How to Use a Flight Price Tracker—And Pick the Best One for You

While opinions on the best time to buy a plane ticket vary, you don’t need to scour the internet for hours or set an alarm to book flights on a specific day. A flight price tracker can do all that work for you, making your life easier and helping you save a bundle in the process.

“Think of a flight price tracker as your personal travel assistant,” says Jesse Neugarten, a frequent flier and the CEO of Dollar Flight Club. “It keeps tabs on airfare around the clock and alerts you when prices drop so you can jump on a great deal.”

Whether you’re flying on a budget airline or a traditional carrier, price trackers can save you some serious cash—which you can instead use at your destination, for that magical snorkeling tour or relaxing spa day you’ve got your heart set on. That said, first you need to figure out which flight price tracker is best and how to use it to maximize your savings. To help you whittle down the list and identify the best one for you, Reader’s Digest spoke with Neugarten and travel expert Julian Kheel, founder and CEO of Points Path.

Read on to learn how to get the most out of these travel apps—with easy, step-by-step directions and pro tips to help you save even more.

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How, exactly, does a flight price tracker help save you money?

Flight price trackers use an algorithm to monitor airfare for your selected dates, routes and other preferences. Then they notify you when the price changes, allowing you to snag a flight if the price drops. “Flight price trackers are both exceedingly simple and incredibly powerful,” says Kheel. A basic tracker monitors flight prices and alerts you via email, text or mobile notifications when the price changes. The more advanced trackers also use their data and algorithms to show the price history and predict whether prices will go up or down.

Flight price trackers can also help you save money after you’ve booked a flight—if you purchased a refundable fare. “If the price goes down [after you’ve booked], cancel and rebook to lock your flight in at the lower price,” Kheel says. “You’ll get a credit, or even a refund in some cases, for the difference.” This trick has saved Neugarten thousands of dollars over the years, including $300 on a flight to Paris this past summer.

But there are exceptions. For example, you won’t get a refund on a nonrefundable basic economy fare. So before booking, double-check whether the flight is refundable and whether the airline you’re using charges a cancellation fee.

What are the best apps to track flight price changes?

The most popular mobile and desktop apps to track flight prices include Google Flights, Skyscanner and Hopper, and the best one for you largely boils down to personal preference, though our experts have one resounding favorite. (More on that below.) Read on to learn the pros and cons of each, along with a few travel hacks to make them work better for you.

Skyscanner

Skyscanner scans the web for flight offers, allowing users to click through to make their reservations directly with the airline or travel provider. It vets providers to ensure the price you see on Skyscanner is the same price you’ll be charged on the provider’s site.

COURTESY SKYSCANNER

Neugarten says Skyscanner is great for travelers who have some flexibility. You can search a loose range of dates or find the cheapest month to fly your intended route. Having trouble deciding on a destination? Skyscanner can help with that too. Just select “Explore Everywhere” to see a list of destinations, then rank them by flight cost and/or weather.

Pro tip: If you’re traveling to Europe, Skyscanner may be your best bet. Frequent travelers say it returns more European flight options than other flight price trackers.

Google Flights

Google Flights offers an uncluttered interface and some tools that others don’t. Like Skyscanner, you can search specific dates or click through a calendar or price graph that shows the cheapest days to fly each month. Or you can try this Google Flights hack and explore flight pricing for destinations around the globe. Unlike other flight price trackers, you can see some of the airplane features, such as the amount of legroom and the availability of power outlets, Wi-Fi and in-flight entertainment.

Pro tip: Google Flights is a particularly great choice if your trip has multiple stops; the platform allows you to track multicity itineraries.

Hopper

This travel app helps users track flight prices, set alerts and predict low prices with 95% accuracy. Once you input your destination, Hopper tells you the current lowest price, allows you to view flights and offers advice on whether to book now or wait to get a better deal. It also highlights the features of each carrier, such as free flight changes or carry-on luggage fees, to help with your decision-making.

Additionally, Hopper users can opt to pay a nonrefundable fee to “price freeze.” If you pay this fee and the fare goes up before you book, you’ll be covered up to a specified amount. And if the flight fare drops, you’ll pay the lower price.

Pro tip: Skip the website and download the app to find the best flight deals—Kheel says Hopper’s best features, including price predictions, are available only in the app. Although the predictions aren’t 100% accurate, they can be helpful in determining when to book your flight.

Kayak

Kayak lets you view the best prices for multiple airlines (including Southwest, unlike many other flight price trackers) and set alerts for price drops. It also serves up a price graph that shows the most expensive dates and the best time to book a flight to your destination. If you’re the type to load up your luggage with souvenirs, you’ll appreciate Kayak’s option to include checked-baggage fees in the search results.

Pro tip: One of Kayak’s special features is its “Hacker Fares.” Kayak can search and pair one-way flights from different airlines to help you get the best total price for your trip—think of it like a DIY round-trip ticket. This will save you money and the time it would take to search multiple airlines on your own.

Momondo

Search flights on Momondo (a Denmark-based business owned by Kayak’s parent company, Booking Holdings), and you can view a color-coded price calendar. Each day will appear green, yellow or red, depending on whether the price is low, medium or high—making this a good choice for those who like to scan the calendar to quickly get an idea of the best days to fly.

Like Kayak, you can book a “Mix & Match” fare to choose two one-way flights from different carriers. You can also click a box to compare those prices with other booking sites, such as Priceline.

Pro tip: Pay attention to where Momondo directs you to book. While some flight search engines lead you to the airline website, Momondo shows you the cheapest overall fares—which may also include third-party booking sites such as Expedia and Kiwi. While this is great for finding the lowest price, travel experts generally recommend booking directly with airlines to ensure more attentive customer service in the event of delays, cancellations and lost luggage.

Skiplagged

Much like other flight price trackers, Skiplagged lets you search for flights by duration, price and value, filtering by stops and layover duration. Skiplagged sets itself apart from the rest, though, with its ability to find cheaper “hidden city” flights—unsurprising, given that “skiplagging” means booking a flight that includes at least one stop, with the intention of exiting at the connecting airport to secure a lower fare.

Here’s how it might work: If a traveler wants to fly from New York to San Francisco, but there is a cheaper flight from the Big Apple to Seattle with a connection in San Francisco, Skiplagged would show this option with the San Francisco-to-Seattle leg crossed out and the phrase “Skiplagged Rate” next to it. Then, the traveler could book the cheaper New York to Seattle flight but disembark in San Francisco instead of boarding the final leg to Seattle.

Pro tip: Proceed with caution. First, you should only take a carry-on; checked luggage is sent to the final city of the original ticket. Remember—if you’re skiplagging, you aren’t going there! Second, airlines have been threatening to crack down on the practice of skiplagging and may cancel your ticket or ban you from their airlines if they suspect that’s what you’re up to.

Which is the best flight price tracker?

According to our travel experts, Google Flights is the best flight price tracker. The main reasons? It’s reliable and easy to use. “I’ve tried quite a few flight trackers over the years, and my go-to is Google Flights,” Neugarten says. “It’s super fast, has a ton of data, and the interface is so easy to work with. You can filter by airline and number of stops, and even see price graphs to figure out the best time to book.”

Google flights' cheapest option. via blog.google

In addition, unlike most of the other options, the Google flight price tracker offers a price guarantee on select itineraries departing from the U.S. (You’ll see a note indicating “Price Guarantee” for eligible itineraries.) If you purchase one of these itineraries and the price drops before the first flight of your trip departs, Google will refund you the difference.

How to use a flight price tracker

While each tracker looks and works a little differently, the process is fairly intuitive. Here’s an example of how to do this with Google Flights, our experts’ favorite flight price tracker:

Go to Google Flights online or in the app.
Enter your departure airport, destination and dates. Then tap “Search.”
If you’d like, select filters—such as airlines, the number of stops and your desired cabin class—at the top.
Toggle on “Track prices” (about halfway down the page, on the left side). And with that, you’re done! You’ll receive notifications when the flight price increases or decreases.

Are there any downsides to these tools?

There are a few drawbacks to using a flight price tracker—most notably, the flood of emails you’ll receive. Remember to turn off these alerts after you plan your trip or they’ll continue to crowd your inbox. Other downsides (and solutions!) include:

Missing out on credit card rewards. If you use credit cards that offer travel rewards but you book your flight through a third-party site like Expedia, you may not receive the rewards. It’s best to use flight price trackers to find the best price but then book directly through the airline website.

Gambling on a lower fare. Kheel says sometimes people wait too long to buy, hoping they’ll eventually be notified of a lower price. If you hold out too long, you might actually end up paying more. His solution? “The smart move is to lock in a flight now, then use a price tracker to keep monitoring and rebook if the price drops.”

Limiting yourself to one tool. “No single tracker includes every single airline or last-minute discount, so there’s always a chance you might miss a rare super-low fare,” Neugarten says. Cast a wider net by setting alerts on multiple trackers and utilizing other tools and services, such as the Dollar Flight Club. Or if you want to monitor flights you’re planning to book with airline miles or travel points, you can add the Points Path extension to your browser. Paired with Google Flights, Points Path shows the price in miles and tells you whether booking with cash or miles is the better deal. The extension is free, and the paid version offers a points price tracker.

Assuming a flight price tracker is the ultimate answer. “They’re definitely useful, but they’re not perfect,” Neugarten says. “Remember, these trackers are just tools, not magic solutions. If you can keep your travel plans a bit flexible, you’ll have a much better chance of scoring great deals.”

About the experts

Jesse Neugarten is a travel expert, a frequent flier and the CEO of Dollar Flight Club, a travel membership service that finds and delivers flight deals to members.
Julian Kheel is the founder and CEO of Points Path, a browser extension that pairs with Google Flights to show users both the points and cash prices for flights. He previously worked as an airline consultant, an editorial director of the Points Guy and a CNN senior editor covering travel and credit card rewards.

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Reader’s Digest has published hundreds of travel stories that help readers explore the world safely, easily and affordably. We regularly cover topics such as the best places to visit (and the best times to visit them), tips and tricks to zoom through airport security, flight-attendant secrets, hotel-room hacks and more. We’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. For this story on how to use a flight price tracker, Melinda Fulmer tapped her longtime experience as a travel journalist. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

Sources:

Jesse Neugarten, CEO of Dollar Flight Club; interviewed, February 2025
Julian Kheel, founder and CEO of Points Path; interviewed, February 2025
Going: “Best Days to Buy Airline Tickets: And Other Myths to Save”
Hopper: “Price Freeze for Flights: How Does It Work?”
NPR: “What is ‘skiplagging’ and why do the airlines hate when you do it?”
Google: “About Price guarantee on Google Flights”
Illumin Magazine: “The Algorithm behind Plane Ticket Prices and How to Get the Best Deal”