Finding the perfect flight at the best price can be a daunting task. With countless websites vying for your attention, it’s easy to feel lost in a sea of options. At travels.edu.vn, we’ve undertaken rigorous testing to bring you an updated guide to the Best Travel Websites For Flights in 2024. Forget spending hours comparing fares – we’ve done the hard work for you.
This year’s comprehensive review pits leading airfare search engines, aggregators, and booking sites against each other. We conducted over two dozen identical searches to definitively identify which platforms consistently deliver the lowest prices and the best user experience. The results are in, and they might surprise you. Notably, our top picks include some names you might not immediately recognize, signaling a shift in the landscape of online flight booking. Furthermore, we’ve pinpointed a standout website specifically for those seeking last-minute flight deals, a crucial niche for spontaneous travelers. Interestingly, some former favorites, Booking.com and FlightNetwork, have fallen out of our top rankings this year, highlighting the dynamic nature of this industry.
Join us as we unveil the top 10 best travel websites for flights of 2024, each evaluated for its strengths and weaknesses to help you make informed decisions and secure the most affordable airfares.
Airplane silhouette in a sunset sky
Image: Airplane taking off into a vibrant sunset.
Our Testing Methodology: Finding the Best Flight Websites
To ensure our recommendations are data-driven and reliable, we implemented a robust testing methodology. We evaluated 15 different flight search sites using 32 diverse itineraries. Our searches included both last-minute flights (departing within a week) and advance purchase fares (booked three months ahead), catering to different travel planning styles.
We incorporated a mix of major and secondary travel routes. Examples include high-traffic routes like New York City (NYC) to Los Angeles (LAX), Los Angeles (LAX) to Hong Kong (HKG), and NYC to Paris (CDG), alongside less common pairings such as Philadelphia (PHL) to Tampa (TPA), Chicago (CHI) to Rome (ROM), and Miami (MIA) to Rio de Janeiro (GIG). To further challenge the platforms, we included a long-haul, less conventional route from Dallas (DAL) to Dubai (DXB), and a European intra-continental flight from London (LON) to Barcelona (BCN) to assess their handling of low-cost carriers prevalent in Europe.
Crucially, we prioritized realistic and practical flight options. We filtered out results that, while potentially low in price, were impractical due to excessively long layovers, numerous stops, or significantly extended travel times caused by circuitous routes. Our benchmark was to reject any itinerary that increased total travel time by more than 50% compared to a reasonable direct or connecting flight. We believe in recommending efficient and comfortable travel, not just the absolute lowest price at the expense of your time and comfort.
Our scoring system was rigorous and weighted to reward performance accurately. For each search, the site finding the best fare received three points, the second-best received two, and so on. Conversely, sites were penalized with negative points if their fares were higher than the average fare found across all tested platforms. Fares within a 1% margin of each other were considered equivalent, acknowledging minor price fluctuations. This meticulous scoring system allowed us to objectively rank the best travel websites for flights based on consistent performance across a variety of search scenarios.
Woman happily using a flight search website on her laptop
Image: A traveler excitedly searching for flights on her laptop.
Key Considerations When Using Flight Search Websites
Before diving into our top rankings, it’s essential to understand a few fundamental aspects of how these websites operate and how to use them effectively to find the best travel websites for flights for your needs.
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Aggregators vs. OTAs: It’s important to distinguish between aggregators and Online Travel Agencies (OTAs). OTAs like Hotwire, Kiwi, and CheapOAir are booking engines that sell flight tickets directly to consumers. Aggregators, on the other hand, such as Google Flights, Skyscanner, and Momondo, do not sell tickets themselves. Instead, they search across numerous booking engines, airline websites, and OTAs, compiling results in one place. When you find a flight you like on an aggregator, you are typically redirected to the third-party site actually selling the ticket to complete the purchase.
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OTA Reliability: The quality of an aggregator is heavily dependent on the OTAs it includes in its searches. While reputable aggregators strive to filter out unreliable ticket sellers, it’s always wise to exercise caution when dealing with unfamiliar companies. Before booking through an OTA you haven’t used before, we strongly recommend performing a quick check with the Better Business Bureau (BBB.org) to look for any complaints or red flags. This simple step can save you from potential headaches and ensure a smoother booking experience.
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Price Accuracy and Transparency: Be aware that some less scrupulous OTAs may advertise enticingly low “lead prices” that slightly increase once you click through to the booking page. Similarly, some might misleadingly label flights with stops but no plane changes as “nonstop.” While reputable aggregators aim for accuracy, prices can fluctuate rapidly. Even with the best travel websites for flights, you might occasionally encounter discrepancies between the initial price displayed and the final price on the booking site. If we observed frequent price inconsistencies during our tests, we have noted it in the individual website reviews.
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Southwest Airlines Exception: A crucial point to remember is that Southwest Airlines (Southwest.com) largely restricts its flight listings from being aggregated or sold through third-party OTAs. This means that most flight search websites will not display Southwest flights in their results. To include Southwest in your flight search, you typically need to check their website directly. However, as noted below, Google Flights has recently started including Southwest results, making it a notable exception.
Google Flights interface on a laptop screen
Image: Google Flights website displayed on a laptop.
Top 10 Best Travel Websites for Flights in 2024: Ranked and Reviewed
Now, let’s delve into our rankings of the best travel websites for flights in 2024, starting with number 10 and working our way up to the top.
#10: Google Flights (Google.com/flights)
- Type: Aggregator
While Google dominates online search, Google Flights (Google) underperforms compared to other best travel websites for flights when it comes to airfares.
Pros: Google Flights excels in speed, rapidly updating results as you type in destinations or adjust filters. Its calendar view with average price displays for different dates is highly convenient for identifying the cheapest days to fly. Notably, in Spring 2024, Google Flights became the first aggregator to include Southwest Airlines’ flights in its search results, a significant advantage.
Cons: Despite its strengths, Google Flights’ price performance was inconsistent. While it occasionally found the best fare (once in our tests, for Miami to Rio), it was often matched by our top-ranked sites. More significantly, it struggled to find the absolute lowest fares for major routes like NYC to Paris and LA to Hong Kong, even for direct flights. Frequently, Google Flights displayed the same flights as other sites but at slightly higher prices, sometimes just 5-15% more, but in some cases, considerably more. For instance, for a last-minute Dallas-Dubai flight on Emirates, Google Flights quoted $673 more than our top pick and around $250 more than several other sites.
Verdict: Google Flights is excellent for quickly exploring flight options and identifying travel dates with lower prices. However, when price is your priority, it’s advisable to cross-reference with other best travel websites for flights before making a booking.
#9: Hotwire
- Type: OTA
Hotwire (Hotwire), after discontinuing its opaque “Hot Rates” fares for a period, has returned to our rankings. However, it comes with a significant caveat: avoid using Hotwire for last-minute bookings.
Pros: Hotwire performs reasonably well for advance purchase fares. While it rarely found the absolute cheapest fare overall, it often secured lower or even the lowest rates for direct flights booked in advance.
Cons: Hotwire’s last-minute fare performance was notably poor, consistently yielding the highest prices among the sites we tested – six times in total. It also demonstrated a significant weakness in incorporating budget carriers into its results. For example, on the New York-to-Paris route, while it found a decent Scandinavian Airlines fare with a stopover, it missed significantly cheaper direct flights on budget airlines like Flybee that were found by other sites. Hotwire’s default single-airport search also led to missed opportunities for cheaper flights from nearby alternate airports. For a London-Barcelona flight, Hotwire suggested a British Airways fare significantly more expensive than combinations of low-cost carriers from different London airports, options readily identified by other best travel websites for flights. Furthermore, Hotwire’s filters are limited, lacking options like maximum flight duration or layover time, standard features on most competitor sites.
Verdict: Hotwire can be considered for advance bookings, particularly for direct flights. However, its poor performance with last-minute fares and budget airlines makes it less competitive overall among the best travel websites for flights. Notably, Expedia, Orbitz, and Travelocity now utilize the Hotwire engine for their flight searches, making their results essentially the same as Hotwire’s.
Hotwire website interface on a laptop screen
Image: Hotwire website displayed on a laptop.
#8: Hopper
- Type: Aggregator
Hopper (Hopper), a mobile-first travel app known for its user-friendly and visually appealing interface, has dropped in our rankings this year.
Pros: Hopper showed decent performance for advance purchase fares, achieving slightly better-than-average prices in about a third of our tests. It continues to offer advice on optimal booking times based on price trends. Its color-coded calendar effectively highlights the cheapest travel days for a two-month period. Hopper provides filters for price, flight duration, and number of stops, and uniquely allows users to filter for flights with no change fees.
Cons: Hopper’s performance on last-minute fares was disappointing, ranking second-worst only to Hotwire in frequently displaying the highest prices. Its feature set has become somewhat limited compared to previous versions, with the removal of historical price graphs and detailed amenity information. Hopper aggressively promotes its add-on services, such as fare freeze options and various travel insurances, requiring users to decline these offers multiple times before proceeding with booking.
Verdict: Hopper remains a visually appealing app with some useful features for advance planning, particularly its price prediction advice. However, its subpar last-minute fare performance and pushy upselling tactics detract from its overall ranking among the best travel websites for flights.
Hopper app interface on a mobile phone
Image: Hopper mobile app interface.
#7: Kiwi
- Type: OTA
Kiwi.com (Kiwi.com), a Czech-based booking site, has experienced a significant drop in our rankings.
Pros: Kiwi caters well to flexible travelers. Its default “anytime” departure date option and price-indicative calendars for two-month periods are excellent for identifying the cheapest travel dates. The results page includes a fare grid for surrounding days and a price trend graph for a broader period. Uniquely among our top 10, Kiwi integrates train and bus options into its search results. It also offers a strong set of filters, rivaled only by our top-ranked site.
Cons: Kiwi’s price performance was inconsistent, generally hovering around average. It did find the cheapest last-minute fares for Miami to Rio and Chicago to Rome, but underperformed on advance purchase direct flights. A significant concern is reports of lackluster customer service and negative reviews, including complaints filed with the Better Business Bureau regarding its Miami office.
Verdict: Kiwi offers valuable flexibility for travelers with adaptable schedules and a comprehensive search experience that includes ground transportation. However, its inconsistent pricing and customer service concerns suggest using it primarily for itinerary planning and then potentially booking elsewhere if customer support is a high priority for you when choosing from the best travel websites for flights.
Kiwi.com website interface on a laptop screen
Image: Kiwi.com website displayed on a laptop.
#6: Priceline
- Type: OTA
Priceline (Priceline) has made a comeback to our top 10 after previously falling off the list. It has improved its filters, incorporated daily price comparisons in its date picker, and now includes low-cost carriers in its searches.
Pros: Priceline’s advance fare performance is solid, lifting it to the middle of our rankings. It demonstrated some clever itinerary optimization, such as identifying a cost-saving layover in Istanbul for a Chicago-Rome flight. Priceline retains its unique “Express Deals” for opaque fares, where you select airports and dates but only learn flight details after booking, potentially offering savings, though typically around 10% rather than the advertised 40%.
Cons: Priceline’s last-minute fares were its weakest point, underperforming even Kiwi in this category. Its overall price performance is generally mid-range compared to other best travel websites for flights.
Verdict: Priceline is a decent all-around option, particularly for advance bookings and for those willing to consider “Express Deals” for potential savings. However, it’s not a standout for last-minute travel or consistently finding the absolute lowest fares.
Priceline website interface on a laptop screen
Image: Priceline website displayed on a laptop.
#5: Tripadvisor
- Type: Aggregator
Tripadvisor (Tripadvisor) maintains its position in the middle of our rankings, demonstrating consistent performance in airfare searches.
Pros: Tripadvisor offers a helpful option to include nearby airports in searches, potentially uncovering cost-saving alternatives. Its filters are comprehensive, including an option to limit searches to trusted booking sites.
Cons: Tripadvisor’s speed is a drawback, being noticeably slower than many competitors. While it finds decent prices, it rarely outperformed our top three sites in finding the absolute lowest fares. Its last-minute fare performance was consistently average. Tripadvisor also annoyingly opens new search windows for partner sites unless this option is deselected.
Verdict: Tripadvisor is a reliable aggregator with useful features like nearby airport search and trusted site filtering. However, its slower speed and lack of exceptional pricing keep it in the middle of the pack among the best travel websites for flights.
Tripadvisor website interface on a laptop screen
Image: Tripadvisor website displayed on a laptop.
#4: CheapOAir
- Type: OTA
CheapOAir (CheapOAir) stands out as the highest-ranked OTA in our list and is the reigning champion for last-minute airfares.
Pros: CheapOAir consistently excelled at finding the best last-minute flight deals, outperforming all other sites in this category. Its date-picker calendars display airfares for each day, making it easy to spot cheaper travel dates. CheapOAir also provides a useful chart summarizing costs for different airlines and offers filters for alternate dates and nearby airports.
Cons: CheapOAir’s performance on advance purchase fares was inconsistent. It also suffers from excessive pop-ups, is the slowest site in our tests, and can be glitchy.
Verdict: CheapOAir is the go-to website for booking last-minute flights. However, for advance bookings, its erratic performance and user experience issues suggest cross-checking with our top three best travel websites for flights.
CheapOAir website interface on a laptop screen
Image: CheapOAir website displayed on a laptop.
#3: Skiplagged
- Type: Aggregator
Skiplagged (Skiplagged), a relatively new aggregator, is a strong contender among the best travel websites for flights, particularly for direct flights.
Pros: Skiplagged is remarkably effective at finding low fares on direct flights. Its user interface is clean and intuitive, visually comparing trip lengths and layover durations. Its date-picker calendars show precise fares for each day over two months.
Cons: Skiplagged’s filters are basic, and it doesn’t display baggage fees upfront. It sometimes directs users to less reputable OTAs, and prices can occasionally increase after clicking through. Skiplagged is known for “hidden city” fares, which violate airline terms and can be risky; however, these can be excluded by unchecking the “SKIPLAGGING” box, which we did for our tests.
Verdict: Skiplagged is a top choice for finding low-cost direct flights, offering a fast and user-friendly experience. Be mindful of potential OTA choices and always double-check prices before booking.
Skiplagged website interface on a laptop screen
Image: Skiplagged website displayed on a laptop.
#2: Skyscanner
- Type: Aggregator
Skyscanner (Skyscanner) remains a top performer and one of the best travel websites for flights, consistently delivering low fares, especially for advance purchase tickets.
Pros: Skyscanner excels in price performance, particularly for advance bookings, essentially tying with Skiplagged for the lowest fares in this category. Its “Explore Everywhere” feature is excellent for discovering destinations with the cheapest flights globally. Skyscanner provides star ratings for third-party booking sites, aiding in vetting unfamiliar platforms. It offers options to include nearby airports and search for flights to entire countries. While its initial date calendar shows price ranges, a “Show whole month” link provides a comprehensive two-month price overview.
Cons: Skyscanner’s filters are only average, and it doesn’t include baggage fees in initial results. Sponsored results are integrated with organic results, though clearly marked. Its last-minute fare performance is only average.
Verdict: Skyscanner is a highly recommended aggregator for finding affordable flights, especially when planning in advance. Its global exploration feature and OTA rating system add significant value.
Skyscanner website interface on a laptop screen
Image: Skyscanner website displayed on a laptop.
#1: Momondo/Kayak
- Type: Aggregator
Momondo (Momondo.com) and Kayak (Kayak.com) are essentially the same platform, sharing the top spot as the best travel websites for flights in 2024.
Pros: Momondo/Kayak consistently outperformed all other sites in finding the lowest fares across our extensive testing. Their search interface is comprehensive and user-friendly, offering a vast range of filters, including flight duration, number of stops, preferred airlines, and even specific airports. The date calendar clearly displays price ranges for different days, and the “Price Forecast” feature provides insights into whether fares are likely to increase or decrease. They also show baggage fees, aiding in accurate price comparisons.
Cons: Neither Momondo nor Kayak has significant drawbacks. Their comprehensive nature and consistent top performance make them the clear leaders.
Verdict: Momondo and Kayak are our top recommendations for finding the best travel websites for flights in 2024. Their consistent low fares, comprehensive features, and user-friendly interfaces make them indispensable tools for any traveler seeking affordable air travel.
Momondo website interface on a laptop screen
Image: Momondo website displayed on a laptop.
Conclusion: Choosing the Best Flight Website for Your Needs
Our in-depth testing reveals that while household names still play a role, the landscape of best travel websites for flights is evolving. Momondo and Kayak emerge as the undisputed leaders for consistently low fares and comprehensive search capabilities. Skyscanner and Skiplagged are strong contenders, particularly for advance bookings and direct flights, respectively. For last-minute deals, CheapOAir stands out.
Ultimately, the “best” website depends on your individual travel needs and priorities. For general flight searches and consistently low prices, Momondo/Kayak are our top picks. For last-minute travel, CheapOAir is worth checking. And for exploring various destinations and vetting OTAs, Skyscanner offers unique advantages. By leveraging the insights from our review, you can confidently navigate the world of online flight booking and secure the best possible deals for your next adventure.
