Whether you have a sizable vacation budget or a teeny-tiny one, cheap airfare is a must. You can funnel the money you’ve saved toward hotels, travel activities, or the souvenirs you know your kids will beg you for.

Which sites do I make a beeline for when I want to fly cheaply? I have 19 favorites!
This definitive list of inexpensive airfare options will go in-depth on each site, including pros and cons, so you can choose which one to book with for your next family trip!
1. Kayak

Kayak is an aggregate travel website I rely on for family vacations all the time. Input your closest airport, destination airport, and travel dates. Then Kayak will compare hundreds of travel and airline sites.
You’ll see all your flight options in a list. Find the cheapest airfare, lock in your flight, and you and the family are ready to go!
Kayak has many handy features that make it a top site for booking cheap flights. You can select from direct flights only to expedite your travel time. You can also sit on your searches and return to them later if you’re still cementing travel plans.
You can also search on Kayak without an account, only creating one when you’re serious about booking.
Pros
- Kayak’s Best Time to Travel feature determines when it’s most cost-effective to visit your preferred destination. Just share where you want to go and for how long, and Kayak takes care of the rest.
- Kayak is handy for planning your entire vacation, as you can book travel packages and vacation destinations on the site.
- The website has a built-in flight tracker.
Cons
- Kayak doesn’t have a loyalty program.
2. Hopper

Make vacation-planning mobile-friendly with Hopper, which promises to save you an average of $65 when you use the service to book your flight.
Hopper works with more than 200 airline carriers and uses machine learning to generate the lowest-cost flights for your next trip. The accuracy rate of the machine-learning algorithm is 95 percent, so you can reliably expect inexpensive recommendations for the places you want to visit.
What if you’re not so sure if you want to travel right this second? That’s fine! Hopper always tracks for the lowest-cost accommodations, so the service can tell you a good time to hit the road and travel with the family.
The Hopper app is free to download for Android or iOS devices. Hopper also has a referral program and a Carrot Cash program to make using its services even more cost-effective.
Pros
- Hopper offers new users a voucher for $30 off their first car, hotel, and flight booking through the service.
- The Carrot Cash program is a travel credit valued at $1 USD per credit that you can use toward booking your next flight.
- Hopper can also help you find a rental home, car, or hotel.
Cons
- You must use the Hopper app to book a flight. Even though the app is free, this is still an extra step you must take that other sites don’t require.
3. Skyscanner

The Scottish-based travel agency Skyscanner helps you find cheap flights by comparing millions of options for you.
All you have to worry about is inputting your travel details, including where you’re departing from, your arrival destination, when you’re going and coming back, how many travelers, and your cabin class.
Do you need a connecting flight, or do you plan to travel to several places during your next trip? Skyscanner lets you search for single flights or multi-route trips.
Skyscanner offers Price Alerts that indicate when you can fly for the cheapest to ensure you get the maximum bang for your buck.
Pros
- Skyscanner generates a composite of the lowest last-minute flight deals on its website. Each flight leaves within three months.
- You can use Skyscanner for hotel and car rental booking.
- Skyscanner has a free mobile app and a weekly email alert list you can sign up for so you never miss a pertinent deal.
Cons
- The price of flights you see on the Skyscanner site versus the travel site sometimes have discrepancies.
4. CheapOair

Unlock the prices of more than 500 airlines when you use CheapOair to book your next family adventure. You can search for the lowest-cost round-trip flights, one-way stops, or multi-city flights, choosing everything from coach to first-class seating.
You can specify your type of travel with enormous detail, such as children between 2 and 15 years old, lap or seat infants under 2, or seniors ages 65 and older.
When you search using CheapOair’s website, it displays your results on a map, which I think is a nice touch. You can create a travel wish list if you want to explore your options now and book your trip another time.
CheapOair also has currency support for more than two dozen types of currency.
Pros
- Bundle your flight and hotel together with CheapOair for even more inexpensive accommodations.
- You can always book a hotel separately or a rental car using the service.
- CheapOair has a price-match promise and personalized travel assistance.
Cons
- Your discounted airline tickets are nonrefundable.
5. Momondo

The travel aggregate Momondo will comb through hundreds of popular travel sites to help you secure cheap flight accommodations. You can customize your search with filters like early arrivals or free Wi-Fi and still count on Momondo to deliver you the results you want.
Search for multi-city, one-way, or round-trip flights, adding the ages of your kids (infants versus children), so they have comfortable seating.
Momondo shows you a timeline of available dates. You can hover over any to see the prices, and the bar for each date indicates whether the cost is lower or higher. You can also scroll through your results the good, old-fashioned way.
Would you rather browse a couple of booking sites through Momondo? That’s another option you have for filtering your results.
Pros
- Momondo offers travel packages, buses, trains, car rentals, and accommodations for booking your entire vacation.
- Not sure where to travel? Momondo can recommend you cheap destinations.
- Momondo has a free mobile app for Android and iPhone users.
Cons
- Results sometimes appear that are no longer available.
6. Google Flights

You probably already use Google for so much of your everyday internet searching, so why not try Google Flights for your upcoming family vacay?
It’s just as easy to use as any other travel site, and you can log into your existing Google account to get started.
Google Flights allows you to select from one-way, round-trip, or multi-city trips. You can also choose the flight class and select the age of your passengers.
The results show up on the same page as your search for quick, convenient browsing.
You can see your flight destinations on a map or a flight list beside the map. Clicking the Explore Destinations button takes you to a much more detailed map view (via Google Maps) and a fuller list of flight results.
You can even tailor the results by criteria like weekend trips, trips in the next week or two, or trips in the next six months.
Pros
- Google Flights combines the convenience of cheap flight searches with the power of Google.
- You can use Google to find activities in your area or secure vacation rentals, hotels, or other travel.
- The results screen starts off short and sweet with the option to expand it, a very cool feature.
Cons
- You’re subject to fees and surcharges when using the service.
7. Cheapflights

It’s in the name – Cheapflights is low-cost through and through. You can search for hotels plus flights or only flights if you have already made your hotel accommodations elsewhere (or soon plan to).
Cheapflights works with more than 300 partner sites to help you find the lowest-cost travel accommodations, and they’re all large names.
The options include Priceline, Expedia, CheapTickets, Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, and more.
Do you have a direct destination in mind, such as Hawaii, Florida, or Las Vegas? Cheapflights also gives you the option to book directly.
Through this service, you can travel far outside of the United States to Europe, South America, Asia, South Pacific, and Africa.
Pros
- Cheapflights offers vacation packages and car rentals.
- You can sign up for the Cheapflights newsletter or browse the website’s travel tips to ferret out even better deals.
- Cheapflights will recommend cheap times to travel.
Cons
- You might incur fees if you have to change your flight dates.
8. Travelocity

How many more trips could you and your family take with a cheap travel site like Travelocity? It’s time to find out.
Lock in your multi-city, round-trip, or one-way flight, choosing your seat class, locations, and age groups of your passengers.
Travelocity compares over 400 airlines to deliver you cheap, reliable flight options. Once you receive your list of flights, you can filter them by the number of stops, the specific airline, departure time, and whether you get a seat choice or can bring a carry-on bag.
You can use existing credits or coupon codes for your trips, and if you must cancel or change your travel plans, Travelocity makes it easy.
You can even review the status of your refund so you know when your money is coming to you.
The Travelocity app includes travel deals and alerts about your gate number and flight status.
Pros
- Travelocity is mostly known for hotels, but its flight booking process is just as robust and helpful.
- You can also count on Travelocity to schedule a cruise, rental car, or vacation package or find things to do.
- You can contact a virtual agent anytime.
Cons
- Using the service might involve hidden fees.
9. Expedia

As one of the most trusted names in hotels and flights, perhaps you’ve used Expedia to book a family getaway.
You’ll find it easy to tailor the results to exactly what you’re looking for, as you can add up to six passengers of varying ages and choose your airline and flight class.
You can also select nonstop flights or refundable trips if you’re not so sure your family will be able to make it.
Finding the most affordable flight is quick and easy, as you can categorize the results by the cheapest to the most expensive.
You can also filter results by departure and arrival times, flights with no change fee or cancelation fee, and flights with a seat choice included.
Pros
- Expedia has a deals section on its website for finding an ultra-cheap hotel.
- You can use Expedia for booking a cruise, group vacation, lodging, rental car, or travel package. You can also browse activities through the site.
- Expedia has a free app for tracking flight deals on the go.
Cons
- The rewards program only applies to hotels even though you can get program points through flying.
10. Hotwire

It’s time to “book beyond your wildest means” with Hotwire.
This service promises 24/7 support and low-price guarantees. You can bundle car, hotel, and flights to save even more money or search for flights individually.
Secure a flight for up to six passengers, narrowing your search results by the number of stops (nonstop to more than two stops), the airline, and travel and baggage preferences. You can also filter your results by arrival and departure times.
You probably have a set time in mind for your vacation, but it pays to be flexible when using Hotwire.
The site compares flexible dates near your departure and arrival dates so you can change them and save even more money!
Pros
- Hotwire doesn’t issue change fees.
- You can possibly upgrade seating while checking out.
- The bundling with rental car and hotel options makes family vacation planning effortless.
Cons
- Any deal you find on the site is nonrefundable.
11. Agoda

Agoda compares 200 global airlines to ensure your family can scope out cheap deals whether you’re traveling within or outside your country.
Choose your favorite airline, how many stops you want (if any), and your price range, and you’ll see a curated list of results. You can further filter the flights by parameters like flight duration, cabin class, and mix-and-match deals (only available for some flights).
Agoda spotlights the cheapest flights so you can’t miss them, and you can enjoy free cancelations within a little over 24 hours of booking in case you change your mind.
You also don’t need an account to book with Agoda, although it expedites the process.
Do you want to upgrade? Agoda gives you that option before you check out.
Pros
- Agoda offers airport transport, homes, hotels, apartments, and activities on its website.
- The site updates daily deals, so check back to save some extra cash.
- You can pay with PayPal.
Cons
- You will have to pay service charges and taxes, which can increase previously low prices.
12. Secret Flying

Secret Flying is awesome for booking cheap flights. The free site doesn’t require signup to begin using, although once you get a great deal, you’ll want an account. Secret Flying also has a mobile app.
The app will alert you when hot deals go out. You will also receive email newsletters each day, or you can comb the Secret Flying social media account to see what’s available.
The discounts here are quite steep because the site collects mistake fares, also known as airline price glitches, which are way lower than they should be.
Secret Flying aggregates all these mistake fares so you can nab them quickly and save.
Pros
- Secret Flying is one of the only websites that offers access to mistake airfares.
- You can book hotels through the site.
- You don’t need an account to schedule a flight with Secret Flying.
Cons
- The app is glitchy.
13. Orbitz

Finding a flight through Orbitz is simple. You can choose your next vacation by trending destinations or input your flight information and the number of travelers and wait to see cheap deals on where you’re going.
Your options include multi-city, one-way, and round-trip flights. Orbitz searches through more than 400 travel websites for cheap flights.
You have all the filtering criteria you’d expect from a travel website, plus the option to choose flexible dates if your travel dates aren’t set in stone.
Using the flexible travel dates feature could help you save even more money on your family getaway, so it’s worth it.
Orbitz allows you to review your trip so you can help other families looking for their next great vacay.
Pros
- Orbitz is handy for booking lodging, cars, cruises, and travel packages.
- The travel deals section spotlights last-minute flights if you’ve got your bags packed already.
- Orbitz has an app for saving money on your hotel (four percent off versus three percent when using the website) and tracking gate numbers and flight statuses.
Cons
- You can only save on hotels as an Orbitz member.
14. Kiwi.com

Kiwi.com will help you find new places to take your family and cheap ways to get there. More than 10 million travelers favor the site, so let’s look at why it’s worth using.
The Kiwi-Code locks in cheap flights that Kiwi.com says other travel sites don’t see. Some locations are marked with a green Travel Hack star, which denotes that they’re even more inexpensive than the norm.
Hovering over the Travel Hack star will provide…well, travel hacks! For example, the site might recommend making a layover at your final stop to avoid the crowds.
Kiwi.com also has instant refunds, carrier self-service, and cancelations for up to 48 hours before your flight departs.
Pros
- Kiwi.com uses Booking.com, which is sure to inspire confidence in its services.
- The Kiwi app features trip notifications, one-click bookings, exclusive prices and offers, and downloadable boarding passes.
- You can book a rental car or a room through Kiwi.com.
Cons
- You have to book through the site or a partner, or you can’t get reimbursed.
15. Priceline

Priceline’s Express Deals can help you save 50 percent on booking with select airlines for a round-trip or one-way vacation. You can save even more by bundling a car and hotel into your flight.
The costs of the flights are indeed low, but if you find that you’d rather space out your payments, Priceline partners with Affirm.
You can pay back the cost of your flight over several months. Enjoy your vacation now, and worry about it later!
Priceline members get a best-price guarantee. If you can find cheaper flights than what Priceline shows, they’ll refund you the difference.
The VIP Family Account promises 3x the savings, although you must be a paid member to take advantage.
Pros
- Priceline lets you pay for your vacation later.
- You can use Priceline to book your entire vacation, which is tempting.
- Priceline has a free app with exclusive rental, flight, and hotel discounts.
Cons
- If you consider Priceline for a hotel, you won’t know the name of the hotel until after you book. You won’t have that issue with flights.
16. Booking.com

Do you have Booking.com at the top of your travel bookmarks for finding lodging during your family expeditions? The site is just as good for scheduling a flight. You can also combine hotel and flights for more savings and convenience.
Book your multi-city, one-way, or round-trip dream stop, choosing between direct or indirect routes.
You can input your travel information and search for flights that way, or log into Booking.com, and it will recommend domestic and international flights from your homebase.
To whet your appetite even further, Booking.com has a list of trending cities you and your family might be eager to visit.
Booking.com promises to compare many airlines so you can find the cheapest deal. The full price breakdowns ensure you don’t get ensnared in hidden fees.
You can even take advantage of flexible tickets with some listings so you can change your travel date later.
Pros
- Booking.com has worldwide accommodations.
- You can use the site for scheduling airport taxis, car rentals, and attractions such as tours.
- You can select from many currency options.
Cons
- You can still get hit with hidden fees; you just have the option to avoid them in most instances.
17. Skiplagged

Skiplagged’s website says that United sued them for how cheap their flights are. But don’t worry, they won the lawsuit!
By the way, Skiplagged isn’t boasting emptily. They do have cheap flights comparable to what you’d find on Priceline.
You can also filter flight results by standard or hidden city flights, nonstop or several stops, takeoff and landing times, flight duration, layover duration, and airline.
Creating an account rewards you with $10 in free travel credits. You’ll also earn $25 in travel credits when you book a flight or hotel through Skiplagged.
Skiplagged also recommends destinations its customers have recently traveled to with flight prices to entice you.
Pros
- Skiplagged has a mobile app for finding flight deals anytime, anywhere.
- You can use Skiplagged to book a hotel or car, with savings of up to 60 percent for hotels.
- Travel credits inspire you to get out there and see the world.
Cons
- The hidden city tickets sometimes require you to give up flight miles or pay for a carry-on.
18. Flight Network

More than 22 million annual passengers trust Flight Network to find their next inexpensive flight. The service has existed for more than two decades and says it can save you 80 percent on airfare.
Flight Network browses through the flight information of more than 600 airlines to bring you up-to-the-minute, low-cost trips.
When you search, you can sort your results by criteria such as shortest flight, cheapest flight, or most recommended.
You can even work with a certified travel agent to find the perfect getaway that will make your entire family smile.
Pros
- Flight Network offers Cancellation Protection so you can cancel two hours before your flight if you need to postpone for a medical reason.
- Choose from 35 languages and currencies when browsing the site.
- Flight Network has a free app for receiving exclusive offers and tracking booking details.
Cons
- You might have to pay for extra services.
19. Going

The site called Going was known for many years as Scott’s Cheap Flights. The name might have changed, but the premise is still the same – finding you inexpensive airfare so you can make your next vacation happen.
Going manages 900 worldwide destinations to recommend the cheapest flights to the places you and your family want to see. You can preview timeline estimates and flight details in your booking link.
More than two million users rely on Going for free flight alerts through email. Some of their flights shave up to 88 percent of the cost of what you’d normally pay for airfare, so the savings are steep.
Pros
- Going offers three membership levels, including a free one, so you can fly how you want to and receive as many deals as you’re interested in.
- First responders, military, teachers, and students can get 25 percent off premium flights using Going.
- Going offers months of paid membership service for free if you refer others.
Cons
- You must sign up to begin using Going.