What is the cheapest day to fly?

There's no single cheapest day. Midweek departures are often cheaper than Fridays and Sundays because fewer people want them, so compare a few days either side of your plan.

How far in advance should I book flights?

It depends on the route and season. Fares for busy holidays tend to rise as the dates approach, so book those early. For quieter dates, a deal can turn up at any time, which is where alerts help.

Are budget airlines always cheaper?

Not once you add bags and seats. Compare the total cost of the trip you'll actually take, not the headline fare.

How to find cheap flights: 10 tips that actually work

1. Be flexible with your dates

Fares follow demand. School holidays, long weekends and Fridays and Sundays are busy, so they cost more. Shifting a trip by a few days, or leaving midweek, is often the single biggest saving available.

2. Be flexible about where you go

If you'd be happy in Lisbon or Seville, Bali or Phuket, let the fares choose. The cheapest trip is often to a place you hadn't considered. Browse destinations for ideas, with the best time to visit each.

3. Check every airport near you

Low-cost airlines often fly from secondary airports, and a nearby city can have a completely different set of fares. London has four airports Farepop watches; New York, Paris and Milan have two each. See the airports Farepop watches.

4. Travel in the shoulder season

The weeks either side of peak season usually bring lower fares and fewer crowds, and the weather is often nearly as good. Our month-by-month guide shows where the weather is at its best each month.

5. Compare like with like

A three-night trip and a three-week trip on the same route can be priced very differently, and so can July and February. When you judge a fare, compare it with the same trip length at the same time of year.

6. Count the whole cost

Checked bags, seat selection and getting to a distant airport all add up. A slightly higher fare with a bag included can be the cheaper trip. Check what's included before you compare.

7. Know what a good price looks like

The most useful thing to know is what a trip usually costs. Without it, every fare looks either cheap or expensive. Farepop shows the usual price for those dates next to every fare, so you can see the size of a drop at a glance.

8. Move fast when a real deal appears

The best fares sell out or get repriced, sometimes within hours. If the dates work, book. Many airlines and booking sites let you cancel within a short window, so check the conditions when you book.

9. Be careful with separate tickets

Two cheap one-way tickets, or a self-transfer between airlines, can beat a through fare. But if the first flight is late and you miss the second, the second airline doesn't have to help. Leave plenty of time between flights, and know the risk you're taking.

10. Let the deals come to you

Searching every day is slow, and the best drops don't last. Tell Farepop where you fly from and where you'd like to go, and it alerts you when a fare is well below its usual price. Read more about how deal alerts work and mistake fares.