Where to Find Cheap Flights Tips: 10 Proven Strategies (2025)

Anyone who’s tried booking a flight from Ireland to anywhere has felt that sting: you check on Monday, the price is grand, and by Wednesday it’s jumped by €80. Finding genuinely cheap flights feels less like a science and more like a lottery — but there are repeatable strategies that tilt the odds in your favor. This guide collects the tactics that actually work, from Reddit communities to airline booking quirks, all grounded in the reality of flying from Irish airports.

Average savings by booking 2 months in advance: 20% (common expert estimate) ·
Percentage of travelers who use flight comparison sites: over 70% (industry survey) ·
Number of budget airlines in Europe: 15+ (known carriers) ·
Best day to book for lower fares: Tuesday (widely reported) ·
Minimum number of flight sites to compare: 3 (recommended best practice)

Four key figures, one pattern: the strategies that save the most money are the ones that exploit timing and comparison rather than gimmicks.

How do I make sure I get the cheapest flights?

Book in advance vs. last-minute

• Booking 2-3 months in advance usually yields lower fares (Expedia.ie (travel booking platform))
• Last-minute deals are rare for popular routes; they work best for off-peak destinations (Reddit r/ireland (travel community))

The catch: booking too far ahead (over 6 months) often means paying a premium. The sweet spot for flights from Ireland is roughly 8 to 10 weeks out.

Use flexible date search

• Flexible date search can save up to 30% (Expedia.ie (travel booking platform))
• Skyscanner’s calendar view shows the cheapest day to fly each month (Reddit r/AskIreland (travel community))

What this means: shifting your departure by even one day can drop the fare by €40-€60 on many European routes.

Set price alerts

• Price alerts help capture drops (MoneySavingExpert (consumer finance authority))
• Google Flights sends email alerts when prices change for your selected route

The implication: an alert that fires at 3 AM might save you €80 if you book before the algorithm adjusts back up. Set them on at least two platforms.

Where is the best site to get cheap flights?

Skyscanner vs. Kayak vs. Google Flights

• Skyscanner’s “Everywhere” search finds cheapest destinations (Reddit r/AskIreland (travel community))
• Kayak compares hundreds of sites
• Google Flights has price tracking and predictions (Reddit r/ireland (travel community))

Three major platforms, one pattern: each excels at a different job — Skyscanner for inspiration, Kayak for breadth, Google Flights for timing.

Specialized Irish sites (e.g., Ryanair.com)

• Ryanair maintains an official Ireland booking site for flights from Ireland (Ryanair Ireland (official airline site))
• MoneySavingExpert advises comparing providers before choosing Ryanair, rather than assuming Ryanair is always cheapest (MoneySavingExpert (consumer finance authority))

The trade-off: Ryanair often has the lowest headline fare, but fees for bags, seats, and check-in can wipe out the saving. Always compare the total cost.

Metasearch engine tips

• Use at least 3 comparison sites before booking
• Check the airline’s own site after finding a fare on a metasearch — sometimes they undercut it by €5-€10

The pattern: the cheapest fare often requires checking both metasearch engines and the airline’s own site.

Is there a trick to get cheaper flights?

Incognito browsing myth

• Incognito mode may not reduce prices (mixed evidence)
• Most major airlines and metasearch engines do not track individual browsing history for pricing

The catch: the incognito trick persists because it sometimes works on dynamic pricing platforms, but the effect is inconsistent. It costs nothing to try, but don’t count on it.

Booking on Tuesday

• Tuesday booking is often cited but not guaranteed
• Airlines traditionally release weekly sales late Monday or early Tuesday

What this means: Tuesday morning can be a good time to check, but the best deal might appear on Wednesday or Thursday. Set alerts, don’t wait for a specific day.

Using VPN to change location

• VPN can show different fares from different markets
• Some airlines display higher prices for users in certain countries

The paradox: VPNs add complexity and might violate some airlines’ terms of service. For flights from Ireland, the savings are usually small — often under €10.

How to get a 50% discount on flights?

Sign up for airline newsletters & credit card offers

• Newsletter exclusive deals can reach 50% off
• ISIC Ireland recommends using a no-foreign-transaction-fee card to reduce booking costs (ISIC Ireland (student travel authority))

Mistake fares and error pricing

• Mistake fares require quick booking
• Follow forums like Secret Flying and FlyerTalk for live alerts

Stacking discounts and points

• Loyalty points + sales can equal deep discounts
• Combining a credit card sign-up bonus (e.g., 20,000 Aer Lingus points) with a sale fare can bring a €400 ticket down to €200 out of pocket

The implication: real 50% discounts exist but require a combination of timing, loyalty, and a bit of luck.

How to find cheap flights from Ireland?

Ryanair and Aer Lingus deals

• Ryanair often has the cheapest European flights from Dublin (Ryanair Ireland (official airline site))
• Which? warns travelers never to let Ryanair do the currency conversion at checkout (Which? (UK consumer advocacy))
• Which? advises not to book Ryanair’s Regular fare if the added extras are unnecessary (Which? (UK consumer advocacy))

Fly from Dublin vs. Shannon vs. Cork

• Flying from smaller Irish airports can lower taxes
• Shannon and Knock often have lower airport fees, which can reduce the total fare by €10-€20

Consider connecting flights via UK/Europe

• Connecting through London or Amsterdam may be cheaper than a direct flight
• A Dublin-London-Madrid routing might cost €80 less than Dublin-Madrid direct, especially on low-cost carriers

The pattern: for long-haul flights, two separate one-way tickets on budget carriers can undercut a single “through” ticket by €200 or more. Just leave at least 3 hours between connections to cover delays.

Step-by-step approach to cheap flights

1. Set up price alerts on at least 3 comparison sites for your target routes.
2. Check mistake fare forums like Secret Flying and FlyerTalk daily.
3. Compare the total cost including fees on the airline’s own site vs. metasearch engines.
4. Book when the price feels right, ideally 8-10 weeks before departure.

For Irish travelers, the choice is clear: use comparison sites for inspiration, book early on flexible dates, and always check the total cost including fees. The 50% discounts are real but rare — they come from mistake fares and stacked loyalty points, not from any single trick. Set your alerts, compare three sites, and book when the price feels right, not when a calendar says Tuesday.

Related reading: Cheap InterCity Bus Fares NZ: Discounts & Dynamic Pricing

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