) £390+
• Flight Glasgow - Orlando (GLA - MCO) £405+
• Flight Belfast - Orlando (BHD - MCO) £409+
• Flight Belfast - Orlando (BFS - MCO) £409+

Dublin flights

• Flight Birmingham - Dublin (BHX - DUB) £31+
• Flight Edinburgh - Dublin (EDI - DUB) £31+
• Flight Glasgow - Dublin (GLA - DUB) £31+
• Flight Leeds - Dublin (LBA - DUB) £31+
• Flight Liverpool - Dublin (LPL - DUB) £31+
• Flight London - Dublin (LGW - DUB) £31+
• Flight London - Dublin (LTN - DUB) £31+
• Flight London - Dublin (STN - DUB) £31+
• Flight Manchester - Dublin (MAN - DUB) £31+
• Flight Newquay - Dublin (NQY - DUB) £31+
• Flight Nottingham - Dublin (EMA - DUB) £31+
• Flight Newcastle upon Tyne - Dublin (NCL - DUB) £31+
• Flight Cardiff - Dublin (CWL - DUB) £33+
• Flight Bristol - Dublin (BRS - DUB) £34+
• Flight London - Dublin (LHR - DUB) £53+
• Flight Aberdeen - Dublin (ABZ - DUB) £69+
• Flight Southampton - Dublin (SOU - DUB) £93+
• Flight Exeter - Dublin (EXT - DUB) £97+
• Flight London - Dublin (LCY - DUB) £98+
• Flight Belfast - Dublin (BHD - DUB) £169+
• Flight Belfast - Dublin (BFS - DUB) £169+
• Flight Inverness - Dublin (INV - DUB) £185+
• Flight Grimsby - Dublin (HUY - DUB) £245+
• Flight Darlington - Dublin (MME - DUB) £299+

Berlin flights

• Flight Nottingham - Berlin (EMA - BER) £31+
• Flight Manchester - Berlin (MAN - BER) £37+
• Flight Birmingham - Berlin (BHX - BER) £38+
• Flight London - Berlin (STN - BER) £47+
• Flight Edinburgh - Berlin (EDI - BER) £49+
• Flight London - Berlin (LTN - BER) £63+
• Flight Bristol - Berlin (BRS - BER) £76+

Australia flights

• Flight London - Sydney (LHR - SYD) £604+
• Flight London - Sydney (LGW - SYD) £625+
• Flight London - Melbourne (LGW - MEL) £638+
• Flight London - Perth (LHR - PER) £641+
• Flight London - Perth (LGW - PER) £661+
• Flight London - Melbourne (LHR - MEL) £673+
• Flight London - Perth (LCY - PER) £702+

Canada flights

• Flight London - Toronto (LHR - YYZ) £334+
• Flight London - Toronto (LGW - YYZ) £337+
• Flight London - Hamilton (LGW - YHM) £344+
• Flight London - Toronto (LGW - YTZ) £348+
• Flight London - Montreal (LGW - YUL) £350+
• Flight London - Montreal (LTN - YUL) £362+
• Flight London - Toronto (LTN - YYZ) £377+

Edinburgh flights

• Flight Belfast - Edinburgh (BFS - EDI) £31+
• Flight Bournemouth - Edinburgh (BOH - EDI) £31+
• Flight London - Edinburgh (STN - EDI) £31+
• Flight Birmingham - Edinburgh (BHX - EDI) £43+
• Flight London - Edinburgh (LGW - EDI) £47+
• Flight London - Edinburgh (LTN - EDI) £47+
• Flight Bristol - Edinburgh (BRS - EDI) £53+

Manchester flights

• Flight Belfast - Manchester (BFS - MAN) £31+
• Flight Belfast - Manchester (BHD - MAN) £43+
• Flight London - Manchester (LHR - MAN) £67+
• Flight Glasgow - Manchester (GLA - MAN) £77+
• Flight Edinburgh - Manchester (EDI - MAN) £79+
• Flight London - Manchester (STN - MAN) £104+
• Flight London - Manchester (LGW - MAN) £105+

Bangkok flights

• Flight Manchester - Bangkok (MAN - BKK) £361+
• Flight Bristol - Bangkok (BRS - BKK) £380+
• Flight Edinburgh - Bangkok (EDI - BKK) £405+
• Flight London - Bangkok (LGW - BKK) £445+
• Flight London - Bangkok (LHR - BKK) £448+
• Flight Newcastle upon Tyne - Bangkok (NCL - BKK) £463+
• Flight Birmingham - Bangkok (BHX - BKK) £519+
• Flight Norwich - Bangkok (NWI - BKK) £519+
• Flight London - Bangkok (LCY - BKK) £524+
• Flight Glasgow - Bangkok (GLA - BKK) £544+
• Flight Darlington - Bangkok (MME - BKK) £557+
• Flight London - Bangkok (LTN - BKK) £558+
• Flight Inverness - Bangkok (INV - BKK) £581+
• Flight Aberdeen - Bangkok (ABZ - BKK) £599+

Dubai flights

• Flight London - Dubai (LGW - DXB) £175+
• Flight London - Dubai (LTN - DXB) £180+
• Flight Glasgow - Dubai (GLA - DXB) £224+
• Flight Birmingham - Dubai (BHX - DXB) £248+
• Flight London - Dubai (STN - DXB) £279+
• Flight Leeds - Dubai (LBA - DXB) £297+
• Flight Manchester - Dubai (MAN - DXB) £306+
• Flight London - Dubai (LHR - DXB) £315+
• Flight Edinburgh - Dubai (EDI - DXB) £350+
• Flight London - Dubai (LCY - DXB) £389+
• Flight Liverpool - Dubai (LPL - DXB) £405+
• Flight Newcastle upon Tyne - Dubai (NCL - DXB) £425+
• Flight Belfast - Dubai (BFS - DXB) £429+
• Flight Bristol - Dubai (BRS - DXB) £442+
• Flight Belfast - Dubai (BHD - DXB) £524+
• Flight Aberdeen - Dubai (ABZ - DXB) £525+
• Flight London - Dubai (SEN - DXB) £538+
• Flight Coventry - Dubai (CVT - DXB) £632+
• Flight Doncaster - Dubai (DSA - DXB) £719+
• Flight Cardiff - Dubai (CWL - DXB) £767+
• Flight Nottingham - Dubai (EMA - DXB) £818+
• Flight Southampton - Dubai (SOU - DXB) £852+

Málaga flights

• Flight London - Málaga (LGW - AGP) £28+
• Flight London - Málaga (LTN - AGP) £32+
• Flight Liverpool - Málaga (LPL - AGP) £39+
• Flight London - Málaga (STN - AGP) £39+
• Flight Bournemouth - Málaga (BOH - AGP) £47+
• Flight Nottingham - Málaga (EMA - AGP) £58+
• Flight Birmingham - Málaga (BHX - AGP) £60+
• Flight Bristol - Málaga (BRS - AGP) £61+
• Flight Manchester - Málaga (MAN - AGP) £61+
• Flight Glasgow - Málaga (PIK - AGP) £64+
• Flight London - Málaga (SEN - AGP) £72+
• Flight Belfast - Málaga (BFS - AGP) £76+
• Flight Glasgow - Málaga (GLA - AGP) £95+
• Flight London - Málaga (LHR - AGP) £96+

Rome flights

• Flight London - Rome (LGW - FCO) £34+
• Flight London - Rome (STN - CIA) £38+
• Flight Manchester - Rome (MAN - CIA) £39+
• Flight London - Rome (LTN - FCO) £63+
• Flight Edinburgh - Rome (EDI - CIA) £63+
• Flight Manchester - Rome (MAN - FCO) £92+
• Flight Birmingham - Rome (BHX - FCO) £95+

Lisbon flights

• Flight London - Lisbon (LTN - LIS) £42+
• Flight London - Lisbon (STN - LIS) £64+
• Flight London - Lisbon (LGW - LIS) £71+
• Flight Manchester - Lisbon (MAN - LIS) £84+
• Flight London - Lisbon (LHR - LIS) £95+
• Flight Bristol - Lisbon (BRS - LIS) £98+
• Flight Birmingham - Lisbon (BHX - LIS) £100+

Europe flights

• Flight London - Barcelona (LTN - BCN) £31+
• Flight London - Barcelona (LGW - BCN) £39+
• Flight London - Barcelona (LHR - BCN) £44+
• Flight London - Istanbul (LTN - IST) £59+
• Flight London - Madrid (LGW - MAD) £66+
• Flight London - Athens (LGW - ATH) £71+

New Zealand flights

• Flight London - Auckland (LHR - AKL) £582+
• Flight London - Wellington (LHR - WLG) £588+
• Flight London - Auckland (LGW - AKL) £606+
• Flight London - Christchurch (LHR - CHC) £702+
• Flight London - Queenstown (LHR - ZQN) £741+
• Flight London - Christchurch (LGW - CHC) £782+
• Flight London - Queenstown (LGW - ZQN) £789+

Newquay flights

• Flight London - Newquay (STN - NQY) £31+
• Flight London - Newquay (LGW - NQY) £76+
• Flight Manchester - Newquay (MAN - NQY) £107+
• Flight Birmingham - Newquay (BHX - NQY) £127+
• Flight Edinburgh - Newquay (EDI - NQY) £146+
• Flight Glasgow - Newquay (GLA - NQY) £167+
• Flight Liverpool - Newquay (LPL - NQY) £197+

Aberdeen flights

• Flight London - Aberdeen (LTN - ABZ) £61+
• Flight London - Aberdeen (LHR - ABZ) £64+
• Flight London - Aberdeen (LGW - ABZ) £71+
• Flight Belfast - Aberdeen (BFS - ABZ) £124+
• Flight Belfast - Aberdeen (BHD - ABZ) £124+
• Flight Manchester - Aberdeen (MAN - ABZ) £144+
• Flight Edinburgh - Aberdeen (EDI - ABZ) £167+

Frequently asked questions

What do i need to know before booking a flight.

There are various factors to consider when booking a flight including cost, fare classes, baggage policies, the complications of flying long haul, and complying with airport regulations. To make your booking journey smoother KAYAK has developed a comprehensive flight guide including insights on finding affordable flights, packing efficiently, and utilising the best travel tools.

Which month of the year are flight prices lowest?

It’s well established that flights in the low season are generally cheaper than ticket prices during the high season. That means that knowing which month to find the lowest priced plane tickets will depend heavily on seasonality and your destination. While avoiding peak travel times can help you keep costs down, our data shows that the month with the lowest priced plane tickets for domestic flights based on all searches made on KAYAK in the last 12 months was January, while the most expensive was August. If you’re booking an international flight, then January is the cheapest month to fly and July the most expensive.

Can flying international flights with a layover save money on airfare?

For many long-haul international flights, flying direct is not possible and you will have to fly with stopover. Some routes will offer both and you could consider flying with a stopover for a number of reasons. Firstly, breaking up what would otherwise be a long-haul flight, taking a rest and then completing the journey might make the flight more manageable. Secondly, prices can also be lower than direct flights, so while it might take longer for you to reach your destination, you could save money. We’ve looked at prices over the last 12 months for the 100 most popular international destinations for KAYAK users and on average, prices for non-stop flights were cheaper than flights with a layover.

How do I find the best flight deals on KAYAK?

A simple flight search at https://www.kayak.co.uk/flights scans for prices on hundreds of travel sites in seconds. We gather flight deals from across the web and put them in one place. Then on the search results page you can use various filters to compare options for the same flight and easily choose the best flight deal from all of the deals coming straight from the travel sites to your screen, with no extra fee from KAYAK.

Does KAYAK query more flight providers than competitors?

Yes, KAYAK has access to more data and information than online travel agencies and consistently outperforms the competition in accuracy, globally.

What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care?

Sometimes travel dates aren't set in stone. If your preferred travel dates have some wiggle room, flexible dates will show you flights up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. That way, you can see if leaving a day or two earlier will find you a better deal. You can also select the flexible 'weekend' or 'month' search options to widen your search range and find the cheapest price that works for you.

What is the cheapest day of the week to book a flight?

The best day to book your flight depends on a number of factors, but there are general trends that you can follow to increase your chances of cheaper plane tickets. Based on an analysis of KAYAK data for all flights departing from inside United Kingdom over the last 12 months, the cheapest day to fly for domestic flights is Wednesday. For international flights, Tuesday had the cheapest tickets on average.

When is the best time to buy plane tickets - Last minute or in advance?

Last minute flight deals are definitely up for grabs, but when exactly to purchase your plane tickets will depend on where you’re travelling to and from. Based on all data for flight searches made on KAYAK over the last 12 months, prices for domestic flights remained below the average price up to 1 week before departure. For international flights, deals could still be had up to 1 week prior to the departure date, with prices remaining below average. If you’re flexible, KAYAK brings you both advance and last minute one-way and round-trip flight deals.

How does KAYAK find such low flight prices?

KAYAK processes over 2 billion flight queries annually and displays results from hundreds of airlines and third party sites, allowing it to find a variety of flight prices and options. It also displays results from 2M+ properties along with car hire, holiday packages, activities and millions of verified reviews so users can see as many available travel options as possible.

How can Hacker Fares save me money?

Hacker Fares allow you to combine one-way tickets on different airlines when it can save you money over a traditional return ticket.

How does KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy?

KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a given destination and date is likely to change within 7 days, so travellers know whether to wait or book now.

Expedia Rewards is now One Key™

Expedia travel: search hotels, cheap flights, car rentals & vacations, search for travel.

• Things to do

Add a flight

Save 10% or more on over 100,000 hotels with Member Prices. Also, members save up to 30% when you add a hotel to a flight

Discover your new favorite stay.

Time to plan your big summer trip

Tropical beach, cool city, hidden gem—plan your big summer trip now and get those suitcases ready., explore stays in trending destinations.

Paso Robles

Last-minute weekend deals

Image gallery for trump international hotel las vegas.

Trump International Hotel Las Vegas

Image gallery for margaritaville hotel san diego gaslamp quarter.

Margaritaville Hotel San Diego Gaslamp Quarter

Image gallery for kimpton everly hotel hollywood, an ihg hotel.

Kimpton Everly Hotel Hollywood, an IHG Hotel

Los angeles, image gallery for takanawa hanakohro - grand prince hotel takanawa annex.

Takanawa Hanakohro - Grand Prince Hotel Takanawa Annex

Image gallery for omni san francisco hotel.

Omni San Francisco Hotel

San francisco, image gallery for outrigger waikiki beachcomber hotel.

OUTRIGGER Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel

Image gallery for ashburn hotel.

Ashburn Hotel

Image gallery for hôtel de nell.

Hôtel de Nell

Image gallery for vista retreat vacation home.

Vista Retreat Vacation Home

Image gallery for silver legacy resort casino at the row.

Silver Legacy Resort Casino at THE ROW

Image gallery for mayflower park hotel.

Mayflower Park Hotel

Image gallery for 1 homes preview cabo.

1 Homes Preview Cabo

Cabo san lucas, image gallery for garrya nijo castle kyoto.

Garrya Nijo Castle Kyoto

Image gallery for le blanc spa resort cancun – adults only – all inclusive.

Le Blanc Spa Resort Cancun – Adults Only – All Inclusive

Image gallery for la bellasera hotel and suites.

La Bellasera Hotel And Suites

Image gallery for trump international hotel & tower chicago.

Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago

Earn OneKeyCash on eligible flights, hotels, cars, and more

Handpicked hotels that go the extra mile

Beach, luxury, and more—book a package to save

Get planning

Flight deals ready to take you to the most-loved places

• Explore a world of travel with Expedia

Top Hotel Deals on Domestic Destinations

• Top Hotels in Boston, MA
• Top Hotels in Houston, TX
• Top Hotels in Chicago, IL
• Top Hotels in Pigeon Forge, TN
• Top Hotels in Myrtle Beach, SC
• Top Hotels in Los Angeles, CA
• Top Hotels in Nashville, TN
• Top Hotels in San Francisco, CA
• Top Hotels in Miami, FL
• Top Hotels in New Orleans, LA
• Top Hotels in Atlantic City, NJ
• Top Hotels in Orlando, FL
• Top Hotels in Las Vegas, NV
• Top Hotels in Anna Maria Island, FL
• Top Hotels in New York, NY
• Top domestic Hotels

Top Hotel Deals on International Destinations

• Top All-inclusive Resorts in Turks and Caicos
• Top All-inclusive Resorts in Puerto Rico
• Top Hotels in Paris
• Top Hotels in Puerto Rico Island
• Top Hotels in Rome from $35
• Top All-inclusive Resorts in Bahamas
• Top Hotels in San Juan
• Top Hotels in Cabo San Lucas
• Top Hotels in Tokyo
• Top All-inclusive Resorts in Mexico
• Top Hotels in Cancun
• Top All-inclusive Resorts in Cancun
• Top Hotels in London
• Top Hotels in Niagara Falls
• Top Hotels in Toronto
• Top international Hotels

Top Domestic Flights

• Flights to Las Vegas
• Flights to Hawaii
• Flights to New York
• Flights to Orlando
• Flights to Miami
• Flights to Los Angeles
• Flights to Maui
• Flights to Houston
• Flights to Dallas
• Flights to Denver

Top International Flights

• Flights to Puerto Rico
• Flights to Tokyo
• Flights to Kannur
• Flights to Mexico City
• Flights to London
• Flights to Cancun
• Flights to Manila
• Flights to Cabo San Lucas
• Flights to Bali
• Flights to Bora Bora

Save today on vacation packages

• Las Vegas Vacation Packages
• New York Vacation Packages
• Miami Vacation Packages
• Orlando Vacation Packages
• New Orleans Vacation Packages
• Williamsburg Vacation Packages
• Portland Vacation Packages
• Laughlin Vacation Packages
• Tampa Vacation Packages
• Atlantic City Vacation Packages
• Austin Vacation Packages
• St. Thomas Vacation Packages

Book international flights & hotels together to save

• Cancun Vacation Packages
• Punta Cana Vacation Packages
• Aruba Vacation Packages
• Bahamas Vacation Packages
• London Vacation Packages
• Paris Vacation Packages
• Cozumel Vacation Packages
• Playa Del Carmen Vacation Packages
• Toronto Vacation Packages
• Quintana Roo Vacation Packages

Top places to visit domestically

• Visit Los Angeles
• Visit Las Vegas
• Visit New York
• Visit Chicago
• Visit Orlando
• Visit Dallas
• Visit Atlanta
• Visit Phoenix
• Visit Miami
• Visit Houston

Visit places internationally

• Visit the Bahamas
• Visit Vancouver
• Visit Mexico
• Visit Cabo San Lucas
• Visit Cancun
• Visit Punta Cana
• Visit Australia
• Visit London
• Visit Aruba
• Visit Paris

Airport & car rental deals

• Car rentals in Los Angeles
• Car rentals in Orlando
• Car rentals in Las Vegas
• Car rentals in Denver
• Car rentals in Phoenix
• Car rentals in Chicago
• Car rentals in Fort Lauderdale
• Car rentals in New York
• Car rentals in Atlanta
• Car rentals in Houston

Find cheap car rentals at international airports

• Car rentals in Dublin
• Car rentals in Vancouver
• Car rentals in Toronto
• Car rentals in Dubai
• Car rentals in Paris
• Car rentals in Cancun
• Car rentals in Puerto Rico
• Car rentals in Rome
• Car rentals in Calgary

Top Deals on Vacation Rental Destinations

• Search all Vacation Rentals
• Top Myrtle Beach Vacation Rentals
• Top Vacation Rentals in Florida
• Top Vacation Rentals in New Jersey
• Top South Lake Tahoe Vacation Rentals
• Top Galveston Vacation Rentals
• Top Miami Vacation Rentals
• Top Tampa Vacation Rentals
• Top Orlando Vacation Rentals
• Top Daytona Beach Vacation Rentals
• Top Gulf Shores Vacation Rentals
• Top Oahu Vacation Rentals
• Top Geneva-on-the-Lake Vacation Rentals
• Top Oregon Coast Vacation Rentals
• Top Jersey Shore Vacation Rentals
• Top South Padre Island Vacation Rentals

Popular cruise destinations

• Cruises to Bahamas
• Cruises to Mexico
• Cruises to Hawaii
• Cruises to Alaska
• Cruises to Caribbean
• Cruises to Europe
• Cruises to Bermuda
• Cruises to Africa
• Cruises to Australia & New Zealand
• Cruises to Canada & New England

Cruise departure ports nearby

• Cruises from Galveston
• Cruises from Miami
• Cruises from New York
• Cruises from Tampa
• Cruises from Long Beach
• Cruises from Boston
• Cruises from Charleston
• Cruises from Port Canaveral
• Cruises from San Francisco
• Cruises from Norfolk

Other Vacation ideas

• Travel Trends 2024
• Christmas Vacation Deals
• Weekend Getaways
• Plan your Vacation
• Vacation Payment Plans
• Expedia Group wildlife guidelines
• All Inclusive Vacations
• Ski Vacations
• Beach Vacations
• Golf Vacations
• Kid Friendly Vacations
• Luxury Vacations
• Romantic Vacations
• Adventure Vacations
• Last Minute Vacation Deals
• Best Travel Destinations by Month

More destinations

• All Destinations

10 best last-minute travel websites

W ith spring in the air and summer just on the horizon, many will be starting the search for suitably affordable last-minute trips abroad. 

But organising a holiday at short notice is often easier said than done, whether it’s a spontaneous couples’ getaway or last-minute break with friends and family. The excitement of researching a destination can quickly dissipate once the slog of trawling travel agent, airline and tour operator websites has begun. Comparing flights and accommodation costs on different days for different destinations can really feel like hard work, the antithesis of the fun holiday you’re hoping to book.

The good news is that, whether you want to jump across the Channel to see the Eiffel Tower or head long-haul to the beaches of Cancun, there are hundreds of online options to help you find the best deals for booking transport, places to stay and other extras.

Instead of spending hours on dozens of different websites, check out this list we’ve compiled of some of the best in the travel marketplace. You’ll save time on the research and money on the holiday too – what’s not to like?

Holiday Pirates 

This travel deals site manually searches for the best holiday offers daily, finding a range of big discounts and emailing them to subscribers. At the moment you can book an eight-night tour of Turkey, staying in four and five-star hotels, for under £560pp. Other destinations with deals range from as close as Amsterdam to as far away as Mexico.

holidaypirates.com

Jack’s Flight Club

Sign up – for free – to the club and get emailed the cheapest flights from the UK and Ireland including discounts, hidden offers and error fares – think UK to Brazil for £290. Many are last-minute deals, but remember, with prices like this it’s fastest finger first.

jacksflightclub.co.uk

Google Flights

As you’d expect from the algorithm masterminds, this site compares and tracks fares to find you the best deal. But it also has features for the last-minute traveller, such as an option to search for flights in any number of cities for a specific date – so you can see if it’s cheaper to go jet off to Athens or Oslo this weekend.

google.co.uk/flights

Hotel Tonight

This handy website offers last-minute deals if you need a place to stay tonight, tomorrow or within the next seven days. While some deals – especially in the US – are not so good, it can deliver deep discounts in Europe and the UK while also saving you time browsing the best deals.

hoteltonight.com

Kayak 

On the “Explore” section of Kayak you can enter your trip length, travel time and dates and the site will come up with a range of options for you to choose from. The easy-to-use map feature is a great way to compare locations and prices for a last minute trip.

kayak.co.uk/explore

BA Holidays

No, it’s not a discount specialist, but BA Holidays – the package wing of British Airways – can offer deep discounts for last-minute trips, pairing unsold flight inventory with empty hotel rooms. In fact, the deals can be so good that a city break with hotel included can work out cheaper than the flights alone, and a week’s car hire in Europe can be close to free.

baholidays.com

With more than 30 million subscribers worldwide, Travelzoo features a host of deals ranging from trips abroad to activities such as spa visits, theatre ticket deals and cruises. A sign-up is required to see full details of deals, but it seems worth it for trips such as four nights and return flights to Ibiza for £149pp.

travelzoo.com

Secret Escapes

You’ll find discounts of up to 70 per cent at Secret Escapes, which follows a similar model to Voyage Privé , offering flash sales to registered members. It’s a great place to scout high-end discount holidays and the customer service of the site has been praised as excellent.

secretescapes.com

Best at Travel

This company’s central London call centre means someone is always on hand to help you out. It’s a “normal” tour operator but has a last-minute deals section on the website, which can offer good discounts on upmarket breaks. Deals at the time of writing included seven nights’ all-inclusive in Crete from £811pp including flights, departing on 15 April.

bestattravel.co.uk

Travel Republic

With about two million customers using the site to book holidays, Travel Republic is bound to have some good deals, and there’s a vast number to choose from, since it shifts flights, tickets for attractions and traditional package holidays. For its top destinations, such as a week self-catering in Corfu, you could find holidays for as little as £218pp . The site also features a lowest-price guarantee, should you spot a better offer for the same holiday elsewhere.

travelrepublic.co.uk

Perhaps the best known site on this list, Skyscanner currently claims to have over 100 million users per month. The site provides you the cheapest, fastest and ‘best’ option for flights. Available in over 30 languages and offering a quick comparison for flights, hotels and car hire, the chances are that you’ve used it before and will use it again.

skyscanner.net

The Independent is the world’s most free-thinking news brand, providing global news, commentary and analysis for the independently-minded. We have grown a huge, global readership of independently minded individuals, who value our trusted voice and commitment to positive change. Our mission, making change happen, has never been as important as it is today.

• Book a Flight
• Manage Reservations
• Explore Destinations
• Flight Schedules
• Track Checked Bags
• International Travel
• Flight Offers
• Low Fare Calendar
• Upgrade My Flight
• Add EarlyBird Check-In
• Check Travel Funds
• Buy Carbon Offsets
• Flying with Southwest
• Book a Hotel
• Redeem Points for Hotels
• More Than Hotels
• Hotel Offers
• Best Rate Guarantee
• Rapid Rewards Partners
• Book a Vacation Package
• Manage My Vacation
• Vacation Package Offers
• Vacation Destinations
• Why Book With Us?
• FLIGHT STATUS
• CHANGE FLIGHT

Enter code SAVE25NOW in the Promo Code box when booking. Offer is valid only for continental U.S. flights. The 25 percent promotion code savings are valid for one-way or round trip Wanna Get Away® and Wanna Get Away Plus® fares booked with Rapid Rewards points during the Booking Period, flown during the Travel Period, and are applied before taxes and fees. Seats and days are limited. Savings are reflected in the price when entering the multiuse code SAVE25NOW in the Promo Code box on Southwest.com and swabiz.com. This discount is only available through Southwest.com and swabiz.com. Discount is valid on new reservations only. Discount will apply only for flights booked during the Booking Period and flown on the dates within the Travel Period. If one segment of the trip is outside the Travel Period and one is within the Travel Period, only the portion of travel falling within the Travel Period will be discounted. Changes made to the itinerary after purchase will eliminate qualification for this promotion. The discount is only valid with the provided promotion code and is not combinable with other promotion codes or fares. All reward travel is subject to taxes, fees, and other government or airport-imposed charges of at least $5.60 per one-way trip. Applicable taxes, fees, and other government or airport-imposed charges can vary significantly based on your arrival and departure destination. The payment of any taxes, fees, and other government or airport-imposed charges is the responsibility of the Passenger and must be paid at the time reward travel is booked with a credit card, flight credit, or Southwest gift card. When traveling on reward travel, you will receive all fare product features except for earning Rapid Rewards points. Any change in itinerary may result in an increase in points used. Points bookings are subject to change until ticketed. If you cancel your reservation at least ten (10) minutes prior to the scheduled departure of your flight, any remaining unused points will be returned to your Rapid Rewards account. All Rapid Rewards rules and regulations apply and can be found at Southwest.com/rrterms . Offer is not redeemable for cash, and may not be used in conjunction with other special offers, or toward the purchase of a gift card or previously booked flight, or changed to a previously booked flight. Discount is not valid on group travel, Southwest Vacations®, and government fares.

Help Center

• Terms & Conditions
• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell/Share My Info

© 2024 Southwest Airlines Co. All Rights Reserved.

• Editorial Standards
• Reprints & Permissions

• All Wellness
• All Skin Care
• Moisturizers
• Mineral Sunscreens
• Sunscreens for Kids
• Sunscreens for Dark Skin
• SPF Lip Balms
• Under Eye Patches
• All Hair Care
• Purple Shampoos
• Thinning Hair
• Head Shavers
• Hair Dryers
• All Oral Care
• Electric Toothbrushes
• Toothpastes
• Mouthwashes
• Water Flossers
• Meal Kit Delivery
• Gluten-Free Meal Kit Delivery
• Disposable Face Masks
• Air Purifiers
• Eco-Friendly Laundry Detergents
• Natural Deodorants
• Period Underwear
• All Fitness
• Exercise Bikes
• Walking Shoes
• Fitness Trackers
• Reusable Water Bottles
• Blackout Curtains
• Sound Machines
• Home & Kitchen
• All Home & Kitchen
• Kitchen Appliances & Tools
• All Kitchen Appliances & Tools
• Coffee Makers
• Kitchen Gadgets
• Small Home Appliances
• All Small Home Appliances
• Air Conditioners
• Space Heaters
• Humidifiers
• Bedding & Bath
• All Bedding & Bath
• Bath Towels
• Silk Pillowcases
• Duvet Inserts
• Office Chairs
• Standing Desks
• Desk Organizers
• Seat Cushions
• Under Desk Ellipticals
• All Outdoor
• Raised Garden Boxes
• Garden Hoses
• Beach Towels
• Solar Pool Covers
• Grilling Accessories
• Electronics
• All Electronics
• Wifi Routers
• Gaming Consoles
• Streaming Devices
• Instant Cameras
• Handheld Gaming Consoles
• 3D Printers
• All Headphones
• Noise Canceling
• Wireless Earbuds
• Smart Gadgets
• All Smart Gadgets
• Smart Watches
• Smart Bulbs
• Garage Door Openers
• All Computers
• Gaming Laptops
• Laptops for College Students
• Computer Monitors
• Ergonomic Keyboards
• Dog Carriers
• Litter Boxes
• Scratching Posts
• Cat Carriers
• All Pet Care
• Nail Clippers
• Flea & Tick
• All Luggage
• Lightweight
• Weekender Bags
• Accessories
• All Accessories
• Luggage Tags
• Travel Pillows
• Tech Gadgets
• Packing & Organization
• All Packing & Organization
• Packing Cubes
• Toiletry Bags
• Gift Guides
• All Gift Guides
• Valentine's Day
• All Valentine's Day
• For Any Loved Ones
• Mother's Day
• All Mother's Day
• Last Minute Gifts
• Best Mother's Day Gifts
• For Moms Who Have Everything
• Best from Amazon
• All Graduation
• For College Grads
• For High School Grads
• For Teachers
• Father's Day
• All Father's Day
• Best Father's Day Gifts
• For Dads Who Love Fishing
• Holiday Season & Christmas
• All Holiday Season & Christmas
• Gifts Under $25
• Practical Gifts
• Other occasions & loved ones
• All Other occasions & loved ones
• For Grandparents
• For Bridal Shower
• For New Parents
• For Any Occasion
• Deals & Sales
• All Deals & Sales
• Most Popular This Month
• Sales This Week
• New & Notable
• What to Buy This Month
• All Sleep Week
• Body Pillows
• Sleep Week Sales
• CNBC Select
• All CNBC Select
• Credit Cards
• Small Business
• Personal Finance
• Credit Monitoring
• Help for Low Credit Scores
• Sign up for the Select Newsletter
• Check out Shop TODAY
• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell My Personal Information
• Terms Of Service
• NBC News Sitemap

Follow Select

10 top-rated travel pillows for long trips

Between crowded seats, crying babies and limited leg room, traveling on long flights can be exhausting and uncomfortable. A perfect pillow makes the trek slightly easier to bear and can help you get some sleep during those travel periods. To help you narrow down which travel pillow is right for you, we consulted sleep and travel experts about what to know before shopping, plus we compiled highly rated options to consider.

SKIP AHEAD What are the benefits of travel pillows? | How we picked the best travel pillows | The best travel pillows to consider in 2024 | How to shop for travel pillows

Selected. Our top picks

What are the benefits of travel pillows?

Whether your airplane seat is too small or your bus ride endures several bumps, it may be difficult to relax on a long trip. Add noisy conversations and frequent overhead announcements and you have multiple barriers in your way to getting a good nap.

One of the main reasons people struggle to sleep while traveling — especially on international flights with time changes — is because they’re trying to sleep at a time with “low circadian and homeostatic drive” (a time when they would not normally sleep, so they’re not as tired), says Dr. Andrew Varga, a board-certified physician at The Mount Sinai Integrative Sleep Center . The other factor, according to Varga, is the sleeping space, which is usually cramped and doesn’t let you lie recumbent or change positions, except in typically pricey business- and first-class cabins.

“Not everyone is an equally deep sleeper, and people with any sleep issues at baseline will often have a harder time sleeping in a louder and less comfortable environment — such as an airplane,” says board-certified psychiatrist and sleep medicine specialist Dr. Alex Dimitriu . He noted that posture plays a big role in the discomfort we feel — and as anyone who has slept on a plane knows, “the head tends to fall off to the side or forward, which is both uncomfortable and can cause neck pain, and [can] even make breathing less efficient.”

“Sleeping upright is not at all a natural position,” says Dr. Mayank Shukla , a board-certified pulmonologist and sleep medicine specialist in New York City. “Our head weighs almost 10 pounds and flops around the neck when sleeping upright, leading to aches and pain with all that muscle strain.”

Experts noted that travel pillows can provide support for the neck and head, alleviating some pain and discomfort when combating an upright sleeping position while traveling. They’re typically portable, lightweight, ergonomically designed and come in different sizes to fit every type of person, plus some have additional high-tech features like temperature regulation. This is an ideal tool for frequent flyers who hope to maintain a semi-regular sleeping schedule.

How we picked the best travel pillows

The best travel pillows are ones that are comfortable, supportive and easy to carry around, according to our experts. When shopping for a quality travel pillow, they recommend considering the following factors:

• Inflatable vs. non-inflatable : You can adjust inflatable pillows to your desired firmness, and easily store them away when deflated. With non-inflatable pillows, on the other hand, you can fill them with more cushioned materials to promote comfort including memory foam and poly-fiber fill.
• Portability : Look for features like straps (that you can attach to your luggage ) or an accompanying pouch (that you can pack it down into) for ease while on the go.

select Minimize chaos on your next trip with these expert-approved accessories

The best travel pillows to consider in 2024.

Below, we rounded up a selection of the best travel pillows based on NBC Select staff recommendations, ratings and expert advice.

Best overal travel pillow: Cabeau

Cabeau evolution s3 sleep pillow.

• Straps allow for attachment to headrests
• Adjustable drawstrings
• Comes with carrying case
• Large size may be uncomfortable to some

Former NBC Select editor Christina Colizza says she loves this travel pillow from Cabeau because it prevents slouching by attaching to the plane’s headrest. “As someone who is [very tall], I’ll take all the help I can in getting some sleep while flying, and this pillow makes a huge difference,” she says. “Plus, it compresses down into a small pouch, which makes it convenient enough to schlep around airports.” The headrest attachment also makes this an ideal option for long road trips. This travel pillow comes in five colors and patterns including indigo and galaxy.

Fill material : Memory foam | Machine-washable cover : Yes | Portable features : Travel bag | Rating : 4.3-star average rating from 7,652 reviews on Amazon  

Best splurge travel pillow: Ostrichpillow

Ostrichpillow go neck pillow.

• Full 360-degree neck support
• Compresses for easy packing
• Fit around neck may vary

Ostrichpillow offers a variety of unique pillow alternatives, from a napping option to a mini hand pillow . This memory foam one has raised edges for neck support and comes with a velcro strap that allows you to customize its fit. The travel pillow can also compress down to snugly fit inside the included travel bag.

Fill material : Memory foam | Machine-washable cover : Yes | Portable features : Travel bag | Rating : 4-star average rating from 1,876 reviews on Amazon

Best versatile travel pillow: Huzi

Huzi infinity travel pillow.

• Very versatile
• Bulky: can be hard to carry
• May be difficult to store

If you’re looking for a pillow with versatility, this option from Huzi may be just what you need. It’s made from a soft, anti-bacterial nylon bamboo that keeps you cool and airy as you sleep, according to the brand. The best part, however, is its scarf-like, 360-degree design — you can move and adjust the pillow however you’d like to target specific areas like your neck, back, chin and more. It can also be wrapped around your head to help muffle noise, or used as support when resting against a plane or car window.

Fill material : Microfiber | Machine-washable cover : Yes | Portable features : None | Rating : 4.3-star average rating from 6,307 reviews on Amazon

Best travel pillow for chin support: Bcozzy

Bcozzy chin supporting travel pillow.

• Stops your head from falling forward
• Good value for price
• Full wrap around can feel constrictive

Few things can jolt you awake faster than your head falling forward while you’re seated. This ergonomic neck pillow offers an adjustable front loop for chin support and a flat back to avoid pushing your head forward. It includes a snap strap that you can hook to your luggage or hang up in your car. The pillow comes in multiple colors and you can choose between various sizes ranging from kids small to extra-large .

Fill material : Polyester | Machine-washable cover : Yes | Portable features : Snap closure  | Rating : 4.2-star average rating from 29,016 reviews on Amazon

Best travel pillow for back support: SmartTravel

Smarttravel inflatable lumbar travel pillow.

• Easily inflates and deflates
• Can be used on back as well as neck
• Hand-wash only

NBC Select managing editor Leah Ginsberg says she likes a lumbar pillow for added back support during long flights. This inflatable pillow serves as both a neck and back pillow, and is designed to fit your body’s natural curves and reduce pressure on the spine and neck, according to the brand. It also comes with an expandable mounting band to easily fasten it to headrests.

Fill material : Inflatable | Machine-washable cover : No | Portable features : Travel bag  | Rating : 4.3-star average rating from 1,262 reviews on Amazon

Best inflatable travel pillow: Sunany

Sunany inflatable neck pillow.

• Comes with accessories
• Quickly inflates and deflates
• Not very soft

Designed to follow the natural curve of your neck and body, this travel pillow’s ergonomic shape can soothe discomfort and reduce pressure points around your head and neck, according to the brand. You can also place your arms and head inside one of the four holes to support a sleeping position that’s most comfortable for you. It comes with a pouch for storage, along with a matching eye mask and earplugs.

Fill material : Inflatable | Machine-washable cover : No | Portable features : Travel bag | Rating : 4.2-star average rating from 6,696 reviews on Amazon

Best travel pillow for single-side sleepers: Trtl

Trtl travel pillow.

• Soft, cozy exterior
• Lightweight and easy to pack
• Only supports one side at a time

For those who don’t find enough support from traditional U-shaped travel pillows, this uniquely-shaped option comes with a hidden inner support that can hold your head and neck at any position that’s comfortable for you. You can adjust the support to contour your neck, shoulder or jaw, while the fleece exterior is soft and machine-washable.

Fill material: Mesh fabric | Machine-washable cover : Yes | Portable features : Flat design for easy packing | Rating : 4.0-star average rating from 35,371 reviews on Amazon

Best budget travel pillow: Wolf Essentials

Wolf essentials microfiber neck pillow.

Wolf Essentials Microfiber Travel Pillow

• Very affordable option
• Machine-washable
• Thickness may cause fit issues

This neck pillow’s fleece cover provides soft, thermal comfort, which is perfect for when the plane or vehicle gets cold. It’s entirely machine-washable (not just the cover) and comes with a snap closure to keep it from sliding off of your neck or to connect it to your luggage. 

Fill material : Polyester blend | Machine-washable cover : Yes | Portable features : Snap closure | Rating : 4.4-star average rating from 10,911 reviews on Amazon

Other travel pillows we love

Crafty world travel neck pillow.

• No on-neck fastener

This option comes with a removable and machine-washable cover, so you can easily wash it. It’s made with a memory foam interior and a velour fabric exterior for a soft and comfortable feel, according to the brand. The pillow also has an elastic strap to help you connect it to your suitcase for extra portability. It comes in four colors — black, blue, gray and purple. 

Fill material : Memory foam | Machine-washable cover : Yes | Portable features : Elastic strap | Rating : 4.3-star average rating from 5,558 reviews on Amazon

Mlvoc Travel Pillow

• Includes eye masks, earplugs and carrying bag
• Affordably priced
• Bulky; may have issues with fit

With its ergonomic, curved design for neck and head support, this travel pillow comes wrapped in a cover that is both machine-washable and sweat-resistant. The travel pillow comes with a contoured eye mask and earplugs, and can fold down to half its size to fit neatly into the included travel bag. Plus, the built-in snap strap can also latch onto your suitcase for easy portability.

Fill material : Memory foam | Machine-washable cover : Yes | Portable features : Travel bag | Rating : 4.3-star average rating from 33,692 reviews on Amazon

select Whether you’re going away for a week or a weekend, there’s a highly-rated bag on Amazon for you.

How to shop for a travel pillow.

The best travel pillow is one that you find the most comfortable to use for extended periods of time. Ideally, Dimitriu recommends testing out the pillow beforehand to see whether it’s comfortable and how it changes shape.

“The emphasis for most users should be to see how comfortably the pillow lets you rest with your back to the seat and without your head falling forward,” he says. And while larger pillows tend to provide more cushioning, he noted “airplane seats are tight, and there is such a thing as too much pillow.”

Below, we highlighted two of the most important considerations when shopping for travel pillows: inflatability and portability.

Inflatable vs. non-inflatable

When going on a long-haul trip, most travelers don’t want another thing to lug around. “Inflatable pillows may allow for more cushion and can fold to a smaller size,” Dimitriu says, adding that they won’t take up too much space in your luggage. They’re also typically more adjustable — you can change the amount of air to get more or less firmness, depending on your comfort level.

Non-inflatable travel pillows include various types of filling material including memory foam, polyester fiberfill and microbeads. While the different materials can make it easier to find a more comfortable fit, non-inflatable pillows tend to be bulkier than inflatable ones. When it comes to cleaning, both inflatable and non-inflatable pillows typically have removable covers that you can machine wash or spot clean.

Portability

If you’re on a multipart journey or backpacking through Europe, for example, the size and portability of your travel pillow may be just as important off a plane as it is on it. Some travel pillows have straps that you can attach to your luggage, while with others you can fold to fit inside a small bag.

Meet our experts

At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.

• Dr. Andrew Varga is a board-certified physician at The Mount Sinai Integrative Sleep Center .
• Dr. Alex Dimitriu is a board-certified psychiatrist, sleep medicine specialist and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine in Menlo Park, California.
• Dr. Mayank Shukla is a board-certified pulmonologist and sleep medicine specialist in New York City.

Why trust NBC Select?

Mili Godio is an updates editor at Select and covers a range of sleep topics including weighted blankets , sunrise alarm clocks and blackout curtains .  Ashley Morris is an associate SEO reporter for NBC Select covering skin care, lifestyle and more. For this story, Godio spoke to three sleep medicine experts to get their recommendations on how to shop for travel pillows and their benefits. She also researched dozens of travel pillows on the market that are in line with experts’ guidance.

Catch up on NBC Select’s in-depth coverage of personal finance , tech and tools , wellness and more, and follow us on Facebook , Instagram , Twitter and TikTok to stay up to date.

Mili Godio is an updates editor for Select on NBC News.

• Articles   >

The Moscow Metro Museum of Art: 10 Must-See Stations

There are few times one can claim having been on the subway all afternoon and loving it, but the Moscow Metro provides just that opportunity.  While many cities boast famous public transport systems—New York’s subway, London’s underground, San Salvador’s chicken buses—few warrant hours of exploration.  Moscow is different: Take one ride on the Metro, and you’ll find out that this network of railways can be so much more than point A to B drudgery.

The Metro began operating in 1935 with just thirteen stations, covering less than seven miles, but it has since grown into the world’s third busiest transit system ( Tokyo is first ), spanning about 200 miles and offering over 180 stops along the way.  The construction of the Metro began under Joseph Stalin’s command, and being one of the USSR’s most ambitious building projects, the iron-fisted leader instructed designers to create a place full of svet (radiance) and svetloe budushchee (a radiant future), a palace for the people and a tribute to the Mother nation.

Consequently, the Metro is among the most memorable attractions in Moscow.  The stations provide a unique collection of public art, comparable to anything the city’s galleries have to offer and providing a sense of the Soviet era, which is absent from the State National History Museum.  Even better, touring the Metro delivers palpable, experiential moments, which many of us don’t get standing in front of painting or a case of coins.

Though tours are available , discovering the Moscow Metro on your own provides a much more comprehensive, truer experience, something much less sterile than following a guide.  What better place is there to see the “real” Moscow than on mass transit: A few hours will expose you to characters and caricatures you’ll be hard-pressed to find dining near the Bolshoi Theater.  You become part of the attraction, hear it in the screech of the train, feel it as hurried commuters brush by: The Metro sucks you beneath the city and churns you into the mix.

With the recommendations of our born-and-bred Muscovite students, my wife Emma and I have just taken a self-guided tour of what some locals consider the top ten stations of the Moscow Metro. What most satisfied me about our Metro tour was the sense of adventure .  I loved following our route on the maps of the wagon walls as we circled the city, plotting out the course to the subsequent stops; having the weird sensation of being underground for nearly four hours; and discovering the next cavern of treasures, playing Indiana Jones for the afternoon, piecing together fragments of Russia’s mysterious history.  It’s the ultimate interactive museum.

Top Ten Stations (In order of appearance)

Kievskaya station.

Kievskaya Station went public in March of 1937, the rails between it and Park Kultury Station being the first to cross the Moscow River.  Kievskaya is full of mosaics depicting aristocratic scenes of Russian life, with great cameo appearances by Lenin, Trotsky, and Stalin.  Each work has a Cyrillic title/explanation etched in the marble beneath it; however, if your Russian is rusty, you can just appreciate seeing familiar revolutionary dates like 1905 ( the Russian Revolution ) and 1917 ( the October Revolution ).

Mayakovskaya Station

Mayakovskaya Station ranks in my top three most notable Metro stations. Mayakovskaya just feels right, done Art Deco but no sense of gaudiness or pretention.  The arches are adorned with rounded chrome piping and create feeling of being in a jukebox, but the roof’s expansive mosaics of the sky are the real showstopper.  Subjects cleverly range from looking up at a high jumper, workers atop a building, spires of Orthodox cathedrals, to nimble aircraft humming by, a fleet of prop planes spelling out CCCP in the bluest of skies.

Novoslobodskaya Station

Novoslobodskaya is the Metro’s unique stained glass station.  Each column has its own distinctive panels of colorful glass, most of them with a floral theme, some of them capturing the odd sailor, musician, artist, gardener, or stenographer in action.  The glass is framed in Art Deco metalwork, and there is the lovely aspect of discovering panels in the less frequented haunches of the hall (on the trackside, between the incoming staircases).  Novosblod is, I’ve been told, the favorite amongst out-of-town visitors.

Komsomolskaya Station

Komsomolskaya Station is one of palatial grandeur.  It seems both magnificent and obligatory, like the presidential palace of a colonial city.  The yellow ceiling has leafy, white concrete garland and a series of golden military mosaics accenting the tile mosaics of glorified Russian life.  Switching lines here, the hallway has an Alice-in-Wonderland feel, impossibly long with decorative tile walls, culminating in a very old station left in a remarkable state of disrepair, offering a really tangible glimpse behind the palace walls.

Dostoevskaya Station

Dostoevskaya is a tribute to the late, great hero of Russian literature .  The station at first glance seems bare and unimpressive, a stark marble platform without a whiff of reassembled chips of tile.  However, two columns have eerie stone inlay collages of scenes from Dostoevsky’s work, including The Idiot , The Brothers Karamazov , and Crime and Punishment.   Then, standing at the center of the platform, the marble creates a kaleidoscope of reflections.  At the entrance, there is a large, inlay portrait of the author.

Chkalovskaya Station

Chkalovskaya does space Art Deco style (yet again).  Chrome borders all.  Passageways with curvy overhangs create the illusion of walking through the belly of a chic, new-age spacecraft.  There are two (kos)mosaics, one at each end, with planetary subjects.  Transferring here brings you above ground, where some rather elaborate metalwork is on display.  By name similarity only, I’d expected Komsolskaya Station to deliver some kosmonaut décor; instead, it was Chkalovskaya that took us up to the space station.

Elektrozavodskaya Station

Elektrozavodskaya is full of marble reliefs of workers, men and women, laboring through the different stages of industry.  The superhuman figures are round with muscles, Hollywood fit, and seemingly undeterred by each Herculean task they respectively perform.  The station is chocked with brass, from hammer and sickle light fixtures to beautiful, angular framework up the innards of the columns.  The station’s art pieces are less clever or extravagant than others, but identifying the different stages of industry is entertaining.

Baumanskaya Statio

Baumanskaya Station is the only stop that wasn’t suggested by the students.  Pulling in, the network of statues was just too enticing: Out of half-circle depressions in the platform’s columns, the USSR’s proud and powerful labor force again flaunts its success.  Pilots, blacksmiths, politicians, and artists have all congregated, posing amongst more Art Deco framing.  At the far end, a massive Soviet flag dons the face of Lenin and banners for ’05, ’17, and ‘45.  Standing in front of the flag, you can play with the echoing roof.

Ploshchad Revolutsii Station

Novokuznetskaya Station

Novokuznetskaya Station finishes off this tour, more or less, where it started: beautiful mosaics.  This station recalls the skyward-facing pieces from Mayakovskaya (Station #2), only with a little larger pictures in a more cramped, very trafficked area.  Due to a line of street lamps in the center of the platform, it has the atmosphere of a bustling market.  The more inventive sky scenes include a man on a ladder, women picking fruit, and a tank-dozer being craned in.  The station’s also has a handsome black-and-white stone mural.

Here is a map and a brief description of our route:

Start at (1)Kievskaya on the “ring line” (look for the squares at the bottom of the platform signs to help you navigate—the ring line is #5, brown line) and go north to Belorusskaya, make a quick switch to the Dark Green/#2 line, and go south one stop to (2)Mayakovskaya.  Backtrack to the ring line—Brown/#5—and continue north, getting off at (3)Novosblodskaya and (4)Komsolskaya.  At Komsolskaya Station, transfer to the Red/#1 line, go south for two stops to Chistye Prudy, and get on the Light Green/#10 line going north.  Take a look at (5)Dostoevskaya Station on the northern segment of Light Green/#10 line then change directions and head south to (6)Chkalovskaya, which offers a transfer to the Dark Blue/#3 line, going west, away from the city center.  Have a look (7)Elektroskaya Station before backtracking into the center of Moscow, stopping off at (8)Baumskaya, getting off the Dark Blue/#3 line at (9)Ploschad Revolyutsii.  Change to the Dark Green/#2 line and go south one stop to see (10)Novokuznetskaya Station.

Check out our new Moscow Indie Travel Guide , book a flight to Moscow and read 10 Bars with Views Worth Blowing the Budget For

Jonathon Engels, formerly a patron saint of misadventure, has been stumbling his way across cultural borders since 2005 and is currently volunteering in the mountains outside of Antigua, Guatemala.  For more of his work, visit his website and blog .

Photo credits:   SergeyRod , all others courtesy of the author and may not be used without permission