Getting a cheap flight deal is not as easy as it sounds. We have all heard the hacks- Tuesdays and Wednesdays are cheapest, search in incognito mode, and more. But it’s 2021, and the world has changed. Search engines and airlines have become smarter, thanks to advanced algorithms that can easily predict these meager tricks. But there are always some loopholes. Check out five hacks to score cheap flight deals without moving from your sofa.

Conduct an open-ended search on Google Flights
If you are flexible with your dates and destination, this hack will help you bag the cheapest flight deal. Simply search on Google Flights like you typically would for a flight by entering departure city and dates, but leave destination blank. Once you enter a search, Google flight will show you the cheapest option. Click on the explore option, move your cursor on the map to the destination you wish to fly, adjust your period (1 month, 3 months, or more), and watch the prices go down even further.

Check the international version’s price of the airline
Every laptop or computer has an IP address, so your computer technically knows from where you are conducting your searches. Airline websites will use this info and automatically redirect you to their country’s website and display the prices. But, sometimes, an airline’s international website version to the same destination has a lower price. For instance, if you check Iberia’s Spain website rather than the American one, the prices could likely differ. You can change your website’s option manually on the airline website itself or use a virtual private network (VPN) to make your computer think you are located somewhere else. Don’t worry, VPN is totally legal in the country.

Book an open-jaw ticket
This is one of the most useful hacks to get a cheap flight deal. For instance, you are traveling from New York to Paris. Instead of searching for a return ticket between these two stops, you can search if there are flights cheaper from, say, New York to London, and then take another flight from London to Paris. This is called an open-jaw ticket. In this way, you will not only save money but also get a few hours or days to explore a new destination. Of course, this requires some amount of research to search for nearby places, but it’s worth a shot.

Take advantage of the USDOT regulation
The prices of airfares keep changing daily. But you can find some cheap flight deals by signing up on websites like Skyscanner, Kayak, Momondo, Adioso, and Hipmunk. They will send you emails when the prices of certain destinations drop drastically. Found the right price, but unsure if you will make the trip or not? Take advantage of the USDOT regulation. This allows you to lock airfare for a limited amount of time or allow free changes or a 100% refund on cancellation within 24 hours. Most airlines adopt the latter rule, but you may want to read the airline’s fine print before booking.

Check prices of all nearby airports
Don’t limit your searches only to one airport of your arrival destination. Look for nearby airports and search for flight fares accordingly. Sometimes the fares to small airports are lesser than the bigger and busier ones. For example, if you are flying to Philadelphia, you may find cheaper tickets to New York. From there you can simply take a two-hour bus or train. On the other hand, you can even search for new or local airlines that fly to unpopular routes or remote areas. From there, take local transport to reach the main city.