What Are The Best Flight Search Websites For Cheapest & Best Flights ?

[pumpjack]

i allways use www.skyscanner.net but i know there are others like www.kayak.com and www.opodo.com

but skyscanner allways comes up trumps / the best ....is there any others can beat skyscanner ?

also what is best website to look uo best cheapest all inc holidays ? i used wwwonthebeach.co.uk but by the time youve tried to book you need to manually add seats. transfers, buses, baggage...its a hell of a nightmare ...

so any advice cheers
jack

[piggynose]

Skyscanner always comes up trumps. Are you serious?

[Buenchico]

You need to understand the big difference between websites which try to find you the cheapest hotel prices (such as Trivago) and those which claim to get you the best airfares (such as SkyScanner):

Most hoteliers are happy for their accommodation to appear on sites such as Trivago, as that brings their hotels to a much wider audience than simply having their own websites online.

However many airlines (particularly budget carriers) totally DETEST 'screenscraper' websites, such as SkyScanner, and do their very best to ensure that their own fares DON'T appear on such sites. (Some budget airlines even refuse to honour bookings made through 'screenscrapers'). That's because budget airlines make most of their money through selling 'extras' (such as upgrades, accommodation and car hire), rather than through the cost of their tickets. So it's important to them that passengers book through the airlines' OWN websites, where they can be offered all of those 'extras', rather than through any third-party site.

So, despite the claims of SkyScanner (et al) that they'll always find you the best fares, they often CAN'T because they're unaware of the real bargains.

So the best way to carry out a search for the lowest fares is to do it yourself (i.e. without the aid of any 'fare finder' websites). I've helped loads of AB members find cheap fares in the past. I'd be happy to try to do the same for you but, if you'd prefer to have a go yourself, here's my technique:

Step 1: Open the Wikipedia pages of both the relevant UK airport(s) and the destination airport(s). Check to see if there are any direct flights available. If there are, go to the websites of the relevant airlines and check their fares ;

Step 2: If there are no direct flights, or you're prepared to consider using connecting flights to save money, look through the Wikipedia pages to find potential connecting airports that are served from both UK airport(s) and the destination airports. Then check on fare and connections on the websites of the airlines involved.

Things to remember:
1. There may be alternative airports available that you don't immediately think of. For example, if you're going to Barcelona you're not restricted to using just Barcelona's (wonderfully named) El Prat Airport. Both Reus and Girona Airports are nearby, with direct buses running into Barcelona.

2. You don't have to use the same airline(s) in both directions.

3. You don't need to use the same airports in both directions. (For example, if you're getting to your UK airport on public transport, so that you don't have to park your car, you can fly out from Stansted but fly back into Gatwick).

4. Some airlines are heavily subsidised by their national governments. In particular, China provides massive subsidies to Air China, China Eastern and China Southern so they can offer really cheap fares. Therefore for any long-haul flights which might be possible to route via China, it's well worth looking into taking that route.

If you need help searching, just ask here. I love beating SkyScanner ;-)

[Prudie]

Very helpful and comprehensive, one of your suggestions puzzles me though Step 1) why go to an airport site via Wikipedia?

[KARL]

Sneaking in on your thread: Chris, I'm making note of your offer - I will want to search for a slightly tricky one in maybe 6-8 months time ;)

[Buenchico]

Prudie:
On many airport websites it's simple enough to find a list of all the airports served directly from there, together with the names of the airlines flying those routes. However that's not always the case. US airports, for example, all seem to have totally appalling websites. I've not come across a single one where there's a simple list of direct flights from the airport available.

Even when an airport does have a decent list of destinations and airlines it doesn't always leap out at you. For example, on the Heathrow website you have to study the home page for a bit to work out that you need to click on 'Plan and Book Your Trip', followed by 'Destinations and Airlines'. Once you've done that clicking on a particular destination takes you to a page with loads of tourist stuff and it takes a moment or two to spot that the names of the relevant airlines are in a box at the top right of the page. I find it far simpler just to go here
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heathrow_Airport#Passenger
(and, if necessary, using Ctrl F to find the name of an airport that I'm looking for).

Further, Wikipedia is often far more up-to-date than some airport websites are. For example, if Ryanair announced today that they'll be operating a new route from Stansted from the beginning of next April, that information would almost certainly appear on Wikipedia within a couple of hours. (Plane spotters are also the type of nerds who keep Wikipedia constantly updated!). The same information might not appear on the Stansted Airport website until, say, next January.

[Buenchico]

KarL:
I'll watch out for your post ;-)

[KARL]

Hold you to it..... ;)

[pumpjack]

thanks buenchico.
here beat this :)
(https://www.skyscanner.net/transport/flights/dub/bkkt/181203/181223/?adultsv2=1&childrenv2=&cabinclass=economy&rtn=1&preferdirects=false&outboundaltsenabled=false&inboundaltsenabled=false&qp_prevProvider=ins_month&qp_prevCurrency=GBP&qp_prevPrice=428&priceSourceId=taps-taps&priceTrace=201808271432*I*DUB*BKK*20181203*etie*BA%7C201808271432*I*BKK*DUB*20181223*etie*BA#details/11154-1812031355--31939-1-9970-1812041230|9970-1812232100--31939-1-11154-1812241225 )

i fly from dublin to BKK often so if ever you can help me out then please give me a heads up ...cheers !!

[pumpjack]

im not sure about wikipedia site ?

i have just googled " wikipedia etihad flights " is that what i should do ?

im a wee bit dumb :)

[zebo]

I usually have a look at skyscanner, as well as others, some of the companies whose prices look lowest have terrible customer service reviews. Going directly to an airline often produces the best prices for long distance,

[ummmm]

My last few holidays have been booked through First Choice.

[Heena25]

In my opinion, kayak provides the best cheap air tickets and second website is momondo, it also provides the cheap air tickets apart from that i also heard about farenexus which provides the best airfare deals. Thankyou!!

[jno]

remember - if you find a price on an airline website, then go and look at a few more, then come back to the original site to book, you may find the price has gone up. This is because they know what you're up to and think they've already hooked you. Clear your cookies before you return to the site.