How to Find Good Flight Deals

There must be something in the air…I’ve fielded a lot of calls this week about finding flights!! A common misconception is that travel advisors have access to better flight prices than you do. Unfortunately, the only time I can MAYBE get you a slightly better deal is when you’re flying business class or first class. OR…sometimes if you’re booking a cruise, cruise lines may make airfare worth your while. (BUT to get you those deals, you usually have no choice on the itinerary, layover city, or length of the flight. Booking flights through cruise lines is always more complicated than you think it is going to be.)

While I may not have access to special flight pricing, I do have some tips and tricks for finding flight deals. So let me tell you all of my secrets.

Google Flights

Google Flights is amazing. Here’s how I use it. I live in South Florida, so I type in my departure airport at FLL for Fort Lauderdale. This will AUTOMATICALLY add Miami to my departure airport search. Then, honestly, I just click in the Destination box and choose “Anywhere” and select my dates. This will search the entire world for me. Then, after I review the search results, I then layer in other options like “Nonstop” and “1 carry-on bag.” This will show me all the best options for my dates. All around the world!

Now, let’s say I know I want to fly to Italy. But I’m kinda open to whether I fly into Rome or Florence or anywhere else. I’ll still type in FLL for my departure airport (which again automatically adds Miami) but then I will type in Italy for my arrival airport. This will search ALL the possible Italy flight options. HOWEVER, some of these will likely involve connections. So now I will change my flight options to a maximum of 1 stop, with a duration of under 18 hours. The challenge here is that I will have to really closely look at the flight results so I don’t end up with a 45 minute connection in Heathrow or something. But still…this approach can really help you save some money on flights if you are flexible on what city you flight into in Italy. (You can only specify a minimum or maximum layover duration if you choose a specific destination/departure city.)

If you are certain you want to fly into or out of a specific city, Google Flights has some great functionality for searching for the best combination of dates for your trip. Make sure you check out the Date Grid and Price Graph.

In short…Google Flights is the best flight searching engine. Use it! And then ALWAYS book direct with the airlines.

Consider Flying on Tuesdays and Wednesdays

No hard science on this but I generally find that Tuesday and Wednesday flights are cheaper than the rest of the week.

Consider Milan when Flying to Italy

I have never booked as much Italy as I am booking this summer. And everyone has sticker shock at the flight prices. Rome and Florence can be tough cities to get into during the summer months. Prices are just crazy. But don’t forget Milan! I love Milan. Aperitivos all day!! And it’s not that far from Lake Como. Because Milan is more of a business-y city than a touristy city, you can usually get a better deal, price-wise.

Subscribe to Going (Formerly Scott’s Cheap Flights)

For just $49 a year, Going will send you regular email alerts on cheap flights from your home airport(s). This can be fun if you are a spur of the moment kind of traveler.

Book Ahead

Honestly, to get the best deals on flights, plan ahead!! Travelers who are deciding now in June that they want to go to Italy next month are really having sticker shock. But my clients who booked in January got some decent prices. (Still higher than I’ve seen in the past though.)

If you have a great tip for finding good flight deals, email me and I’ll add them to my list! (And give you credit of course.)

London Tips from a London Expert (ME!)

Did you know that I lived in London for 11 years? I moved back to the US in 2019 to be closer to my parents, who are in their 80s. Here are some tips everyone should know about visiting London!

The Tube Map is NOT Geographically Accurate

For example, Covent Garden tube and Holborn tube are very short walks from each other! If you’re on the Central Line trying to get to Covent Garden, you don’t need to change trains. Just get off at Holborn!

Take the Bus

A lot of times in London, taking the bus can be faster and more direct than taking the tube. Again because the tube map is not geographically accurate, you may be fooled into thinking the tube is always the best way to get where you want to go. Definitely consider the bus! Download CityMapper to help you figure out the best route. If you know London relatively well, here’s an example: I used to live very close to Farringdon tube station. It was faster for me to take the 55 bus from Clerkenwell Road to Soho than it was for me to walk to St. Paul’s to take the Central Line to Tottenham Court or Oxford Circus.

Use ApplePay on Public Transportation

Yes, you can use an Oyster Card but you can also just use ApplePay! Easier and then you don’t have to worry about collecting your deposit on the card.

Stay in Central London, between Marble Arch and Holborn on the Central Line

For some reason, a lot of American tourists stay in South Kensington. This is all the way on the west side of London. This means you’ll spend a lot of time on the tube or in taxis going to the east side of London to visit places like Tower Bridge, Borough Market, the Globe, and the Tate Modern. Personally I recommend staying between Marble Arch and Holborn on the Central Line. Then, it’s easy to go in either direction. Kensington Palace and the V&A and other museums in West London, and Tower Bridge and other sights in East London.

Stay at The Rosewood London

People always ask me for my top hotel recommendation in London and I always say the Rosewood. Related to my point above about where to stay, I love the location of the Rosewood, right at Holborn, a short walk from Covent Garden. I think it’s very convenient to everything London has to offer!

Taking a Taxi from Heathrow is Very Expensive and a Very Long Ride

If you have a lot of luggage, then it may make sense to take a taxi from Heathrow. But honestly, if you’re heading into Central London, the Elizabeth Line or the Heathrow Express are much better options. (The tube too but then you have to factor in stairs. Pulling your suitcase up and down stairs is not fun.)

You Don’t Necessarily Need to Take the Gatwick Express

If you’re flying out of Gatwick, sometimes I’ll see tourists head all the way to Victoria for the Gatwick Express when they could just hop the regular train to Gatwick from Farringdon or London Bridge. Check CityMapper for the best way to get to Gatwick from your hotel.

Use Pret a Manger for Free Wifi

Need wifi? Or a sandwich or a snack or a coffee? Head to Pret a Manager.

Lots of Museums are FREE

Seriously. It’s amazing. Check out this list of free London museums.

Buy a London Pass

If you are planning on doing a lot of sightseeing, definitely get a London Pass. You’ll get discounts all over town.

Ride the Canals

There’s a beautiful canal system that runs through London and it’s a super peaceful way to see the city. You can either walk along the towpath of the Regent’s Canal by Camden Market or by Angel tube station, or you can take a canal boat cruise from Camden to Little Venice. This is honestly one of my absolute favorite things to do in London.

Ride the Thames

During my finance days in the city, I’d often have to get to Canary Wharf from London Bridge. The absolute best way to do this is by river bus. Now it’s called Uber Boat by Thames Clipper which is funny to me. You can use your Oyster Card on the boat. It’s amazing. Note this is separate from the tourist boats the glide along the Thames. This is the working water bus for commuters.

Check Back for More Tips

I’ll continue to update this post as I think of more London tips!

Hey, I’ve finally launched my Facebook fan page. Definitely give me a follow for travel inspo and great deals worldwide. Also, if you have any travel coming up and are looking for tours, I have three sources for you…

• Tours by Locals: Private tour guides and interesting outings nearly everywhere in the world

• Viator: Great selection of tours and activities at many different price points

• Project Expedition: HUGE selection of tours and activities

That’s it for this week! Definitely get in touch if you want to talk travel. I offer 30 minute complimentary travel consultations.