Your Airfare ‘Hack List’ for Summer 2025: 10 Tricks to Secure Cheap Tickets

1. The “Early Bird” Rule

• What It Is: Book summer flights in January/February, not spring 
• Average Savings: 20-40% off peak prices 
• Best Booking Windows:
  • June trips: Book by late January
  • July trips: Book by late February
  • August trips: Book by early March

This is hands-down the easiest way to save on summer flights. I’ve tracked summer fare patterns for 8 years straight, and the data is crystal clear: prices start climbing in March and skyrocket by June. The sweet spot is between December and February, when airlines are eager to fill summer seats.

Last year, I watched NYC to Paris flights jump from $585 in February to $989 in April – for the exact same dates in July. The early bird really does get the cheaper flight!

Pro Tip: Going’s flight alerts are especially valuable during these early booking months. Airlines often quietly drop summer fares in the winter/spring, but these deals usually disappear within days.

2. The “Nearby Airport Trick”

• What It Is: Check prices from smaller airports within 2 hours of major hubs 
• Average Savings: $100-300 per ticket 
• Best Examples:
  • Flying from NYC? Check Stewart (SWF) or Westchester (HPN)
  • LA area? Try Burbank (BUR) or Ontario (ONT)
  • Chicago? Look at Milwaukee (MKE)

Sometimes the biggest savings on summer flights are hiding at the smaller airport down the road. Just last summer, Going alerted me to a price difference I wouldn’t have spotted otherwise. 

Chicago to Miami was running $429, but the same dates from Milwaukee were just $289. Even with a $30 Amtrak ticket to Milwaukee, that’s still over $100 in savings! 

Some other examples I’ve played with over the years: flying into Baltimore (BWI) rather than DC (DCA/IAD) and Fort Lauderdale (FLL) rather than Miami (MIA). For European flights, I’ve noticed huge savings flying out of Stewart (SWF) rather than JFK/LGA with Play Airlines. 

Pro tip: Don’t bother checking airports more than 2 hours away – the extra transport costs usually cancel out any savings. But do keep an eye on Going alerts for these smaller airports. That’s often where the best summer flight deals pop up first!

3. The “Summer Sweet Spot”

• What It Is: Book late August instead of peak July/early August 
• Average Savings: 30-45% off peak prices 
• Best Dates for 2025: August 19-31 and September 1-15 
• Same summer weather, half the price!

Let me bust a major summer travel myth: August isn’t “too late” for that dream vacation. In fact, the last two weeks of August are a goldmine for cheap summer flight deals. We’re talking Paris cafes, Mediterranean beaches, and Caribbean resorts at literally half the July prices. Though know before you go: it’s hurricane season in the Caribbean (plan accordingly and be prepared for a last-minute change in plans).

The reason? Simple economics. Most families rush to travel in early July through mid-August. But by late August, demand plummets due to kids going back to school. Even though the weather’s still perfect in most destinations. I’ve seen Mediterranean cruises drop by 40%, luxury hotels slash their rates, and flight prices sharply drop on Going.

Pro Tip: Major tourist spots like Barcelona, Rome, and Cancún actually feel more authentic in late August. The crushing crowds thin out, locals return from their holidays, and you’ll get that “like a local” experience everyone craves – for a fraction of the peak-season price.

4. The “Shoulder Hours” Strategy

• What It Is: Book super-early or late-night summer flights 
• Average Savings: 25-40% off peak daytime prices 
• Magic Hours: First flight out (5-7am) or last flight (after 8pm) 
• Extra Bonus: Often emptier planes, shorter security lines

Nobody loves a 6am takeoff. But here’s the thing about summer travel – while everyone fights over those 10am-4pm flights, the dawn and dusk departures sit there at bargain prices. We’re talking the exact same routes, often hundreds cheaper.

I get it, crack-of-dawn flights sound rough. But summer has a silver lining: early mornings are bright and security lines are blissfully short. Last July, I found a 6am flight to Athens that was not only $350 cheaper than midday options, but the terminal was so quiet I got from curb to gate in 15 minutes.

Pro Tip: Going’s flight alerts often surface these “shoulder hour” deals because most booking sites bury them on page 2 or 3 of search results. Set your preferences to include early/late flights – your wallet will thank you (even if your alarm clock doesn’t).

5. The Counter-Programming Hack

• What It Is: Book summer flights to “winter” destinations 
• Average Savings: 40-60% off usual rates 
• Best Spots: Caribbean, Mexico, Miami 
• Bonus: Fewer tourists, better service

Everyone’s fighting over cheap European flights in summer 2025? Flip the script. Some of the best deals hide in destinations most people visit in winter. Recently, Going found Caribbean flights for this summer at winter-level prices: NYC to Aruba for $360 roundtrip (due to hurricane season), when these routes usually run $600+ in winter.

Jon Miksis Updated May 12, 2025 Travel News