In recent months, if you've been looking for low-cost flights into or out of Houston, you've probably noticed that costs are skyrocketing. It makes sense that finding affordable airline tickets is difficult, given the rising cost of gasoline and our collective desire to travel as a result of the pandemic that kept us all locked up at home.
Fortunately, we've done some research on how to find inexpensive plane tickets, so if you're looking to schedule a trip soon, check out these travel suggestions that will have you saving money like a pro!
How to find cheap flights with search engines & online travel agencies
Booking With Savieno.com
See why Hundreds Of Happy Customers Choose Savieno. Its a one-stop-shopping for all your booking need. you can get up to 40% off Flight, Hotels, Tours, Car Rentals and many more.
Booking with Expedia
Expedia is a website that offers one-stop shopping for all of your booking requirements. Simply put, bundling is your friend on Expedia since, according to their own website, clients save the most money on Expedia flights when they book both an airline ticket and hotel accommodations. Additionally, Expedia rewards, a free service that keeps track of your Expedia flights and other online travel purchases and grants members exclusive discounts, is a company that values its customers' loyalty.
Booking with Skyscanner
Booking with CheapoAir
Booking with Priceline
Booking with Kayak
Booking with Google Flights
It makes sense that the world’s favorite search engine created a tool to search specifically for cheap airline tickets! This tool for finding cheap flights is intuitive and easy to use; simply input Houston as your departure city and enter anywhere you want to travel in the destination box. When you click on the dates you want to travel, a calendar will appear with the lowest flight prices for each day, and the best deals are further highlighted in a green font.
Google Flights will be able to provide you with accurate prices for about six months out, and you can also adjust the duration of your trip to further dial in on how cheap tickets will be. Once you select the dates you want to travel, you’ll be given options from multiple airlines. You’ll be notified if the price you’re getting is low, average, or high, and you’ll have the option of booking through Google or directly through the airline with transparent pricing for both options. Some avid travelers swear by Google Flights, but we never think it’s wise to put all your eggs in one basket.
Booking cheap flights directly through airlines
Other options for finding cheap flights out of Houston are booking directly through the airlines themselves. Cutting out third-party travel agencies can sometimes lower costs, not always, but it’s definitely worth a quick search.
Also, some airlines don’t participate with online travel agencies and won’t show up when you’re looking for Expedia flights or Kayak flights. We’ve highlighted some of these airlines here, but know that you can always search for flights directly through any airline to see if their prices are lower than the ones you’re finding on comparison sites like Google Flights or Priceline.
Southwest Airlines
Southwest has a variety of price points to choose from, the cheapest being the “wanna get away” option. The great news about Southwest is that they charge no change fees if you want to reschedule or completely change your flight; while the less expensive options at Southwest don’t allow for a cash refund, you can always change and reuse your credit towards a different flight should your plans change. They also have a low-price calendar, which shows you transparent pricing for the trip you’ve input for every day month by month so you can make an informed decision when booking your travel. Southwest does not participate in Google flights or many of the other flight comparison sites, so definitely check their website directly before you firm up your travel plans. Typically, you’ll find a low fare sale being announced on their homepage.
JetBlue
On the JetBlue website under the “Book” tab, there is an option to use the “Best Fare Finder.” Simply choose Houston as your departure city and enter your chosen destination. Not sure where you want to go, or want to see all destinations JetBlue offers? Click “browse by region” to view all options. The Best Fare Finder tool will show you airline ticket prices each day of the month, and the cheapest tickets will be in bold. JetBlue does not participate with most comparison sites, so similarly to Southwest, you’ll want to check this airline’s website before purchasing to make sure you get the cheap tickets you deserve! JetBlue is also a relatively comfortable flight experience, boasting the most legroom in economy, unlimited snacks, and a TV for every seat!
Be sure to follow JetBlue on Twitter where they announce flash fares, which are savings that pop up frequently, but on no particular schedule.
Budget Airlines
Spirit Airlines refers to themselves as “the leading Ultra Low Cost Carrier” in the US; Frontier calls their operation “Home of Low Fares Done Right.” Both of these airlines are well-known for offering travelers cheap flights, and depending on how flexible you are, the more you can save. For example, Spirit has options as a part of their “Saver$ Club,” where travelers save the most if they agree to sit in a randomly selected seat and bring only a personal item (one that will store under the seat in front of you, not in the overhead bin). If you don’t want to end up in a middle seat with your backpack on your lap, you’ll pay more for the comfort and convenience.
Note that while you will find cheap airline tickets through these budget airlines, they operate in an a-la-carte fashion, meaning carry-on bags are extra, checked baggage is extra, etc. These airlines will show up in comparison site searches, but you may find exclusive deals on their websites by looking them up directly.
FAQs for booking cheap flights from Houston
What day is the cheapest to fly?
Typically, the least expensive days to fly are Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays.
What day is best for booking cheap airline tickets?
There are conflicting ideas from reputable sources about the best days and times to book your travel. Expedia will tell you the cheapest day to book your travel is Sunday. CheapOAir will tell you to search for flights after midnight on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. Our suggestion? Mix and match! Check a few different sites at their suggested times and compare.
How far in advance should I book to find cheap flights?
Last minute isn’t the best strategy for booking cheap flights from Houston. According to a 2022 survey conducted by CheapAir.com, it’s best to book your flights 76 days in advance to snag cheap tickets. No one can be sure 76 days is the magic number, but planning in advance will save you more!
When is the best time to book domestic flights from Houston?
CheapAir.com compares billions of flight prices to answer travelers’ burning questions. According to their 2022 Airfare Study, seasonality affects when to book for the best deals on domestic flights to and from Houston. On average, their findings share that the best times to book are as follows:
- Summer: Booking 42 days before you plan to depart
- Winter: Booking 110 days before you plan to depart
- Spring: Booking 76 days before you plan to depart
- Fall: Booking 77 days before you plan to depart
Keep in mind these numbers are an average, and your best bet is to start looking about a month in advance of these numbers.
For example:
- Let’s say you want to fly to San Francisco on October 1.
- October is in the fall, and 77 days prior to October 1 is August 16.
- You’ll want to start looking for cheap flights & tracking flight prices around July 16.
When is the best time to get the best deals on international flights?
Finding cheap flights for traveling to international destinations from Houston has more to do with where you’re going than when you’re going.
For example:
- Booking flights from Houston to Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean two months in advance will typically get you the best prices.
- For cheap tickets from Houston to Europe, you’re more likely to get a great price 120 days in advance.
More Information about Finding Cheap Flights From Houston
You can learn more about how to find cheap flights from Houston to international destinations from the travel pros at CheapAir.com.. Follow the same principle of tracking and searching for cheap flights out of Houston to your chosen destination about a month before the average day for best flight prices.
For international flights across the board, you have a better chance of finding cheap airline tickets before the one-month mark from your chosen departure date. Data shows that ticket prices begin to rise about 28-days from take-off.
Right now, domestic flights are experiencing higher rates of inflation than international by A LOT. While you might pay more in dollars for a flight to Italy than somewhere like Chicago or Las Vegas, the value will be closer to what you would traditionally expect to pay, whereas for destinations in the US, you’ll be paying close to 30% over standard fare. Plus, you’ll be in Italy — it’s a win-win if you ask us!
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