12 Easy Hacks To Score Cheap Flights For Your Summer Getaway

Tired of watching flight prices soar just as you’re ready to book that summer getaway? I’ve been there—and after way too many late nights stalking fare drops, I’ve figured out what actually works when it comes to scoring cheaper flights.

From timing your searches just right to using sneaky booking tricks (yes, incognito mode does help sometimes), these hacks have saved me hundreds of dollars over the years. I’ll show you how to beat the system—or at least stay one step ahead of it.

Ready to spend less on flights and more on fun? Let’s dive into the tricks that can get you flying for less.

1. Use Flight Comparison Sites

Flight comparison websites can save you hundreds of dollars with just a few clicks. These powerful search engines scan thousands of routes across multiple airlines simultaneously, showing you the best deals at a glance.

I always start my travel planning with sites like Skyscanner, Google Flights, or Momondo. Each platform has unique features—Skyscanner often finds the absolute cheapest dates, while Google Flights has a fantastic map feature showing prices to destinations worldwide.

Don’t just check one site and call it a day. Different comparison tools have different airline partnerships, so spending ten minutes searching across 2-3 platforms can uncover hidden bargains others might miss.

2. Set Price Alerts

Flight prices change constantly—sometimes multiple times in a single day. Setting up price alerts is like having your own personal bargain hunter working around the clock.

Most travel sites like Kayak, Google Flights, and Hopper let you create alerts for specific routes. You’ll get notified immediately when prices drop, giving you the chance to pounce on deals before they disappear.

My cousin saved nearly $200 on her Hawaii trip last summer just because she received an alert about a 24-hour price drop. The system works especially well if you can start tracking prices 3-4 months before your travel dates.

3. Book in Incognito Mode

Airlines and booking sites track your searches using cookies, and some may increase prices when you repeatedly check the same routes. Opening an incognito or private browsing window prevents this sneaky practice.

I noticed this trick working firsthand when searching for flights to Barcelona. After checking the same route for days, prices mysteriously climbed $75. When I switched to incognito mode, the original lower price magically reappeared!

For extra savings, try clearing your cookies between searches or using different devices. Some savvy travelers even use VPNs to check prices from different countries where tickets might be offered at lower rates.

4. Be Flexible With Dates

Flexibility is your secret weapon for finding cheap flights. Shifting your travel dates by just a day or two can sometimes save hundreds of dollars, especially during peak summer season.

Most comparison sites offer a flexible dates option or calendar view showing price variations across different days. Tuesday and Wednesday departures typically offer the best deals, while weekend flights command premium prices.

If your schedule allows, consider the “shoulder season”—early June or late August—when summer destinations are still wonderful but prices drop significantly. My family saved over $300 per person last year by moving our beach vacation from mid-July to early June.

5. Fly Midweek

Monday through Wednesday flights can be substantially cheaper than weekend departures. This simple switch often cuts prices by 20-30% during summer travel season.

Airlines know most vacationers prefer flying out Friday and returning Sunday, so they charge premium rates for these popular days. Business travel usually slows midweek, creating price drops that savvy travelers can exploit.

Last summer, I saved $175 flying to Miami on a Tuesday instead of Saturday. Even if you can only adjust one leg of your journey to midweek, you’ll still see significant savings. The bonus? Airports are typically less crowded, making your travel experience more pleasant.

6. Choose Budget Airlines

Budget carriers have revolutionized air travel, offering bare-bones service at rock-bottom prices. While you won’t get fancy meals or lots of legroom, you can often fly for half the cost of traditional airlines.

Spirit, Frontier, Ryanair, and similar low-cost carriers can deliver amazing deals if you understand their pricing model. The base fare might seem unbeatable, but remember to factor in potential fees for seat selection, baggage, and even printing boarding passes.

My friend flew roundtrip to Orlando for just $89 last June on a budget airline. She packed light in a backpack to avoid baggage fees and brought her own snacks. With the money saved, she upgraded her hotel instead!

7. Avoid Baggage Fees

Baggage fees can quickly turn a bargain flight into an expensive journey. Learning to pack efficiently in a carry-on can save you $30-$60 per flight, which adds up fast for families.

Many travelers don’t realize that wearing your bulkiest items (like sneakers and jackets) saves valuable suitcase space. Rolling clothes instead of folding them and using packing cubes can help you fit surprisingly more in a small bag.

If checking bags is unavoidable, consider airlines like Southwest that still offer free checked baggage. Alternatively, airline credit cards often include free checked bags as a perk. My Southwest card saved our family over $200 in baggage fees during last summer’s two-week vacation.

8. Use Airline Miles

Airline miles aren’t just for frequent flyers anymore! Credit card sign-up bonuses can instantly give you enough points for a free summer flight, even if you rarely travel.

Many travel credit cards offer 50,000+ bonus points after meeting minimum spending requirements—often enough for a domestic roundtrip ticket. Everyday purchases like groceries and gas can steadily build your miles balance throughout the year.

Points are particularly valuable for summer travel when cash prices surge. I booked two roundtrip tickets to San Francisco last July using miles when cash prices were over $500 each. The flights cost me 50,000 points total, which I’d accumulated mostly through regular grocery shopping with my airline credit card.

9. Book Early or Last-Minute

Timing your booking can dramatically impact flight prices. For summer travel, booking 3-4 months ahead typically secures the best rates before demand drives prices up.

Surprisingly, last-minute deals can also be golden opportunities. Airlines sometimes slash prices 1-2 weeks before departure to fill empty seats. This strategy works best if you’re flexible about destinations and dates.

Apps like HotelTonight (which despite the name also features flights) specialize in last-minute travel deals. My colleague scored a $175 roundtrip to Denver just three days before departure—a route normally priced at $350+. The sweet spot? Either book way ahead or wait until the very last minute.

10. Consider Nearby Airports

Major airports often charge premium prices due to higher demand and operating costs. Expanding your search to include smaller, regional airports within driving distance can uncover significant savings.

For example, flying into Providence instead of Boston or Burbank instead of LAX can save $100+ per ticket during peak summer season. The extra driving time is usually offset by shorter security lines and less hectic terminals at smaller airports.

When my family visited Chicago last summer, we saved $440 total by flying into Milwaukee and driving 90 minutes south. The rental car cost us an extra $50, but we still came out nearly $400 ahead. Always compare total travel costs, not just the flight itself.

11. Look for Promo Codes

Airlines and online travel agencies regularly offer promotional codes that can slash prices by 10-25%. Finding these hidden gems takes a bit of detective work but pays off handsomely.

Sign up for airline email lists, follow them on social media, and check travel deal websites like Slickdeals regularly. Airlines often release flash sales and limited-time codes to celebrate holidays, new routes, or just to boost sales during slower periods.

My neighbor found a 20% off promo code for JetBlue by checking their Twitter feed, saving her family $340 on their summer flights to Florida. Sometimes calling the airline directly and asking about unpublished promotions works too—phone agents occasionally have access to deals not advertised online.

12. Sign Up for Fare Newsletters

Specialized fare alert newsletters can be your ticket to incredible flight deals that disappear within hours. Services like Scott’s Cheap Flights, Airfarewatchdog, and Secret Flying employ teams of experts who hunt for pricing mistakes and flash sales.

These deals often result from airline pricing errors or aggressive sale strategies. I’ve seen summer flights to Europe advertised for $350 roundtrip—less than half the normal price—but they typically last only 3-5 hours before being corrected.

My coworker subscribed to a premium fare alert service for $49 annually and saved over $600 on a single summer trip to Portugal. The key is being ready to book immediately when these alerts arrive, as the best deals vanish quickly.

13. Mix and Match Airlines

Booking separate one-way tickets on different airlines instead of roundtrip on the same carrier can unlock surprising savings. This “mix and match” approach gives you access to the cheapest flight for each leg of your journey.

Standard search engines now offer this option (sometimes called “hacker fares”), but you can also manually compare one-way prices yourself. For my summer trip to Nashville, flying out on American and back on Delta saved $135 compared to roundtrip on either airline.

Just be careful with timing if booking separate tickets—allow extra connection time since airlines won’t help if a delay on one carrier causes you to miss a flight on another. Also remember that baggage policies and terminals might differ between your outbound and return flights.