HOW TO SEARCH FOR FLIGHTS TO NEW YORK?
There are two main ways to find a good deal on a flight to New York. The first is to use flight-booking portals, which are extremely useful tools for quickly and easily comparing prices and options. The alternative (or rather, a complementary approach) is to check the websites of airlines that operate direct flights to New York.
Skyscanner.com is one of the most efficient tools, able to pull results from all major airlines flying to New York and return the most convenient offers based on your travel needs (dates, number of travelers, layovers, duration, prices, arrival airports, baggage).
This is generally how I search for flights to New York—to get a clear picture of what the market is offering at the time I plan my trip. I browse, track the prices, adjust the dates, connections, and departure airports (if I have multiple options), until I find the best possible solution.
The next step is to cross-check those options on other portals for comparison.
WHERE TO LOOK? FLIGHT BOOKING PORTALS
Here’s a list of the flight search portals I usually rely on when booking flights to the U.S. As mentioned, Skyscanner is my starting point, but I always check others too. The reason is that prices sometimes differ slightly—due to special offers promoted by certain portals or simply because of different search algorithms. In some cases, you might even find unique flight combinations on one portal that aren’t available on another.
- Skyscanner.com – You probably already know this one. What you may not know is that you can select an entire month in the search field to see which days are cheapest for departure or return. Keep in mind that these results are only indicative—they’re based on recent searches by other users, so they may not always be fully up to date.
- Kiwi.com – A less-known site, but one I really love. It allows multiple search modes, selection of multiple departure airports within a radius, flexible dates, and offers unique flight combinations I haven’t seen elsewhere.
- Kayak.com – In addition to comparing flights, Kayak also recommends whether you should book now or wait. You can also add your credit card fees to the displayed prices for a more accurate picture. Very handy for understanding both the price range and available options.
CHECK THE AIRLINE WEBSITE
Once you’ve found a suitable New York flight, it’s worth checking directly on the airline’s website. Some users report that booking directly through the airline can (sometimes) be cheaper than going through a portal. Other times the reverse is true. That’s why it’s always a good idea to compare both options before booking.
SMART TIPS TO BOOK FLIGHTS AT THE BEST PRICE!
Here are a few tricks and tips that can save you a lot of money when booking your New York flight:
- Book well in advance (5–6 months before). The earlier you book, the better, especially for peak travel seasons. Last-minute deals can exist, but New York is not a destination you usually plan on short notice. So either book well ahead or, if you love spontaneity, wait for very last-minute offers.
- But not too early. Airlines generally don’t release special fares for international flights more than 6 months before departure. Start tracking prices around that timeframe.
- Book on Tuesday nights or weekends. From experience, weekend flights (Saturday/Sunday) sometimes drop in price, only to increase again midweek—sometimes by as much as €100—when business travelers tend to book. Many recommend Tuesday night (between 10 PM and 6 AM) as the best time to book, when airlines refresh their fares. In practice, it varies, but by monitoring prices regularly you’ll see the pattern and know when to book.
- Clear your cache or search in incognito mode. Yes, this is real—flights can become mysteriously more expensive the more often you search for the same route. This is especially common with budget airlines, but can also happen on long-haul routes. To avoid this, use incognito browsing or clear your cache frequently.
- Check prices on another device. Sometimes your IP address is tracked, leading to artificially inflated prices. To avoid this, compare fares on a different device (e.g. your phone, on a different WiFi network).
And one more useful tip: if your booked flight is delayed or canceled, there’s a quick and free way to request a refund. Check out DelayFlight24 for more details.
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