Tips for Finding Cheap Domestic Flights

With many carriers forced to suspend international routes due to travel restrictions stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, today's travelers are more likely to find the best deals on domestic routes where airlines are offering far more seats by comparison. To further assist, the team of experts at Scott's Cheap Flights, which just recently launched domestic flight service for Premium members, has shared some helpful tips for scoring the best possible deals on domestic flights this summer.

Travelers are most likely to find a cheap domestic flight one to three months prior to their trip. However, they're more likely to save on a last-minute flight during the pandemic compared to pre-March 2020 due to reduced demand from business travelers and others who tend to book closer to departure.

Airlines air waiving expensive change fees to give customers added flexibility this summer, meaning travelers can lock in low fares right now with the freedom to move their dates and only have to pay for the fare difference.

Southwest fares don't show up on Google Flights or other search engines so travelers should be sure to visit Southwest.com to filter flight deals by departure city and shop the carrier's low-fare calendar. Currently, the carrier is offering fares as low as $49 one-way through August 13.

Travelers should always be aware of potential fare matches. As the team at Scott's Cheap Flights points out, oftentimes airlines will match deals put out by other carriers. Therefore, it sometimes pays to be patient.

Compared to international fares, domestic deals are typically available for a longer period of time, lasting several days rather than only a few hours. With that in mind, travelers don't need to rush to book a deal or give up if they're still a few days out from payday.