Best Sites for Flight Searches - One way

[Islander500]

I haven’t flown internationally since before Covid and am finding it much more difficult to search and find reasonable fares/routes/flights.  I seem to find mostly flights that have 3 stops, airlines I’ve never heard of or routes that include stops in 3rd continents when trying to book a simple flight from European to US cities. Also, the one way fares that were available on platforms like Choice Air seemed to be non-existent. Or I haven’t found them.  
 
I am asking experienced flyers to share some general advice about successfully locating flights options, to include any search engines which you find helpful if that’s allowable on this platform.  Otherwise, any insight would be so appreciated.  Looking at a TA to Europe and I’m stumped by the challenge of one way flights right now.  Thank you! 

[CruiserBruce]

matrix.ita is always a good place to start. 

 

"Reasonable" is a very vague term, and sometimes what you might think is "reasonable" may not be related to reality at all. There have been very high demand for resuming travel, and less capacity than before Covid. So prices are definitely up...sometimes by a lot.

[Islander500]

Just now, CruiserBruce said:

matrix.ita is always a good place to start. 

 

"Reasonable" is a very vague term, and sometimes what you might think is "reasonable" may not be related to reality at all. There have been very high demand for resuming travel, and less capacity than before Covid. So prices are definitely up...sometimes by a lot.

That’s what I used to use before Covid but had forgotten it. Will try it again. And yes, I recognize that “reasonable” has definitely changed much in 3/4 years.
May need to keep doing RV trips instead for a few more years.  My husband would be perfectly happy.  But I’m ready to alternate between driving and flying trips and struggling a bit to find what will work for us. 

[sambamama]

I like Skyscanner, too. Its an easy app to keep on my phone to get rough ideas. Its easy to use, you can switch to one way, switch to the class you like and filter stops, airlines, or airline alliances, or by cheapest or best, and its airlines you have heard of. 

[LHT28]

another vote for ITA

https://matrix.itasoftware.com/search

 

The cruise line may have some better pricing but make sure you can choose your flights   & fly in a few days before your cruise

[FlyerTalker]

2 hours ago, sambamama said:

I like Skyscanner, too. Its an easy app to keep on my phone to get rough ideas. Its easy to use, you can switch to one way, switch to the class you like and filter stops, airlines, or airline alliances, or by cheapest or best, and its airlines you have heard of. 

 

I won't use an app or travel service that is from China.  Especially if tied in with Huawei.  So no Skyscanner or Trip.com for me.

 

YMMV

 

 

[Post Captain]

Google Flights is now my preferred search engine.  If I'm not mistaken, it's basically a simplified version of matrix.ita, with a very clean, easy-to-read, intuitive, user-friendly interface.  (Google owns matrix.ita, does it not?)  Just like matrix.ita, it is not a booking site; rather, when you find a particular flight that suits you, it provides a direct link to the pertinent airline's website, where you can complete the booking.  (It also provides links to some third-party booking sites, which I always disregard.) 

 

There is a good article/guide on thepointsguy.com website on "How to use Google Flights..."

 

IMO, there is no good reason and no need to use Skyscanner, Booking Buddy, or any of the other "popular" flight search/aggregator/booking websites. 

 

[Free2bMeForever]

I also found with Choice Air was that while I used to be able to book a 1 way ticket, I’m no longer offered that option. My most recent experience was that I could only book “multi-city/open jaw” flights ending up at my departure city.  

[Astro Flyer]

I had not heard of matrix.ita & checking for a one-way LAX/BNE next March it was 50% more expensive than using Princess Flexible EZair which also allows cancelations up to 45 days prior to flying without any cancelation fees.

 

I’ve had good luck using the Hopper app which also has the option to receive notifications when airfares change. I use it for pricing but usually book directly with an airline when fares are the same.

 

[Globaliser]

13 hours ago, Post Captain said:

Google Flights is now my preferred search engine.  If I'm not mistaken, it's basically a simplified version of matrix.ita, with a very clean, easy-to-read, intuitive, user-friendly interface.

 

No, I don't think that it is. ITA Matrix is a published fare search engine that only displays GDS output, but has the power of GDS searching.

 

The results that Google Flights returns strongly suggests that it works differently.

 

7 hours ago, Astro Flyer said:

I had not heard of matrix.ita & checking for a one-way LAX/BNE next March it was 50% more expensive than using Princess Flexible EZair ...

 

That's probably a consequence of the fact that ITA Matrix only displays published fares. Using cruise line air travel usually means using consolidator-type/negotiated fares with opaque mechanisms and rules.

[FlyerTalker]

6 hours ago, Globaliser said:

The results that Google Flights returns strongly suggests that it works differently.

 

There is some data processing from ITA that is incorporated into Flights.  But I concur that they are different products, designed for different users.  I found Flights to be perfect for the once a year flyer who just wants a simple, adequate click-and-go product.  But it just doesn't have the power and flexibility to really delve into travel planning, especially for complex or varied itineraries.

 

In terms of output, I find that Flights will often suppress itineraries utilizing multiple carriers, or with overnights or longer connections.  For example, it did not show options through IST where one could take advantage of the Turkish Airlines free tour or free hotel options.

 

 

6 hours ago, Globaliser said:

That's probably a consequence of the fact that ITA Matrix only displays published fares. Using cruise line air travel usually means using consolidator-type/negotiated fares with opaque mechanisms and rules.

 

Biggest lesson that cruisers need to learn and constantly remember:  The tickets being offered through the cruiseline are almost always NOT the same kind of tickets as what you get from an airline directly.  And to know that that just because two tickets are both on the same flight does NOT mean that they are the same.  There is more to an airline ticket than just the flight and the price.  And that subject deserves both mention and repetition.

 

 

Edited August 26, 2023 by FlyerTalker