Best websites for booking flights: how to get the best deals
Travellers know the importance of finding affordable flights, especially as demand grows and options become more competitive. With the rise of Online Travel Agencies (OTAs), it’s easier than ever to compare prices, check availability, and book flights at the click of a button. But not all OTAs are the same. Knowing the best websites for booking flights and when to use them can help you save money and time.
What are OTAs, and why use them?
Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) are platforms that allow you to search for, compare, and book flights, hotels, car rentals, and vacation packages. They aggregate prices from airlines and other providers, making finding and comparing options easier. OTAs often feature added benefits such as customer reviews, price alerts, and bundled packages that can save you more money.
The biggest advantage? You can browse multiple airlines at once, giving you the best chance to find the cheapest fare. However, OTAs aren’t always perfect, and there are times when it might be better to book directly with an airline.
Top OTAs for booking flights
Expedia
Why it’s great:
Expedia is a trusted name in the travel industry, offering everything from flights and hotels to car rentals and package holidays. Its user-friendly platform makes it easy to filter results by price, duration, layover, and airline. One of Expedia’s strengths is the ability to bundle flights with hotels and car hire, often giving you discounts for booking all at once. For these reasons, it is one of the best websites for booking flights.
Key features:
- Price filtering tools and price match guarantee.
- Flexible cancellation policies on many bookings.
- Access to Expedia Rewards, where you earn points for every booking, which can be redeemed for future discounts.
- Bundling options: You can save money by booking your flight with a hotel or car hire.
Best for:
Travellers looking for a complete holiday package or earning points for future travel. Expedia can offer significant savings if you book a flight and accommodation for your trip.
Priceline
Why it’s great:
Priceline is best known for its “Name Your Own Price” and Express Deals, which allow you to bid on flights and hotels, sometimes saving you a considerable amount of money. Although the “Name Your Own Price” tool is less common nowadays, Express Deals still provide heavily discounted options—though they remain “opaque,” meaning you won’t know the exact details (such as flight times or airlines) until after booking.
Key features:
- Express deals allow you to book discounted flights without knowing all the specifics beforehand.
- Flexible search options so you can sort flights by price, layovers, or flight duration.
- Price-breakdown insights that show detailed breakdowns of taxes, fees, and airline ticket costs.
Best for:
Flexible travellers who are open to taking a chance on last-minute deals and are comfortable not knowing all the flight details before booking. It’s ideal for spontaneous travellers or those looking for last-minute deals.
Skyscanner
Why it’s great:
Skyscanner is a metasearch engine that scans multiple OTAs, airline websites, and even smaller, lesser-known carriers to find the best deal. Its interface is straightforward to use, and it’s perfect for travellers who are flexible with their travel dates and destinations. One of the most unique features is the “Everywhere” option, which allows you to search for flights to any destination worldwide, helping you find the cheapest options from your local airport. This is probably my number one choice when it comes to the best websites for booking flights.
Fun fact: I used to write articles for Skyscanner. (Ok maybe that fact wasn’t so much fun).
Key features:
- Flexible date and destination search is perfect if your travel plans are open and you’re just looking for the best price.
- Set up alerts for price drops on your selected route and receive notifications.
- You can easily compare the best fares across various OTAs and airline websites.
Best for:
Travellers looking for the cheapest flights with flexible dates or those who want a simple, no-fuss way to compare multiple options in one place. Skyscanner is handy if you don’t have a fixed destination and want to explore affordable travel options.
Momondo
Why it’s great:
Momondo is an excellent tool for comparing flight prices across various OTAs and airline websites. Unlike Google Flights, which focuses on efficiency, Momondo digs deeper to uncover hidden deals from major airlines and budget carriers.
Key features:
- Price comparison: Momondo compares prices across OTAs and airlines, helping you see a broad range of options.
- Flexible search options: You can search by cheapest, fastest, or best flight combinations, giving you control over what matters most to you.
- Travel insights: Momondo provides information on the cheapest travel days, price trends, and alternative nearby airports.
- No direct booking: Like Google Flights, Momondo is not an OTA, so it directs you to third-party sites or airlines to complete your booking.
Best for:
Comparing fares across various OTAs and airlines, especially if you’re focused on finding the absolute cheapest price. It’s ideal for travel writers working on tight budgets or itineraries where every euro counts.
Kiwi
Why it’s great:
Kiwi is unique in that it combines flights from airlines that don’t traditionally work together, offering creative, often cheaper solutions to get from point A to point B. This is particularly useful for complex, multi-city trips or when budget airlines are involved.
Key features:
- Virtual interlining: Kiwi.com creates itineraries that combine flights from different airlines, even those that don’t typically cooperate, offering cheaper options often unavailable on traditional OTAs.
- Nomad tool: This feature helps you plan multi-city trips at the lowest cost, which is ideal for travel writers or frequent travellers exploring multiple destinations.
- Kiwi guarantee: Kiwi.com provides protection if a flight is delayed or cancelled, ensuring you don’t miss a connecting flight as part of their virtual interlining setup.
Best for:
Booking multi-city or budget flights where traditional OTAs may fall short. Kiwi.com is excellent for adventurous travellers or those with complex itineraries that involve different airlines and multiple stops.
Google Flights
Why it’s great:
Google Flights is my go-to tool for quickly finding and comparing flights. It’s not an OTA but a powerful flight search engine that aggregates data from airlines and OTAs. Its clean, intuitive interface and excellent features help me find the best routes and fares.
Key features:
- Price insights: Google Flights shows fare trends, helping you decide whether to book now or wait for a better deal.
- Explore map: This feature allows you to view fares to various destinations globally, perfect for discovering spontaneous travel opportunities.
- Price alerts: Set up alerts to monitor prices for specific routes and receive notifications when prices drop.
- Flexible date search: You can search for the cheapest flights over a range of dates, great for travel writers with flexible schedules.
Best for:
Finding the best prices quickly, especially if you’re flexible with travel dates or looking for deals to multiple destinations. I use Google Flights to get a broad overview and then book directly with the airline for more flexibility.
When to use OTAs vs. booking directly with airlines
While OTAs are excellent for comparing prices, there are times when booking directly with the airline is the better option.
Customer service: Airlines often provide better support to those who book directly, particularly with issues like flight changes, cancellations, or delays. Direct bookings are prioritised over third-party bookings in most cases.
Flight changes: If you anticipate needing flexibility, booking directly may offer more options with fewer fees for making changes.
Loyalty programmes: Booking directly ensures you’ll earn frequent flyer miles or loyalty points. Many airlines may not credit these benefits when you book through an OTA.
When to use OTAs
OTAs are ideal when you’re comparing multiple airlines or looking to find a cheap flight quickly. They save time by showing various options at once, including budget carriers and special deals.
Bundle deals: OTAs like Expedia often offer discounted packages when you book flights along with hotels or car hire, providing a good option for full travel packages.
When to book directly
Customer support: Direct bookings offer more personalised service, especially if you encounter disruptions.
Loyalty benefits: Booking through the airline maximises frequent flyer miles and perks.
When to use OTAs vs. search engines
Flight search engines are invaluable for comparing flights, but booking through an OTA or directly with an airline can also be beneficial. Here’s a guide on when to use each:
Use search engines (Google Flights, Momondo, Kiwi.com) when:
Comparing prices: These tools aggregate fares from various OTAs and airlines quickly.
Exploring destinations: Features like Google Flights’ “Explore” tool help you find affordable travel options across different destinations.
Booking complex itineraries: Kiwi.com excels at finding multi-city trips with creative routes, often offering budget-friendly solutions.
Monitoring prices: Google Flights and Momondo offer price alerts that notify you of fare drops.
How to get even more savings with OTAs
Here are some tips for getting the best deals when booking through OTAs:
Set price alerts: Tools like Skyscanner and Google Flights let you track price drops for specific routes, notifying you when to book.
Book early: Booking 4-6 months in advance is ideal for international flights, while 1-3 months works well for domestic travel.
Be flexible: Avoid peak travel times like holidays and weekends. Midweek flights are often cheaper, particularly on Tuesdays or Wednesdays.
Bundle for discounts: If you’re booking accommodation or a car rental, bundling these with your flight through an OTA can lead to extra savings.
My thoughts on the best websites for booking flights
As a professional travel writer, I rely on Google Flights, Momondo, and Kiwi.com to streamline the flight search process and uncover the best deals. Each platform shines in its own way: Google Flights for its intuitive price insights, Momondo for thorough fare comparisons, and Kiwi.com for creative multi-city itineraries. Using these tools smartly helps you book more efficiently, travel better, and save money.
That said, I always book directly with the airlines—even if it costs a little more. Why? I value the sense of security that comes from knowing that if something goes wrong, I have the best chance of resolving the issue directly with the airline. To me, the extra peace of mind is worth it.
Happy travels!
Finally, if you are hungry for more blog posts about travel, here you go…
Firstly, read what to do if your flight is cancelled or delayed.
Click here to learn how the Dublin Airport passenger cap affects travellers.
And my post on the best tips for stress-free travel.
Then read, do I need travel insurance? An expert guide.
For travel guides, look at Frankfurt travel tips – 9 unusual things to do.
I have a trip through Spain for you here: Mazda CX-30 road trip – Barcelona to Girona.
Learning to ski? I was once a beginner, too; read more here: Learning to ski on an artificial slope in Dublin.