How To Find The Most Affordable Flights

After years spent scouring the internet for flight deals, booking several shoddy ones, and paying exorbitant fees for carry-ons that I could have sworn were included in my ticket, I’ve finally nailed the game of roundtrip Monopoly—it’s called Going, and I’m annoyed I didn’t sign up sooner.

So, what’s Going? It’s a subscription service that tracks flight deals. The free Limited membership offers economy deals in the continental US, while Premium ($49/year) includes international and peak travel deals. Elite ($199/year) adds premium economy, business, and first class options—perfect for splurging on a luxe business class flight for your honeymoon… but, for like, significantly cheaper.

The process is simple: choose your home airport, refine by airline, price, stops, dates, and seating class.  Once you’ve selected a deal, you’ll be directed to something like Google Flights or Kayak before being redirected to the airline for booking. Departure airports need to be domestic—you can fly roundtrip from New York to London, for example, but can’t find a standalone flight from London to New York. Now, for the fun stuff. Now let’s talk about the fun stuff.

There are several features that make Going outshine its booking competition, and the first is a focus on destinations beyond the major East and West Coast hubs. It’s easier to find competitive pricing from cities like New York and Los Angeles due to scale; finding good deals from smaller hubs like Cincinnati or Detroit can be especially challenging. They curate a surplus of domestic deals.

The second is a bit more obvious: the discounts are actually good, and they’re sourced by real humans. Each listing is presented with a comprehensive breakdown that lists normal price, average deal, and a note on Going’s threshold for what they wouldn’t consider a deal for the same route. It even includes the plane model and accompanying legroom.

Going also projects how long the deal will last, which is excellent for my sanity. I hate rushing to book a trip because I’m scared it’ll slip like sand between my fingers; I can take a second to call my husband and confirm that he is, in fact, willing and able to go to Seattle at the end of August so I could visit Twilight filming locations. (The exception here is what Going calls the “mistake fare” offered to Premium and Elite members; one notable mistake is NYC to Nairobi for $242 roundtrip.)

And while all of this is impressive and convenient, my favorite feature of this flight finder is—drumroll, please—a clear breakdown of what’s not included in each ticket. I’ve always relied on Skyscanner and have been burned ad nauseam by hidden fees, i.e. the carry-ons and checked bags that tend to cost a vital organ in addition to base fare. In contrast, Going clearly outlines the total price of roundtrip flights in straightforward language so you’re able to quickly determine extra fees.

TL;DR: This is an invaluable resource for every type of traveler, whether you’re a seasoned pro eager to pack your bags on a whim or someone who meticulously plans their annual getaway a year in advance. With that being said…Paris next year? I’ve found a roundtrip from JFK to CDG for $330. Or, well, Going has.

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