How to score cheap flights from a frequent traveler who's been to 47 countries
Courtesy of Nicole Cueto
- Nicole Cueto is a communications professional and travel advisor who travels frequently.
- She uses tools such as Momondo and Going to stay up to date on the best flight deals.
- Cueto is also flexible with her airline choice and sometimes plans trips around what's affordable.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Nicole Cueto, a 40-year-old who has traveled to 47 countries. The following has been edited for length and clarity.
When I was 11, I traveled internationally for the first time, to my grandfather's timeshare in Mexico. It sparked a curiosity within me that led me to study abroad in Spain when I was in college. Later, when I got my first job in communications, it motivated me to save up so I could see the world.
Over the past 20 years, I've traveled to 47 countries and every continent. I'm a communications and public-relations professional and often have to travel for work, so I build in weekend trips to exciting places including Tallinn, Estonia; Marrakech, Morocco; and Istanbul. I use almost every vacation day I have to travel abroad.
I'm also a travel advisor on the side, so I have a ton of travel resources at my fingertips and learn even more hacks from my community of experts.
I'm always mindful about how much exploring a new place will cost me. I live in New York City and have many expenses, from rent to utilities to student loans, so I'm passionate about traveling on a budget.
My favorite way to save a couple hundred dollars on a trip is hunting for cheap flights. Here are my favorite ways to score low-price airfares.
Subscribe to websites that point you to cheap flight deals or flash sales
Courtesy of Nicole Cueto
Don't just look at the airline's website or on popular airfare sites such as Google Flights. While you might find some low-priced fare options, you won't always get the best deals. That's also why I'm not loyal to any airline — I care more about value.
Instead, bookmark a handful of websites that post cheap flight deals or notify you about airline flash sales. My favorite is Momondo, an aggregator that pulls the best flight deals it can find.
If you're willing to invest a little in travel-deal hunting, you can subscribe to newsletters, such as Going, which charges $50 a year and updates you frequently on the best deals, such as a sale at Delta that you may not have known about.
There can be limitations on cheap tickets — for instance, you may have to pay extra for baggage or not be able to pick your seat. But if you're flexible with those things, as well as the dates and times you're traveling, you may be able to find a very low fare.
I'm planning a trip from Lebanon to Saudi Arabia for New Year's Eve, and I found a relatively inexpensive flight that leaves at 3 a.m. I had price alerts tracking flights to this location on that date, so when I saw the price dropped by $90, I snagged it. I'd rather save the money and catch up on sleep later.
Be careful about using travel platforms like Skiplagged
A lot of frequent travelers suggest Skiplagged, a platform that helps you book a flight with a layover in your preferred destination without you intending to take the second leg of the journey. It's become very risky to use because airlines have been cracking down on the practice.
It can pose a security threat if you don't show up to the final destination your airline ticket is booked for. I saw this firsthand when traveling with a group of friends in May to Egypt.
Courtesy of Nicole Cueto
One person had a Skiplagged ticket and the rest of us didn't. The airline got wind of this when it noticed we were all traveling together and almost didn't let her onto the flight, but we talked to the general manager to resolve it.
The potential for the headaches, risk, and added costs that can come with this type of fare ticket aren't worth it to me as a budget traveler.
Look into credit-card hacking
When I'm planning a big trip, I'll often sign up for a credit card that's offering big bonus miles and use those to buy my ticket.
Last year, when I was planning a trip to Australia for my 40th birthday, I couldn't find inexpensive flights, and I wanted to fly first class. I signed up for the Capital One Venture X card six months before my trip and got 180,000 points. It cost me about 150,000 for my ticket.
But I don't always book travel just using points on the credit card's platform or through the airline. I first do more research to figure out how to make the most of my points.
I use Point.me, which costs me $130 a year, to tell me how I can redeem my airline and credit-card rewards for flights. I also listen to travel podcasts, including "Geobreeze," to learn how to maximize my points and travel on a budget.
Use a VPN to hide your location when searching for flights
A friend suggested that I should start using a virtual private network, which encrypts your internet traffic, hides your IP address, and obscures your physical location, when looking for flights.
Some airlines may increase the price of flights based on your browsing history or location, though that hasn't been confirmed. To protect against the potential of that happening, I use a VPN called Surfshark.
I also search for flights in an incognito browser so that my search history can't be factored into any pricing criteria airlines may have.
Travel without a set destination for more cheap flight options
When I feel an urge to travel but don't have a final destination in mind, I'll try to find cheap flights using the "travel anywhere" features on websites such as Google Flights. I type in my home destination or an airport nearby and keep the travel dates and destination open.
It's a fun way to book a getaway on a whim, sometimes even to places you may not have thought to travel to. For example, recently, I was looking for places to go for a long weekend and discovered a cheap ticket to Mérida, Mexico. It was the perfect escape, and I scored a great deal.