Small towns and remote parks are rarely served by direct flights, so this page covers how to search smarter for awkward routes and how to use two free tools to watch prices.

Getting to small or remote destinations

Look beyond the nearest big airport

The closest major airport is not always the cheapest or most convenient way in. A smaller regional airport, or a large airport in a neighbouring region, can sometimes put you closer to where you are going or cost less to fly into.

Both tools below can show you these alternatives. On Google Flights, the Airports section of the results “may note that fares are cheaper at different airports, and allows you to find what those fares are”. Skyscanner lets you compare prices across “nearby airports” from its search form.

Before you book a cheaper airport, check how you get from there to your final stop. A low fare into an airport with no bus or train link to your destination can end up costing more in time and taxis.

Consider open-jaw and multi-city routes

If you plan to travel overland between two regions, you do not have to return to the airport you flew into. An open-jaw trip (fly into one city, fly home from another) saves you backtracking.

Google Flights lets you choose “one-way, round-trip or multi-city” at the top of the search. Skyscanner’s multi-city option lets you build an itinerary “with up to six legs”.

Be flexible with dates

Fares can vary a lot from one day to the next. If your dates can move, search a range rather than a single day before you commit.

Google Flights: what it is good for

Google Flights is a free flight search tool. Its strongest feature for flexible travellers is the calendar view.

• Calendar view. When you pick dates, “You’ll see the lowest total price to fly for each day.”
• Dates and price graph. The Dates option helps you “find which travel dates have the best fares”, and if your dates are flexible, “clicking Price graph lets you explore fare trends by month or week.”
• Price insights. Google may show a note such as “Prices are less than usual” when prices for the trip “are significantly less than expected.”
• Price tracking. You can track prices “based on specific flights, routes and dates.”

Limits to know. Google Flights does not sell the ticket itself. When you choose a flight, “you’ll usually be taken to the airline’s website or online travel agency to complete the transaction,” and changes or cancellations are handled with whoever you booked with.

Skyscanner: what it is good for

Skyscanner is a free search engine that compares airlines and travel sites. It is useful when you know roughly when you want to travel but not exactly where or on which day.

• Everywhere search. Enter your departure airport and dates with “Everywhere” as the destination, and results “will show destinations from your home airport, organized by price.”
• Whole Month and Cheapest Month. Choosing Whole Month “lets you see airfare by day”, and Skyscanner says “Cheapest Month” will give you “the best shot at finding a cheap flight throughout the year”.
• Price alerts. Skyscanner will send “an email or push notification when prices change.”

Limits to know. The Whole Month prices are estimates based on recent searches, and “fares are dynamic and can change any time.” Always confirm the final fare on the booking page. Skyscanner also does not take payment: it describes itself as “a leading travel search engine, not an online travel agency”, and the company you book with is the one that manages your reservation.

When a flight + hotel bundle may make sense

Some sites sell flights and accommodation together. Bundles are not always cheaper, so price the flight and the room separately, then compare with the bundle total for the same dates and room type.

There can be a non-price reason to consider a package if you book with a company covered by EU rules. Under the EU Package Travel Directive, “The organiser of the package, is liable if something goes wrong, no matter who performs the travel services,” and organisers “must take out insolvency protection” that covers refunds and repatriation if they go bankrupt. The rules apply to combinations of “at least two types of travel services.” Protection rules differ outside the EU, so check what applies where you are booking.

Setting up fare alerts, step by step

Google Flights

Based on Google’s help page on price tracking:

1. Go to Google Flights.
2. At the top, choose the number of stops, the cabin class and the number of tickets.
3. Choose your departure airport and destination.
4. Turn on “Track prices” to track the route.
5. Optional: to follow one particular flight, select it, then turn on “Track prices.”

If you track a route with flexible dates (“Any dates”), Google says it will email you when the route’s minimum price drops significantly over a month.

Skyscanner

1. Search for your route and dates.
2. On the results, tap the bell icon to set a Price Alert.
3. Watch for email or app notifications when the fare changes.

A few habits that help

• Set alerts on both tools for the same route, so you have two sources to compare.
• Track a nearby alternative airport as well as your first choice.
• When an alert arrives, check the fare rules (baggage, changes, refunds) on the airline or agency page before you pay.

Features and prices change often. Confirm current details directly with Google Flights, Skyscanner, the airline or the booking site before you book.