Let’s face it – airline tickets eat up a massive chunk of your travel budget.
But what if I told you that you could fly for pennies on the dollar?
I’ve spent the last decade mastering the art of travel hacking, scoring business class seats for less than economy prices and flying internationally for next to nothing.
Today, I’m pulling back the curtain on my best strategies that have saved me over $47,000 on flights.
This isn’t your basic “clear your cookies” advice. These are the advanced, battle-tested methods that professional travel hackers use daily.
Ready to transform how you book flights forever? Let’s dive in.
What is Travel Hacking?
Travel hacking is the strategic use of credit card rewards, loyalty programs, and booking techniques to drastically reduce or eliminate travel costs.
Unlike couponing or just hunting for deals, travel hacking is a systematic approach to accumulating and leveraging points, miles, and travel perks.
The beauty of travel hacking is that it scales with effort – casual hackers might save hundreds while dedicated practitioners routinely save thousands per trip.
9 Proven Travel Hacking Methods for Cheap Flights
1. Master the Credit Card Points Game
The foundation of serious travel hacking is strategic credit card usage. But not just any cards – you need the right ones.
Chase’s trifecta (Sapphire Preferred/Reserve, Freedom Flex, and Freedom Unlimited) remains one of the most powerful combinations in 2025. With the ability to pool points and transfer to 14 airline partners, this system gives you unmatched flexibility.
The real magic happens with sign-up bonuses. For example, the Chase Sapphire Preferred currently offers 75,000 points after spending $4,000 in three months – that’s enough for a round-trip to Europe.
Pro tip: Track credit card application dates using a spreadsheet to navigate around Chase’s notorious 5/24 rule (which denies applications if you’ve opened 5+ cards in 24 months).
My personal strategy? I cycle through major card families (Chase, American Express, Capital One) on a rotating basis, collecting bonuses worth $4,000-6,000 annually while maintaining excellent credit.
2. Leverage Transferable Points Programs
Not all points are created equal. Transferable points from Chase Ultimate Rewards, American Express Membership Rewards, and Capital One Venture miles give you crucial flexibility.
Here’s why this matters: When United wants 80,000 miles for a business class seat to Asia, but Singapore Airlines (a Star Alliance partner) only charges 65,000 points for the same seat, transferable points let you choose the better option.
The key is understanding transfer partners and sweet spots:
- Chase Ultimate Rewards: Transfers to United, Southwest, and Hyatt offer exceptional value
- American Express Membership Rewards: Excels with transfers to Delta, ANA, and Avianca for international premium cabins
- Capital One: Recently improved with transfers to Air Canada Aeroplan and Turkish Airlines
I recently transferred 70,000 American Express points to ANA and booked a round-trip business class ticket to Tokyo that would have cost $4,700 cash. My out-of-pocket? Just $257 in taxes.
3. Exploit Award Chart Sweet Spots
Every airline’s frequent flyer program has “sweet spots” – routes or regions where the points required are disproportionately low compared to the cash price.
Some of my favorite sweet spots in 2025:
- Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan: 70,000 miles for business class to Asia on JAL or Cathay Pacific (worth $5,000+)
- Air France/KLM Flying Blue: 53,000 miles for business class from US to Europe (regularly priced at $3,000+)
- ANA Mileage Club: 88,000 miles for round-trip business class to Europe (cash price: $4,000+)
The trick is looking beyond your home airline. For instance, using Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles, you can book United domestic flights for just 7,500 miles one-way – less than half of what United typically charges.
4. Master Positioning Flights and Open Jaws
Sometimes the best deal isn’t from your home airport. That’s where positioning flights come in.
A positioning flight is a separate ticket you book to get to the departure city of your main award ticket. For example, if you find an amazing deal from Chicago to Paris, but you live in Indianapolis, you’d book a cheap flight to Chicago first.
Similarly, “open jaw” itineraries (flying into one city and out of another) can dramatically reduce costs. My recent trip to Southeast Asia used this strategy:
- Flew into Bangkok using Alaska miles on JAL
- Traveled overland through Thailand and Vietnam
- Flew home from Ho Chi Minh City using Avianca LifeMiles on EVA Air
This approach saved me 30,000 miles compared to booking round-trip to a single city.
5. Utilize Fare Alerts and Mistake Fares
Automated fare alerts are your 24/7 deal hunters. Tools like Google Flights, Skyscanner, and Kayak let you track specific routes, but the real power players are subscription services:
- Scott’s Cheap Flights Premium (now Going)
- Secret Flying
- Thrifty Traveler Premium
These services alert you to flash sales and the holy grail: mistake fares. These pricing errors can result in ridiculous deals like $300 round-trips to Asia or $900 business class to Australia.
The key is being ready to book immediately – mistake fares rarely last more than a few hours.
I once booked a $187 round-trip from Los Angeles to Auckland after receiving a Secret Flying alert at 2 AM. The fare was gone by breakfast.
6. Implement the Skiplagging Strategy (With Caution)
Skiplagging (also called hidden city ticketing) exploits a quirk in airline pricing where flights with connections are sometimes cheaper than direct flights.
For example, a direct flight from New York to Chicago might cost $400, but a flight from New York to Milwaukee with a connection in Chicago might only cost $250. If Chicago is your actual destination, you simply get off there and skip the final leg.
Important warnings:
- Never check bags (they’ll go to the final destination)
- Don’t use frequently with the same airline (they can flag your account)
- Book one-way tickets (round-trips get cancelled if you miss any segment)
Tools like Skiplagged.com automate the search for these opportunities. I’ve saved up to 60% on domestic flights using this technique, but use it sparingly and strategically.
7. Maximize Airline Shopping Portals and Dining Programs
Airlines have shopping portals that award miles for purchases you’re already making online. During bonus periods, these can be extremely lucrative – I’ve earned up to 15 miles per dollar at retailers like Apple and Nike.
Similarly, airline dining programs give you miles for eating at participating restaurants. Link your credit cards once, and you’ll automatically earn miles when dining at thousands of restaurants.
The compounding effect is powerful. Last year, I earned over 42,000 American Airlines miles through their shopping portal and dining program without flying a single mile on their planes.
8. Strategically Time Your Bookings
Contrary to popular belief, there’s no single “best day” to book flights. However, timing still matters:
- For domestic flights: Book 1-3 months in advance
- For international flights: 2-8 months ahead is ideal
- For holiday travel: Book 6+ months early or last-minute (within 2 weeks)
The best strategy is setting fare alerts for your routes and jumping when prices drop significantly below average.
Tools like Hopper and Google Flights’ price prediction features can help gauge whether current prices are likely to rise or fall.
Last December, I waited for a predicted price drop on flights to Barcelona and saved $347 per ticket by booking exactly when Google Flights suggested.
9. Combine Points with Cash-Saving Techniques
The most powerful travel hackers don’t rely on points alone – they layer strategies.
For example:
- Book the main flight with points
- Use a card with travel credits to cover taxes/fees
- Book positioning flights through airline portals for bonus points
- Stay at airports with credit card lounge access to avoid expensive airport meals
One of my favorite combinations is using the Chase Sapphire Reserve’s $300 travel credit to cover positioning flights, then booking the main international leg with transferred points, while accessing lounges with the Priority Pass membership that comes with the card.
This layered approach recently got me from San Francisco to Bali with two stopovers, lounge access throughout, and premium economy seats for a total out-of-pocket cost of $112.
How to Get Started with Travel Hacking
If you’re new to travel hacking, follow this progression:
- Start with one good transferable points card (Chase Sapphire Preferred is ideal for beginners)
- Meet the minimum spend requirement organically (never carry a balance)
- Set up fare alerts for destinations you’re interested in
- Join 2-3 airline frequent flyer programs (pick major alliances)
- Subscribe to one premium deal alert service
Once you’ve mastered these basics, gradually add more sophisticated strategies from this list.
Remember: The goal isn’t accumulating points, but using them efficiently for experiences you couldn’t otherwise afford.
Advanced Tips for Serious Travel Hackers
For those ready to take things to the next level:
- Learn about routing rules: Each airline has specific rules about stopovers and open jaws that can be leveraged for free side trips
- Study alliance partnerships: Sometimes booking through partner airlines offers dramatic savings
- Consider business credit cards: These often have higher bonuses and don’t always appear on personal credit reports
- Track devaluations: Airlines regularly change award charts, so use points before they lose value
Real Results: My 2024-2025 Travel Hacking Wins
To show these strategies work, here are my recent wins:
- NYC to Tokyo round-trip in business class: Used 75,000 ANA miles transferred from American Express (cash price: $5,200)
- Miami to Barcelona one-way: 30,000 Iberia Avios transferred from Chase (cash price: $2,100)
- Chicago to Maui: Used companion certificate from Alaska Airlines credit card to get two tickets for $597 total (cash price for two: $1,694)
FAQ About Travel Hacking for Cheap Flights
Does travel hacking hurt my credit score?
When done correctly, travel hacking typically improves your credit score over time. New credit card applications cause temporary 2-5 point drops, but the improved credit utilization ratio from additional available credit often leads to a net positive effect. My score has increased from 740 to 815 over seven years of aggressive travel hacking.
Can I travel hack if I don’t live in a major city?
Absolutely. While living near a major hub helps, positioning flights and online shopping portals make travel hacking accessible from anywhere. Focus on flexible points programs rather than airline-specific miles if you’re not near a major hub.
How much time does travel hacking require?
You can see significant results with just 1-2 hours per week. Setting up fare alerts, managing a few key credit cards, and subscribing to deal newsletters provides excellent return on time invested. More advanced techniques require additional research, but the hourly “pay” easily exceeds $100/hour in travel savings.
Will opening multiple credit cards affect my ability to get a mortgage?
Lenders care more about your credit score than the number of cards. That said, I recommend pausing new credit applications 6-12 months before applying for a mortgage. Existing cards with good payment history actually strengthen your application by demonstrating responsible credit management.
What if I can’t meet minimum spending requirements for bonuses?
Focus on cards with lower requirements, time applications around large planned purchases, or use methods like paying rent/mortgage through services like Plastiq (for a small fee). Never spend money you wouldn’t otherwise spend just to earn points.
Are business class tickets really worth the extra points?
For flights under 3-4 hours, probably not. For long-haul international flights, absolutely. The ability to arrive rested with a flat-bed seat can save you a full day of recovery time at your destination. The real magic is getting these seats for less than economy cash prices through strategic redemptions.
The Bottom Line on Travel Hacking
Travel hacking isn’t about getting something for nothing – it’s about strategically leveraging systems that already exist to maximize value.
Airlines and credit card companies make these opportunities available because they profit from most customers who don’t optimize their usage. By being systematic and informed, you can be the exception.
The strategies in this guide have transformed my travel life from occasional economy flights to regular international business class adventures – all while spending less than I did before.
Start with one method, master it, then add another. Within a year, you’ll be flying places you never thought possible, for prices that seem like mistakes (but aren’t).
Your next adventure is waiting – and it’s more affordable than you think.
