How to find cheap flights

Travel tips and tricks you need to know

Stop overpaying for flights with our ultimate guide to finding cheap flights from India—whether you're planning a weekend break, a family holiday, or a big international adventure.

Here, we share insider tips, travel hacks, tricks, and Skyscanner features to help you find the best flight deals. Let’s get those cheap flights and travel more this year.

Travel hacks to find cheap flights

Save money and see the world

Whether you compare budget airlines, stay flexible with your dates, or use Skyscanner’s smart tools, there are plenty of ways to find great flight deals from India. Here are some of the best:

1. Check out budget airlines

Shop around

Flying with a low-cost airline can help you save thousands of rupees—especially on short-haul or regional trips.

For domestic travel, budget airlines like IndiGo and SpiceJet often offer affordable fares.

If you’re heading to Southeast Asia or the Middle East, carriers like AirAsia, IndiGo, Emirates, AirIndia Express and Air India are good options.

Long-haul airlines such as JetStar also connect India with destinations in Australia at competitive prices.

2. Get flexible

Check your dates

Have a destination in mind? Being flexible with your travel dates can make a big difference. Use Skyscanner’s flight search and select “Whole Month” to see which days offer the cheapest fares.

Avoiding weekends, public holidays, and school vacation periods can also help you save.

3. Try our “Everywhere” search

Explore something new

Want to travel but haven’t picked a destination yet? Skyscanner’s “Everywhere” search is a great way to get inspired. Just enter your departure city, add your travel dates, and hit “Everywhere”.

You’ll see a list of destinations ranked by price—from nearby gems to long-haul favourites.

4. Consider single tickets

One-way might save more

Booking a return flight isn’t always the cheapest option. Sometimes, two one-way tickets on different airlines can cost less than a round trip.

For example, you could fly out with IndiGo and return with Air India Express—or combine international carriers like Air India and Emirates, depending on the route and schedule.

5. Try to buy in bulk

Book multiple flights at once

If you’re planning a multi-city trip—like exploring Southeast Asia or Europe—booking all your flights in one go might be cheaper.

Use Skyscanner’s “multi-city” search to build your route and compare fares across different legs. This is especially helpful when you’re visiting multiple countries or cities in one trip.

6. Set up Price Alerts

Be ready when fares drop

Skyscanner Price Alerts let you track flight prices and get notified when fares go down—so you can book at the right time.

Just download the Skyscanner app, search for your preferred route, and tap “Get Price Alerts”. You’ll receive updates whenever the price changes.

7. Take hand baggage only

Avoid checked baggage fees

Travelling light can save you a lot—especially on budget airlines where checked baggage fees are extra. Stick to cabin baggage if possible, and check the airline’s size and weight limits to avoid additional charges at the airport.

How to find cheap flights FAQs

Prices vary depending on the destination, time of year, and availability—but flexible travellers can still find good deals. Use Price Alerts to stay on top of price fluctuations of routes you're interested in.

Often, it’s cheaper to travel outside of peak times. If you choose to travel during school holidays or over Christmas for example, it will likely be more expensive. Skyscanner’s Whole Month search tool helps you find the cheapest day to travel in a month, and you can even select the “cheapest month” to find the most cost-effective month to travel to your chosen destination.

There are several ways to get cheap last-minute tickets for flights, weekend getaways, and longer trips. Being flexible with your dates, checking prices up until the day you’d like to fly, and searching for one-way flights can all help with securing low airfares.

Skyscanner can help you to find cheap last-minute flights thanks to our huge flight database. From downloading the Skyscanner app to see the best deals to setting up Price Alerts for the flights you really want, you can be confident you’ll always find competitive prices when searching with us.

Looking for the cheapest flights? Skyscanner can help you find the best flights, hotels and car hire deals for your next trip.

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