Price alerts and deal alerts are different things

A price alert watches one route on the dates you choose and tells you when the price moves. It's useful once you know exactly where and when you're going.

A deal alert works the other way round. You say where you'd fly from and the kinds of places you'd go, and it tells you when any of those trips becomes unusually cheap. If you're flexible, that's how you find fares most people never see: the ones you wouldn't have searched for.

A deal needs a fair comparison

A fare is only cheap compared with something. The fairest comparison is what the same route usually costs for the same length of trip at the same time of year. A week in Bali in July and three weeks in February are different trips at different prices.

Be wary of savings measured against:

  • The most expensive fare on the route, such as a fully flexible ticket nobody buys.
  • Peak dates. Comparing a normal fare with Christmas week makes anything look like a bargain.
  • A "was" price that was never really charged.

How Farepop decides what's a deal

  • Every fare is compared with what the same route usually costs for the same trip length and dates. Around busy holidays it uses quieter neighbouring months, so a seasonal peak never counts as a saving.
  • A deal is at least 25% below that usual price; a good fare is at least 20% below.
  • When a full-service airline sells long haul at a budget price, it's compared with other full-service airlines on the same dates, and labelled Premium for less.
  • When a travel agent sells the same flights for less than the airline, it's labelled an Agent sale and shown next to the airline's own price.
  • Fares are checked again on their exact dates before you hear about them, and regularly after. Ones that no longer qualify are withdrawn.

The full rules are in the savings methodology.

How to get the most from deal alerts

  1. Add every airport you'd happily use. A fare from the next city can be worth a short drive or train. Find your airports.
  2. Choose regions, not one city. The more places you'd go, the more deals you'll see.
  3. Be honest about your dates. Tell the app how flexible you are, so alerts fit trips you can actually take.
  4. Move quickly. The biggest drops can sell out or be repriced within hours.
  5. Count the extras. Baggage and seat fees vary by airline; check them before you compare.