The rare airline errors that lead to shockingly cheap flights

If you’re a frequent traveler or spend a lot of time scrolling in search of flight deals, you may, on an exceptionally rare occasion, stumble upon a fare so deeply discounted that it seems too good to be true. These needle-in-a-haystack flight deals—say, an international flight like New York City to Singapore for under $200 one-way—are what insiders refer to as “mistake fares” or “glitch fares.”

Mistake fares hit record levels in 2025, according to Going.com, a flight deal site that uncovered 16 of these types of glitches in 2025. In his predictions for 2026, Scott Keyes, the site’s founder and chief flight expert, predicted: Although I would be thrilled to be wrong, in 2026, I think we’ll see fewer.”

With a little luck, adventurous travelers who are willing to let a mistake fare dictate your next adventure, you may want to jump on the deal, because these types of fares are fleeting.

Ahead, learn how to spot a mistake fare, why they occur, and how to increase your chances of booking one that sticks.

What is a mistake fare?

Mistake fares usually happen when something goes wrong in the airline pricing process. That can include human error (like a missing digit), currency conversion mistakes, technology glitches in automated pricing systems, or taxes and fees accidentally being left out. Because airfare pricing is complex and often automated, even major airlines aren’t immune to these errors.

While mistake fares may only pop up every few weeks, they can be deeply discounted, often as much as 60 to 90% off what the price should actually be.

They’re different from normal sales, which airlines run intentionally, whether to launch a new route or fill seats during an off-season.

Mistake fares, on the other hand, were never meant to be advertised. But if you manage to book one before the price is corrected, it can turn into a finder’s keepers situation, and you could score a seriously cheap flight.

Real examples of mistake fares

Mistake fares can show up as deeply discounted one-way trips, round-trips, or suspiciously low prices for a business class seat.

Going.com notified its members of several mistake fares in 2025 and shared some examples of the deals the site found. Here’s just a handful of the examples:

• NYC to Vienna, Prague, Hamburg, Munich, Zurich, or Berlin for $250–$310 roundtrip in economy ($420–$500 roundtrip in premium economy also available) (regular: $800 roundtrip – up to 69% off)

• NYC to Hong Kong for $244 one-way (regular: $1,000 –  76% off)

• Providence to Puerto Rico for $98 roundtrip (regular: $500 roundtrip – 80% off)

• 11 US airports to Madrid for $603 roundtrip in premium economy (regular: $2,500 roundtrip – 76% off)

• NYC to Singapore for $171 one-way (regular: $1,000 – 83% off)

How to book a mistake fare before it disappears

The good news is that mistake fares have led to trips to some pretty incredible places, with departures to destinations across Europe, Asia, and the Caribbean. If you’re a flexible traveler looking to score a rare deal, here’s how to book a mistake fare before it vanishes from the booking site.

Act fast

Once an airline realizes it has made an error in its pricing, the fare is usually corrected quickly. That’s why it’s important to move fast and book before the window closes.

Book through the airline directly

The golden rule of booking mistake fares is to book directly with the airline. Airlines typically issue tickets immediately, meaning you’ll receive a confirmed booking faster, according to Going.com. Online travel agencies (or OTAs), on the other hand, must communicate with the airline to finalize your ticket, which can give the airline time to fix the fare before it’s confirmed.

Booking directly with the airline also usually comes with a 24-hour grace period. This allows you to lock in an unusually low fare—say, a cheap flight to Europe—while giving yourself some time to make sure it actually works with your schedule and travel plans.

Wait to book hotels

It’s best to hold off on booking hotels, tours, rental cars, or any other nonrefundable parts of your trip. There’s always a chance the airline won’t honor the mistake fare, in which case you’d receive a refund for the ticket. Going.com recommends waiting a couple of weeks before booking anything else that can’t be refunded. Keyes estimates that somewhere between 10 to 20% of mistake fares are cancelled.

A 2015 measure passed by the Department of Labor states that airlines are not required to honor mistake fares. However, the rule also notes that airlines are responsible for reimbursing travelers for any “reasonable” out-of-pocket expenses made in reliance on the ticket, such as nonrefundable hotel reservations, tour packages, or airfare for connecting flights.

Best websites that help find mistake fares

Given that mistake fares are so rare, it’s unlikely you’ll spot one by casually searching flight deals. That’s why it helps to get alerts from websites that are searching for deeply discounted flights.

Here’s some sites that can alert you to major fare drops:

Mistake Fares FAQ

Mistake fares can slash flight prices by up to 90%. Here’s how to spot these rare airline pricing errors and book cheap flights fast.

Do airlines usually honor mistake fares?

It depends. Some airlines choose to honor mistake fares as a goodwill gesture, while others cancel them once the error is discovered. According to flight deal experts, most mistake fares are honored when you book them through the airline. About 10 to 20% are eventually canceled and refunded.

How long do mistake fares last?

Mistake fares are extremely short-lived. Some disappear within minutes, while others may stick around for a few hours. It’s rare for a true mistake fare to last more than a day, which is why speed and flexibility are key when booking.

Can mistake fares be canceled after booking?

Yes. Even after you receive a confirmation email, an airline can still cancel a mistake fare if it decides not to honor the price. If that happens, you’re entitled to a full refund of the ticket, and in some cases reimbursement for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses tied to the booking.

Are mistake fares the same as flight sales or flash deals?

No. Flight sales and flash deals are intentional promotions run by airlines to boost demand or launch new routes. Mistake fares are unintentional pricing errors and were never meant to be offered to the public.

Do mistake fares apply to business or first class flights?

Yes, and those are often the most dramatic deals. Some mistake fares have resulted in business- or first-class tickets being sold for the price of economy tickets or even less.