Expensive flights make booking travel tricky, but insiders know travel hacks that let them pay less, avoid delays and (surprise) make the journey hassle-free.
CNBC Select spokewith Scott Keyes, founder of flight deal subscription service Going, to learn how to save money on airfare, avoid canceled trips and fix problems when they arise.
If you need to reschedule a flight, for example, Keyes advises calling your airline's international office. Standing in line with other passengers can take an eternity, he warns, as can calling the airline's U.S. customer service line.
"The airlines have offices all around the world," Keyes added. "You can call any one of those offices and get through to an agent much quicker."
1. Time your booking right
An essential rule for finding a low airfare price is knowing when to look for it. Keyes uses what he calls "the Goldilocks window," the time when cheap fares are most likely to pop up for domestic and international flights.
"For domestic flights, if you're talking peak season, it's about three to seven months in advance," he says. "For international flights — [it's] four to ten months."
If you're traveling during an off-peak season, look at airfares one to three months in advance for domestic flights and two to eight months ahead for international trips.
Keyes tells a story about a friend who was getting married in Las Vegas at the end of March. For months, he watched a particular fare from Portland to Vegas that was just frozen at $407. At the end of December, though, he saw the price quickly decrease. Finally, in mid-January — about two months before the wedding — the fare dropped to $79.
He booked the ticket and saved $328, or more than 80% of the originally advertised fare.
You can also use credit card tools to help you with price tracking: Capital One's travel portal shows you whether it's a good time to book using price prediction technology.
Plus, if the cost of the flight drops after you book it you're automatically refunded the difference. You must have a Capital One card, like the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card or Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, to gain access to the portal.
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has a reasonable annual fee and earns flexible travel rewards, which makes it a great travel card for beginners or heavy travelers.
- Valuable welcome offer worth at least $750 in travel
- You can transfer miles to over 15 Capital One partners, including Emirates Skywards, Choice Privileges and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
- No foreign transaction fees
- Lacks ongoing travel benefits such as statement credits or lounge access
- Limited bonus spending category that only applies to certain Capital One Travel bookings
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening - that's equal to $1,000 in travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
- Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
- Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
- Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
- Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
Balance transfer fee
$0 at the Transfer APR, 4% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer to you
Foreign transaction fee
None
2. Follow the 21-day rule
At the same time, you don't want to wait too long before booking. According to Keyes, the fine print of your ticket includes an advance purchase requirement that states you must purchase your flight 21 days before departure to get the best fare.
"On Day 20, that flight is no longer available and the new cheapest fare is now $100 or even $200 more," he said.
To avoid losing out, set a reminder 21 days before your planned flight as an absolute deadline for buying a ticket.
3. Check one-way flights
If you're flying domestically, Keyes recommends checking one-way flights with different carriers before automatically booking roundtrip.
"There are times where one airline might have the cheapest outbound flight and a different airline might have the cheapest return flight," he explains.
4. Book to avoid cancellations and delays
Canceled or delayed flights can wreak havoc on your vacation. You can't always plan for them, but there are strategies to minimize the risks and the consequences.
Book non-stop flights: If your non-stop flight is late, you might just need to wait an hour or two. But if you have a connecting flight, the delay might cause you to miss it. "Then, you're reliant on being rebooked and it could be a day or two until the next available flight," Keyes said.
Pick early-morning flights: According to Keyes, early-morning flights have a higher completion rate due to better flying conditions. Plus, airplanes awaiting early flights are parked at the airport overnight, waiting and ready to go.
Avoid checking a bag: "If your connecting flight gets canceled and they need to accommodate you, it's just much simpler if they don't have to also try to find your bag in the belly of one plane and switch it to another plane," Keyes says.
5. Get reimbursed by your credit card for delays and cancellations
First, try to get in touch with the airline: Depending on its policies, you might get your flight reimbursed. If that fails, check if your credit card offers trip delay or trip interruption insurance.
Some cards that offer these perks include the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, The Platinum Card® from American Express and Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees).
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is a premium credit card with a myriad of benefits and a lower annual fee than other high-end cards with similar features.
- Annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Travel
- 10,000 bonus miles after every card anniversary
- Unlimited complimentary access to 1,300+ airport lounges, including Capital One Lounge locations
- Long list of valuable travel and shopping protections, including return protection, rental car coverage and trip delay reimbursement (Benefit(s) only available to accounts approved for the Visa Infinite card. Terms apply.)
- Limited bonus spending categories compared to other premium credit cards
- High annual fee
- High credit score requirement (excellent credit)
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
- Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
- Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
- Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
- Enjoy complimentary access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and the Partner Lounge Network
- Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more. You can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
Balance transfer fee
$0 at the Transfer APR, 4% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer to you
Foreign transaction fees
$0
The Platinum Card® from American Express is a premium card loaded with annual statement credits, entertainment benefits, extensive airport lounge access, elite status perks and more. (Enrollment required for select benefits mentioned)
- Access to 1,400+ airport lounges, including Priority Pass™ Select lounges (enrollment required) and Amex Centurion lounges
- Statement credit offers worth up to twice what the annual fee costs
- Elite status perks for hotels and rental cars (Enrollment required for select benefits mentioned)
- High annual fee
- Many statement credit offers are complicated and are earned in increments or limited to specific purchases
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
- $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
- $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
- With American Express Global Lounge Collection® you can enjoy access to over 1,400 airport lounges globally, including The Centurion® Lounge, Unlimited Delta Sky Club® Access when flying an eligible Delta flight, Escape Lounges, Lufthansa Lounges when flying Lufthansa Group, Plaza Premium, Priority Pass™ Select Lounges, & Additional Global Lounge Collection Partner Lounges subject to visit limitations. Lounges may have their own rules, like additional access rules and guest fees, and for Priority Pass Select, you need to enroll and there are unlimited airport lounge visits for Card Members. With Delta Sky Club Access, Card Members will receive 10 Visits to the Delta Sky Club to be used from February 1 until January 31 of the next calendar year and can unlock Unlimited Delta Sky Club Access by spending $75,000 in eligible purchases on their Card in a calendar year. To find a lounge, visit the membership section in the American Express® App or visit http://www.americanexpress.com/findalounge#/loungefinder.
- $155 Walmart+ Credit: Save on eligible delivery fees, shipping, and more with a Walmart+ membership. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership and get up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes back on one membership (excluding Plus Ups) each month.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card®.
- $200 Uber Cash: Platinum Card® Members can ride or dine in style with $15 in Uber Cash each month, plus a bonus $20 in December after adding their Card to their Uber account. Use your Uber Cash on rides and orders in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- $199 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $199 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
- Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
- Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile.
- $695 annual fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
Balance transfer fee
N/A
Foreign transaction fee
None
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is a standout premium credit card with plenty of luxury perks and statement credits to justify its annual fee.
- Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Sapphire Lounge by The Club locations
- Up to $300 in annual travel credit
- You can transfer rewards to all of Chase's travel partners including World of Hyatt, Southwest Rapid Rewards and many more
- Top-tier travel and shopping protections
- High annual fee
- Requires a high credit score
Highlights
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
- Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase TravelSM immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase TravelSM. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
- 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
- Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority PassTM Select and up to $120 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Member FDIC
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each balance transfer, whichever is greater
6. Only get a travel card if you can use it responsibly
Keyes identifies as a savvy user of travel credit cards and says he enjoys being able to score free travel and lodging through his card's rewards.
At the same time, he doesn't think a travel card is right for everyone.
"You need to have decent credit," he says. "You need to be able to handle credit responsibly, treating a credit card like a debit card, not spending money you don't have and paying off your balance every month."
Otherwise, the interest you rack up will outweigh any benefits you'll get from points or miles.
If you're new to the points game, Keyes suggests getting one card, earning the welcome bonus and then spending it on free travel. After that, you can decide if it's worth the time and effort to continue.
"If you do one card, open it up, put most of your spending on it, that's going to get you one free flight every year," he says. "And for a lot of people, that's plenty."
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card packs a punch for a $95 annual fee card, offering annual travel credits, comprehensive travel protections and more.
- You can transfer rewards to all of Chase's travel partners including World of Hyatt, Southwest Rapid Rewards and many more
- Long list of travel and shopping protections
- $50 annual Chase Travel hotel credit
- Has an annual fee
- Requires a high credit score
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
- Member FDIC
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) is a solid travel credit card for anyone looking for a generous welcome bonus. Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
The card does charge a $95 annual fee, so make sure you're using it enough to justify the cost.
7. Get travel insurance
While many credit cards have extensive travel benefits, a travel insurance policy is going to offer more extensive protection, from the types of coverage offered to the dollar amount you can be reimbursed for.
CNBC Select's top picks for travel insurance offer benefits like Cancel for Any Reason insurance, lost or delayed baggage coverage and even pre-existing condition waivers, which allow you to get your money back if you have to cancel your trip due to a health issue.
Faye Travel Insurance
Policy highlights
One single-trip plan with optional add-ons for pet care, adventure sports and damage to vacation rentals
Cancel For Any Reason coverage
Up to 75% reimbursement of nonrefundable trip costs if purchased within 14 days of initial trip deposit.
Pre-existing condition waiver
Available if policy is purchased within 14 days of initial trip deposit.
Pros
- $4,500 per person trip delay coverage after six hours.
- 100% digital claims process
- Can add coverage for pet care and vacation rental damage
Cons
- Only one plan is available
- Rates are higher than some competitors
Faye covers trip delays for up to $300 a day and $4,500 per trip standard, the most generous limits of the companies we've reviewed. It even has optional pet care coverage, offering up to $2,500 reimbursement for unexpected in-trip veterinary expenses and $250 for boarding if your return trip is delayed or canceled.
USI Affinity Travel Insurance
Policy highlights
Single- and multi-trip/annual policies, as well as cruise insurance, travel medical insurance and plans for students, groups and international travelers visiting the U.S.
Cancel For Any Reason coverage
Add-on for Plus and Elite plans reimbursing 70% of trip costs if purchased within 14 days of booking (21 days with Plus plan). Not available in New York.
Pre-existing condition waiver
Available with any plan purchased within 14 days of initital deposit (21 days with Plus plan).
Pros
- Medical-only insurance available
- CFAR is available for plans bought up to 21 days after booking
- No age limit
Cons
- CFAR only covers up to 70% of trip costs
- Trip delay coverage requires delay of 12 hours
USI Affinity's InterMedical Insurance® plan combines medical and evacuation coverage and will cover any number of trips in a year, up to 90 days each. Premiums start at just $1.35 a day, with three coverage limits and four deductible options.
The window to be covered by USI Affinity's pre-existing conditions waiver is 21 days, longer than most competitors.
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For rates and fees of The Platinum® Card from American Express, click here.
*Eligibility and Benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit American Express's Benefits Guide for more details.
