A workspace featuring a laptop, a model airplane, a credit card, a globe, a camera, travel documents, and a clock with a sticky note reading Time to save money on flights! above the word TRAVEL spelled out in large letters.

How to Save Money on Flights When Travel Prices Are High

ByJay M

Gas prices are high, and that makes all travel cost more. Road trips cost more, flights cost more, and so on. There are, however, ways to keep traveling without spending more than you’d like. Here are a few tricks I’ve used more than once.

1. Let the Travel World Pick Your Destination

If you want to get out and explore but don’t have a set destination yet, this is where you can save big. Google Flights’ Explore feature shows you deals from your home airport. For example, I set Chicago as my home airport (it searches both Midway and O’Hare), picked a weekend next month, and got back Miami for $183, Vegas for $245, and Denver for $150. Frontier had those fares, with American not far behind. Plenty of other US destinations showed up too, along with international ones like Reykjavík, Iceland, for $477 direct on United.

2. Alternative Airports and Airlines

Depending on where you live and where you’re going, chances are there’s an alternative airport. Leaving from Chicago, for example, I could also consider Milwaukee. Here’s a real example from a December trip to Boston to see family. We’re flying from Wilmington (ILM) into Providence, RI (PVD) on Breeze for $89, then taking the MBTA into Boston for $10. We’re flying home out of New Haven (HVN) for $98. The alternative was a direct flight on Delta, JetBlue, or American for well over $500 round trip. By adjusting the airports, we saved a substantial amount.

3. Alternative Transportation

Depending on where you live, maybe the train makes more sense. In some cases, it can even be part of the adventure. The US doesn’t have the best rail network, but the connections are there, and they work best for shorter trips. The best example is the Northeast, where Amtrak links cities like Boston, New York, and DC. In Florida, you’ll find Brightline, which connects several cities.

Alternative transportation should also play a big role in choosing an alternative airport, since it can make a not-so-nearby airport feel much closer. My trip home from New Haven, CT, is a good example. For $22, we’re taking Amtrak from Boston to New Haven, no one-way rental needed. Or say Miami is your destination, but it’s just too expensive. Look at Orlando instead and pair it with a Brightline train to Miami for only $48 (at least when I looked). Plus, Brightline’s Orlando station is right inside the airport (MCO).

4. Look at LCCs and ULCCs

LCCs are low-cost carriers and ULCCs are ultra-low-cost carriers. In the US, Southwest is an example of an LCC, while Avelo, Sun Country, and many others are ULCCs. Breeze often gets labeled a ULCC too. I disagree, but that’s for a different article.

Let’s use Avelo as an example and apply a few pointers from above. When I searched ILM as my departure airport on Avelo’s site, it gave me five destinations. Here they are, along with my ideas for an alternative trip from each:

New Haven, CT (HVN)

  • All of New England, including Boston
  • New York City
  • New Haven is well connected by Amtrak

Nashville, TN (BNA)

  • Huntsville, AL
  • Memphis
  • Kentucky

Wilmington, DE (ILG)

  • Philadelphia
  • Atlantic City
  • The Jersey Shore
  • Wilmington is connected by Amtrak

Tampa, FL (TPA)

  • Orlando
  • Naples
  • Fort Myers
  • All of Southwest Florida

Baltimore, MD (BWI)

  • Washington, DC
  • Philadelphia
  • Annapolis

This is just one airline from one airport, but you get the point. One caution: this trick usually won’t work in Google Flights, because most ULCCs only fly to certain cities on set days, so they often won’t show up for the dates you pick. Search the airline’s own site instead.

A flight booking search interface with a dropdown menu highlighting Nashville, TN – BNA as a destination, alongside an Avelo Airlines credit card.

5. Be Flexible with Dates

Heading out for a long weekend, maybe Friday to Sunday? Take a look at a late-night flight on Tuesday. Yes, you may end up paying for an extra hotel night, but weigh that against the fare savings. This is especially helpful for long-distance flights, where your outbound or return may be a redeye. I’ve done London for a long weekend this way, departing late Thursday and arriving Friday, then flying home later Sunday afternoon.

The Bottom Line

To sum it up, flexibility and a bit of research will help the most. If you have to fly from Chicago to San Francisco tomorrow morning, there isn’t much you can do about the price of that $1,108 United flight. But pack light, skip the seat upgrade on a short flight, work a train into the middle of your trip, and you’ll save.

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