The Exact 11 Steps I Take Every Time to Find Super Cheap Flights

One of the questions I get asked almost daily from friends and followers is, “How do you find such cheap flights all the time?” While there are quite a few articles here with links to budget airlines and other travel tips and tricks, I decided to be very specific about the exact 11 steps I take every time to find super cheap flights. You can also click here and here for other posts that will help you plan your next trip. A few days ago I got a fantastic fare for a flight to Morocco; $364 round trip. However, I have gotten flights that cost one penny to places like Mexico, Guatemala, and other countries. Click here to find out more. When I have no specific destination in mind I’m often able to get crazy deals, but when I am not as flexible, I can still usually get good deals, it just takes work. Below are the steps I took to get such a sweet deal to Morocco.

I’m a Secret Cyber Stalker

Come on, I’m not talking about stalking my ex on Facebook or constantly sneaking around Instagram to see who is liking and commenting on his photos. I would never do that. I mean, I become a secret sleuth by searching incognito. Some people say that it doesn’t matter if you use incognito tabs to “hide” yourself in order to get better deals. But it only takes a second to click open a new screen where your cookies can’t be tracked, so why not do it anyway? Personally, every single time I search for a possible flight the price seems to go higher and higher, but when I’m secretly stalking airlines I seem to get much better fares, so I don’t know whether their pricing algorithms and advanced techie computer ninja skills exist or not, so I err on the side of caution.

I Check Google Flights

I never end up getting tickets through Google flights, but it helps me to have a rough idea of which airlines fly to the destination I’m searching for. I check automatically, but I have my favorite sites I always go to.

Skyscanner

I almost always find what I’m seeking on Skyscanner; this is my favorite site. However, I forgot to close my incognito tab, and the fares kept rising this week. On day one, the price was $502, but I wasn’t thrilled with that fare. The next day, it was up to $560. Day three, the cheapest fare I found was over $600, and the layovers were long. I tried searching for round-trip fares, multi-city with possible stops in London and Paris, but the cheapest fares had layovers in places I had no desire to visit, including Dublin, someplace I’d never heard of in Germany and Scotland. All of these places would be fine in spring or summer, but I’ll be traveling in December and January, and even Paris is not appealing to me when it’s freezing. One of the reasons I love Skyscanner is because (unlike other websites), you’re able to click “Entire Month” or “Cheapest Month” if you can be flexible on dates.

Kiwi

Kiwi is my new favorite website. Well, at least it’s a close second after Skyscanner. After doing the same thing; checking one way, round trip, and multi-city or “Nomad” fares, I finally found a damn good price; $476 round trip. It would have been even cheaper (around $300 plus) if I was willing to have a day or two layovers in London or Paris, so I considered it, but I needed to check a few other places, first.

Other Good Flight Search Engines

I’ve got a bunch of places I like to check for the best budget airfares. Each of these is special for different reasons; some highlight sale and error fares, some show more airlines that others don’t include, and some (like Kiwi), combine various airlines (rather than simply using one) which will get you to your ultimate destination but will give you the best fares. If you’re open to visiting other destinations and you’ve got more time than money, AirWander is also pretty darn good. Always check these sites first before you actually book just to make sure you’ve got the best deal. Airfare Watchdog Secret Flying Momondo Air Wander JetRadar

Search Directly on Airline Websites

I’ve got my favorite cheapie budget airlines depending on which part of the planet I’m going to. For Europe, I look for the best deals for flights going from NY to London, Paris or Iceland, usually on Norwegian or WowAir. If I’m going to other European countries, I can usually find dirt cheap fares on RyanAir or EasyJet, which are similar to Spirit and JetBlue in the States. I’m excited about several new airlines I’ve been reading about that have fantastic deals from the U.S. to Europe and after checking all of the budget airlines above, I went back to Kiwi once more to see that the best price was still listed there, using Level and Transavia, another budget airlines I’d heard about but have not flown on yet. The best part; I would only have a three-hour layover in Paris for each part of my journey. I’m always nervous about using super cheap airlines because I have an unreasonable fear that their standards are probably lower than the well-known carriers, and my active imagination has me envisioning everything from planes catching on fire to possibly disappearing over the vast ocean somewhere, and me ending up stuck on a deserted island like the in the tv show Lost, only without any of the sexy castaways the show was famous for. But I pushed my irrational fears aside in order to save a few pennies and went directly to the sites.

Victory; New Budget Airlines

I was thrilled to see that by going directly to the airlines listed on Kiwi, I would be able to save even more. From NYC to Paris on Level Air, $274.78. On Transavia from Paris to Marrakech $110. My final cost, including all fees and taxes, for a round-trip ticket; $384.78. Of course, to get that low fare I had to make sacrifices; no checked luggage except for a small carryon, no food or drinks (I have no problem bringing a sandwich and I hate peanuts, anyway), and although I would love to have a big fat seat with plenty of legroom, I’m almost always just board flights after everyone else and find an empty seat close to the exit. Or next to the cutest guy on the plane.

Special Notes

Be aware of the fine print, particularly on sites like Ryan Air that charge big bucks for luggage and to print your boarding pass if you forget to do so yourself. Also, when using sites like Kiwi note that sometimes you might arrive in a place like Paris or London at one airport and need to get yourself to another airport that is hella far. I may have made a huge mistake by trying to save $100 buying my separate flights through the airlines directly. Had I bought my tickets on Kiwi, they offer a guarantee just in case you miss a connecting flight through them. By purchasing my flights through the airlines, they are not responsible if another airline causes me to miss my connecting flight. Yikes! I’ve got three-hour layovers on each leg, so wish me luck. Yes, this is a lot of work. But once you start doing these steps each time, it becomes second nature. But be careful; you may get addicted to the hunt and get high from finding fantastic fares. Do you have any tips on finding the best flight deals? Please share them below!

BEFORE YOU GO:

☑ Book your flight:  My absolute favorite sites for cheap flights are Skiplagged and Kiwi.com. I also find really great deals on Skyscanner, Google Flights, and Momondo. The reason I’ve been able to get dirt cheap flights around the world is that I’m flexible, not only with travel dates but also with airlines, baggage, seat choices, etc. ☑ Book your accommodation: I always use Airbnb and Booking.com. If you’re on a budget, consider using  Hostelworld. If you click on the Airbnb link and you don’t have an account yet – you’ll get a $30 discount on your first booking. ☑ Protect yourself: Yes, I mean condoms, girl. But also, travel insurance. Travel insurance is a must, especially in a post coronavirus pandemic world. World Nomads and SafetyWing offer the best rates. ☑  Do you need a visa? If you aren’t sure if you need a visa, it would be a smart idea to take a quick look before you go. You can use iVisa – it’s super useful and easy to use.

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I rarely send newsletters. I’ll be honest, I’m a lazy f*ck. Alright, that’s not really true. Actually, I don’t send many emails (yet…I will one day) for the same reason I’m not good at being a “Fatal Attraction” type of stalker. I just do not have the damn time. I prefer focusing on writing content rather than sending emails, but in the future, I intend to make more time, both for emails and stalking men who have ghosted me. For now, I will send the rare email when there’s such a damn good deal that I HAVE to let you guys know about it (like one penny flights, seriously)! So subscribe now and I promise; no spam shitty emails. You can also follow us on Facebook ’cause that’s where I rant about unsolicited dick pics and shit. Disclaimer: This post may include affiliate links. If you click one of them, we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. It’s a great way to show your support. Thank you!

For the best accommodations, and more tips & tricks when traveling to Morocco, check out these popular articles below:

• FAQ; Accommodations in Morocco
• 15 Reasons You Should Visit Morocco When the Pandemic Ends
• The Ultimate Sahara Luxury Tour
• Best Travel Gifts & Gear
• What to Look for When Choosing a Guide
• How Solo Female Travelers Can Avoid Romance Scams
• Moroccan Photo Gallery
• Sexy Suitcases for Savvy Travelistas
• My Favorite Sites for Cheap Flights
• Why Women Love Moroccans
• Morocco and Me; the Magic & Mystery of this Magnificent Country
• Morocco Destination Guides
• Romantic Riads in Essaouira
• Hot Air Balloon Rides in Marrakech
• Gallery Moroccan Men
• Best Budget Romantic Riads in Marrakech
• What NOT to Wear During Ramadan
• Morocco’s Festival of Roses
• 13 Things to Know Before You Go to Ouzud
• Most Romantic Riad for a Morocco Getaway

For more travel tips and tricks, and to learn about the world’s most romantic destinations, check out Love Lust or Bust! This article was written by April Hope. To learn more about her and her travels throughout Morocco and around the world, click here. Disclaimer: This post may include affiliate links. If you click one of them, we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. It’s a great way to show your support. Thank you!