Are you starting to do your own travel? here are some tips on How to Find Cheap Flights Anywhere: Tools for South Africans
If you’re eager to travel but want the best deal, Google Flights is one of the easiest ways to explore budget-friendly options.
- Go to https://www.google.com/travel/flights ideally from your PC broswer.
- Enter your departure city in the “From” box. Under “Where to,” select “Anywhere.” Leave the dates blank, then hit “Explore.”
- You’ll land on Google Explore, which shows the cheapest round-trip fares worldwide for a one-week trip within the next six months. Want to refine your search? Select a one- or two-week trip or pick a specific month.
- Play around with dates, ticket class, and destinations to discover the best prices.
- When selecting a flight, check the price indicator in the sidebar—this shows how the fare compares to typical prices on the same route, this is the easiest and simplest method to find cheap flights anywhere.
- Compare fares to airline pricings (website & app pricings may differ), as well as other OTA’s (Skyscanner, Momondo, Kiwi, Cheap Flights, Booking.com, Expedia, Skiplagged etc). Remember it’s always best to book directly through the airline to avoid hassles. Always search for current airline promo codes.
Want to Filter by a Specific Airline? Try This Trick
Google Flights Explorere map only lets you filter by alliances, not individual airlines, but here’s a workaround:
- Go to https://www.google.com/travel/flights
- Enter your departure airport (e.g., JNB) and a dummy destination (e.g., LHR). Pick random dates and hit search.
- Once the results load, click “All Filters”—you’ll now see an option to choose specific airlines. Select your preferred airline (e.g., Qatar Airways).
- Change the destination back to “Anywhere” and reset the travel dates to “Flexible dates.”
Now, you’ll be able to filter worldwide searches by airline! This is particularly useful when an airline has a sale and you wish to filter results by an airline.
The Advanced Tool for Flight Searches– also assists to find cheap flights anywhere.
For experienced travelers looking for hard-to-find fares, Matrix ITA Software (https://matrix.itasoftware.com) is an excellent resource. This powerful tool—owned by Google—helps find cheap flights anywhere with advanced filters.
However, you can’t book directly through Matrix ITA. Instead, pair it with ITA MATRIX POWERTOOLS add-in for Google Chrome or use https://bookwithmatrix.com to find bookable fares (sometimes it is difficult to find these fares as displayed).
- Many fares found in Matrix ITA can be booked through platforms like Skyscanner or directly with airlines.
- Use the calendar search feature to explore alternative routes, stopovers, open-jaw tickets, and even fuel-dumping fares.
- Searching by IATA codes helps refine results by airline, nearby airports, and booking classes.
While some fares are available through OTAs, others may not be bookable—so always verify before finalizing travel plans.
Smart Ways to Save on Flights – How to Find Cheap Flights Anywhere: Tools, Tricks & Booking Hacks
Keep an eye on new airline routes.
New airline routes often launch with massive discounts. When Saudia relaunched a while ago, their opening-day fares were incredible. Keep an eye on Riyadh Air (launching soon) and South African Airways (SAA) as they continue expanding routes.
Airlines to Consider
- SAA – Likely to introduce new promotions as more routes open.
- Ethiopian Airlines – Frequently affordable, but flights fill up fast. Be aware of older aircraft and a busy transit airport in Addis Ababa.
- Booking Timing – The ideal window for non-peak flights is around six weeks before departure, while peak-season tickets may require booking even earlier.
- Compare Prices on Apps vs. Websites – Some airlines offer lower fares on their mobile apps compared to their desktop sites, so always check both.
- Always google for promo codes.
The Power of Split Ticketing & Open Jaw
What Is Split Ticketing?
Instead of booking a single round-trip ticket, you could save by booking separate tickets for different legs of your journey can sometimes result in lower overall costs.
Example: Instead of booking JNB → LHR via DOH, split it into four separate tickets:
- JNB → DOH
- DOH → LHR
- LHR → DOH
- DOH → JNB
Open-Jaw Tickets
Flying into or out of a nearby airport can also reduce costs. Instead of both flights through Heathrow (LHR), consider flying via Gatwick (LGW) or London City Airport (LCY).
Take Advantage of Airline Stopover Programs
Some airlines offer free or discounted stopovers—including hotel stays and visa assistance. Browse this list: https://www.businessclass.com/airlines/articles/airlines-with-free-stopover.
Important Considerations:
- If plans change, cancellation and modification fees apply to each ticket individually so unless open jaw is significantly cheaper treat with caution.
- Since these fares are booked separately, baggage rules may differ—always check!
Once you have an idea of costs, this wil also assist you to budget for your total trip.