Blog
Notes from the
radar tower.
Short reads on travel prices, the daily digest, and what we’re building next.
Booking flights on separate tickets: cheaper, but you own the risk
Booking flights on separate tickets is often cheaper than one through-fare, but if the first leg runs late you own the missed connection. Here's when the savings are worth it.
Read →Is skiplagging worth the risk? What hidden city ticketing really costs
Skiplagging can look cheaper on paper, but hidden city ticketing comes with rules, lost bags, and canceled returns the fare never mentions. Here's the honest math.
Read →Should you buy trip protection at checkout?
Should you buy trip protection at checkout? Usually not the version they offer you there. Here's what that little pre-checked box actually covers.
Read →Are flight price alerts worth it?
Are flight price alerts worth it? Most aren't, because they fire on every tiny wiggle. Here's what separates a useful alert from noise.
Read →What is a fuel surcharge on a plane ticket?
A fuel surcharge on flights is the line on your receipt that looks like a tax but isn't. Here's what it actually is and when it bites.
Read →ETIAS: the new Europe travel authorization, and the copycat sites to avoid
ETIAS is a cheap, official online form you'll need before visiting Europe. Here's what it is, and why a crowd of lookalike sites want to charge you more for it.
Read →When to book Christmas flights, and which dates to fly
When to book Christmas flights: the dates you fly matter more than the day you buy, so pin the quiet days and stop waiting for a December drop that doesn't come.
Read →How to avoid checked bag fees
How to avoid checked bag fees without playing games: pack to the carry-on limit, compare fares with a bag added in, and know when a card or status actually covers it.
Read →Why are flights so expensive right now?
Why are flights so expensive right now? Costs went up and seats got tighter. Here's what's driving it, and the parts you can actually do something about.
Read →When to book Thanksgiving flights, and why waiting rarely pays
When to book Thanksgiving flights: holiday fares tend to climb as the date nears, so lock the dates that matter and stop waiting for a drop that usually doesn't come.
Read →Should you pay to pick your seat?
Seat selection fees feel mandatory at checkout but usually aren't. Here's the short list of times they're worth it, and when to just let the airline assign you a seat.
Read →What is basic economy, and is it worth it?
Basic economy is the same seat with the perks stripped out. Here's what you actually give up for the lower fare, and when the trade is worth making.
Read →Should you pay for a refundable ticket? Usually not, and here's the math
Refundable fares can cost hundreds more than the same seat. Here's when that premium actually earns its keep, and when it's money you're handing over for nothing.
Read →Are budget airlines actually cheaper?
Budget airlines advertise a low base fare, but whether they're actually cheaper depends on bags, delays, and where they land.
Read →Open-jaw flights: fly into one city and out of another
You don't have to fly home from the same city you flew into. Open-jaw flights can be cheaper and skip a backtrack, but only if the full total actually works out.
Read →Are error fares real? What a suspiciously cheap flight usually means
Error fares are real, rare, and riskier than they look. Here's how to tell a genuine mistake price from an ordinary good deal, and what to do if you find one.
Read →Should you book direct with the airline or through a third-party site?
The cheaper price on a booking site is usually real. What changes is who you talk to when the trip goes sideways.
Read →The 24-hour flight cancellation rule, and how to actually use it
The 24-hour flight cancellation rule lets you undo most bookings for a full refund. Here's how it really works and where it quietly doesn't apply.
Read →Is it cheaper to book group flights? The fifth-seat surprise
Booking several seats in one transaction can cost more per seat than booking fewer. Here's why the fifth seat trips people up, and how to book a group without overpaying.
Read →Reading an itinerary for time, not just price
Two fares can cost the same and buy completely different trips. Here's what to look for when booking a flight, past the price.
Read →How long do flight prices last? A good fare goes fast.
How long do flight prices last once a good one shows up? Often not long. Here's why "I'll book it later today" is a real gamble, not a safe one.
Read →Are red-eye flights worth it? Count the lost day, not just the fare.
A red-eye can save you a hotel night or quietly cost you a whole day. Here's how to tell which one you're actually booking.
Read →Does incognito make flights cheaper? No, and here's why the myth sticks.
Does incognito make flights cheaper? No. Clearing cookies and browsing private doesn't move the fare, and here's what people are actually seeing when they think it does.
Read →Do flight prices drop last minute? The final two weeks, honestly.
Do flight prices drop last minute? Usually no. Here's what fares actually do in the final two weeks, and how often waiting for a late dip backfired on us.
Read →Shoulder season is the quiet discount on airfare
Shoulder season travel means flying a week or two before or after the crowds, often for a fraction of peak fare on a nearly identical trip.
Read →The price of a nonstop: when is it worth paying more?
Are nonstop flights worth it? The honest answer depends on how big the gap is that day, and here's how to size it up before you book.
Read →Why flexible dates beat any coupon
A flexible dates flight search saves more than any promo code, because moving a departure by a day usually beats every booking trick. Here's why the calendar is the real lever.
Read →Is it cheaper to fly from a nearby airport? Do the full math first.
A nearby airport often shows a lower fare, but the drive, parking and transit time can eat the whole saving. Here's how to tell when the smaller airport actually wins.
Read →One-way, round-trip, or two one-ways: which is actually cheaper?
Is it cheaper to book two one-way flights instead of a round-trip? Sometimes, yes. Here's when splitting the ticket wins and the one risk to watch.
Read →How far in advance should you book a flight? What we actually see.
There's no fixed number of days that guarantees the low fare. Here's how far ahead the cheapest price actually tends to land on the routes we watch, and why "book N days out" misses.
Read →The hidden cost of a cheap fare: what the sticker price leaves out
Hidden airline fees for bags, seats and changes mean the sticker price is rarely the price you actually pay. Here's how to read past it.
Read →The cheapest days to fly: is midweek really worth it?
Tuesday and Wednesday flights usually cost less than Saturday ones, but the gap is smaller than the advice makes it sound. Here's when it's worth rearranging a trip.
Read →What a layover is actually worth
A connecting fare is only a deal if the money you save is worth more than the hours you lose. Here's how to do that math before you book.
Read →How much a fare really swings in a week
On most routes, the gap between a fare's high and low inside a single week is bigger than any "best day to book" rule could ever save you.
Read →There is no magic day to book a flight
The Tuesday-midnight rule, the "book 47 days out" rule — they're folklore. Here's what actually moves a fare.
Read →How we pick the three flights that matter
A quick look inside the daily digest — flexible dates, dedupe rules, and why we cap the list at three.
Read →Welcome to Gateway Radar
Why we built a daily email for travel prices, and how it’s different from every alert you’ve muted.
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