How flexible travel dates can help you compare fares

Start with the earliest departure, latest return and number of nights that genuinely work for you. Consider leave, school commitments and the time needed to reach the airport. A cheap date outside those limits is not a useful alternative.

Compare several outbound and return combinations with the same travellers, cabin and baggage. Do not assume that Tuesday, a particular booking hour or any fixed rule will always be cheapest. Availability and price vary with the itinerary and when the search is performed.

For each date pair, price accommodation and transfers for the resulting stay. An extra hotel night, more expensive weekend rooms or a less convenient airport journey can outweigh a lower flight fare. Keep the comparison on a whole-party basis.

Check usable time as well as nights. A late arrival and early departure may leave less time than another schedule with a higher fare. If your plans rely on a particular attraction or event, confirm it operates on the alternative dates before booking.

The fliiights date finder compares a sample of date combinations rather than every possible flight. A result labelled cheapest found means cheapest in that search sample, not proof of the lowest fare anywhere. Check the stated dates and genuine fare-check time.

Reopen the source for the chosen itinerary and confirm airport, passengers, cabin, baggage and final total. Prices can change between comparison and checkout. Do not change the recorded fare-check time unless a real new check occurs, and do not infer a live saving from an old or expired record.