Key Takeaways: Using a VPN for Cheaper Flights
- Airline companies tend to increase ticket prices for residents in wealthier countries while discounting the same flight for residents in low-income countries. Other factors also influence ticket prices.
- A VPN assigns you a unique IP address that makes it appear that you’re booking a flight in a region with cheap airfare.
- ExpressVPN is the best VPN for booking cheaper flights, but if you want a more affordable alternative, NordVPN and Surfshark tick all the boxes.
Facts & Expert Analysis About the VPN Flight Hack:
- Google Flights: Flight comparison sites like Google Flights sometimes present outdated prices for plane tickets. The fastest and surest way to find cheap deals is to look up ticket prices on an airline’s official website.
- Error fares: Sometimes airlines offer low-end flight deals due to an error that the company didn’t notice in time. If you stumble upon an error fare and book the flight, the airline can’t revoke the ticket — they have to take you to your destination with that substantially cheaper ticket.
- Long layover: Another cheap flight hack is to book a flight with a long layover. Many airlines offer free layovers, which you can take advantage of to see a new city at no extra cost.
If you have been postponing a trip to your dream destination because of exorbitant flight prices, procrastinate no more. In this guide, we’ll show you how to use a VPN for cheaper flights to a destination on your bucket list. Remember that airlines price flight tickets differently based on factors like location, route demand and travel dates.
Regarding location, a flight from New York to Buenos Aires might be more affordable if you book it in Argentina rather than in the U.S. If you’re a U.S. resident, you can reach out to your friends in Argentina to book the flight for you. However, if you want to keep your travel plans under wraps, use one of the best VPNs.
Keep in mind that not all VPNs can access airline websites outside your country. Airlines will normally block you if they detect that you’re using a VPN. Read on to find the top four VPNs that unblock airline websites undetected. We’ll also share other tricks and tips to help you save on a significant chunk of your travel costs.
How to Use a VPN for Cheaper Flights
- Subscribe to one of the best VPNs for booking flights, like ExpressVPN.
- Download and install the VPN app on your device.
- Check flight prices in your country using incognito browser mode.
- Connect the VPN to a server in a low-income country to check prices for the same flight.
- Open multiple airline websites and compare deals to find the lowest flight prices.
- Repeat steps #4 and #5 with servers in different countries.
What Causes Different Flight Pricing?
Route demand, airline competition and economic conditions are some of the reasons why airlines offer different prices for the same flight. These factors represent the tip of the flight-pricing iceberg; read on to learn about the nitty-gritty details of the dynamic pricing model.
- Route demand and competition: The basic principles of supply and demand sometimes influence flight prices. Popular routes have high demand, which drives up prices, and vice versa. Additionally, if numerous airlines are serving a specific route, companies tend to lower prices to attract customers.
- Country of residence: Residents of wealthier countries are often charged exorbitant prices for flights. The thinking is that these “wealthier” residents have a higher tolerance for high-priced tickets, so airlines hike flight prices to maximize profits.
- Airline’s home country: Some airlines offer more affordable prices for travelers booking locally than those buying flight tickets through the international site.
- Economic conditions: External economic factors such as exchange rate fluctuations, inflation and overall economic health impact ticket prices. For example, an economic downturn will lower the demand for flights, forcing airlines to adjust prices accordingly.
- Important dates: If there’s a significant international event taking place in the destination country or city, it could increase the demand for flights. Flight companies adjust tickets upwards to turn a healthy profit. Public holidays also influence flight prices because people tend to travel more during their time off.
- Other factors: Natural disasters, global health crises, geopolitical tensions, government-imposed fees and regulations on air travel can also impact ticket prices.
Does a VPN Work for Cheaper Flights?
Yes, a VPN can help you get cheaper flights. Here’s how VPNs work: A virtual private network (VPN) masks your real IP address and can assign you a unique IP in a country where flights are cheaper. For example, a U.S. resident can use a VPN to book a flight using a server in Argentina from the comfort of their couch.
To show how VPNs work to find cheaper flights, we checked the ticket prices for a flight from Buenos Aires to New York. We used a VPN to simulate a case of a traveler booking an American Airlines flight in the USA and another in Argentina.
As you can see in the image below, booking the Main ticket in the U.S. is $150 more expensive than in Argentina. However, the Premium Economy and Premium tickets are cheaper if you book in the U.S.
The 4 Best VPNs to Get Cheaper Flights
Airline and flight comparison sites are strict on the use of VPNs and anonymizers. For this reason, you must use a premium VPN with advanced security and privacy features to beat the algorithms on these websites. We’ll discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the top four VPNs for cheap flights later in more detail, but here are the highlights.
| Features: |  |
 |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Description | Overall best VPN for cheap flights | Best cheap flight VPN with a wide server network | Best cheap flight VPN with unlimited connections | Best free VPN for cheap flights |
| Server Locations | 105 countries | 111 countries | 100 countries | 47 countries |
| Obfuscation | Built in | Obfuscated servers in 16 countries | Built in (with OpenVPN protocol) | Built in (with OpenVPN protocol) |
| Tracker Blocker | ||||
| Pricing* | $6.66 | $3.09 | $2.19 | Free |
1. ExpressVPN — Overall Best VPN for Cheap Flights
locations to find cheap flight deals.
ExpressVPN is the overall best VPN for low-budget travelers thanks to its all-around performance. The provider has a spread of servers in 105 countries, including ones renowned for cheap flights, such as in Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe and South America. The servers offer a large pool of IP addresses to help travelers find cheap flights regardless of destination.
Built-in obfuscation scrambles VPN metadata from your traffic, making it look like regular web traffic. Doing so hides the fact that you’re using a VPN, which enables you to access airline or flight-booking sites without fear of being blocked. If you’re in a restrictive country, the authorities won’t notice you’re using a VPN to book a flight.
There’s no need to worry about your data being exposed when booking flights on unsecured public WiFi using ExpressVPN. Its threat manager blocks trackers on airline websites, preventing them from monitoring your activity and overcharging you. ExpressVPN is also the best VPN for streaming, so you can watch your favorite movies and shows while on the road.
The only downside is that ExpressVPN’s pricing is steep compared to that of other premium VPNs. To get the best value, sign up for ExpressVPN’s one-year subscription for $6.66 per month. Learn more in our full ExpressVPN review.
- Unlimited GB
- 8
- Yes
2. NordVPN — Best Cheap Flight VPN With Large Server Network
cheaper airfare for local and international flights.
NordVPN has arguably the best server distribution, spanning 111 countries. The VPN offers a sizable pool of IP addresses, so you can look up flight options in many countries around the globe. It also offers some of the fastest connection speeds and top-notch security. However, it misses out on the top spot because its obfuscation isn’t built in to all servers.
Although NordVPN supports obfuscation, it’s only on specialty obfuscated servers, which are available in 16 countries. If you’re buying tickets in countries where VPNs are banned, NordVPN’s obfuscated servers give you a few options to do so without alerting the authorities.
NordVPN’s security is as good as it gets. It keeps your identity and personal information out of cybercriminals’ reach, so you don’t have to look over your shoulder while booking a flight. The “threat protection” feature blocks trackers on airline and flight comparison sites, preventing them from discovering your interests and potentially hiking ticket prices for you.
Compared to ExpressVPN, NordVPN is more affordable than our top pick. The best NordVPN deal is the two-year plan, which costs $3.09 per month. Read our full NordVPN review to learn more.
- *The prices are charged in the first billing cycle only. Renewal prices vary.
- Unlimited GB
- 6
- Yes
- *The prices are charged in the first billing cycle only. Renewal prices vary.
- Unlimited GB
- 6
- Yes
- *The prices are charged in the first billing cycle only. Renewal prices vary.
- Unlimited GB
- 6
- Yes
3. Surfshark — Best Cheap Flight VPN With Unlimited Connections
Surfshark stands out for its unlimited simultaneous connections, which means you can share a single account with as many people as you want. It has servers in 100 countries, including cheaper flight hubs like Romania, Malaysia and Brazil. Its servers offer solid security, so you can book flights without worrying about your personal information falling into the wrong hands.
Like our top two picks, Surfshark uses obfuscation (Camouflage mode) to hide the fact that you’re using a VPN. This enables you to access airline and travel-booking websites that are strict about VPN use. Even though the obfuscation is built in, it only goes into effect when using the OpenVPN protocol.
Additionally, Surfshark’s CleanWeb blocks ads and web trackers on airline websites. Doing so prevents airlines and flight ticket sites from tracking the number of times you access them. As a result, they can’t intentionally raise ticket prices if you revisit the website.
Surfshark is budget-friendly, but like our top picks, its monthly plan is pricey. To get a better bang for your buck, sign up for Surfshark’s two-year plan for $2.19 per month. Read our full Surfshark review to learn more.
- Unlimited GB bandwidth, Unlimited devices, Secure VPN, Ad blocker, Cookie pop-up blocker. Plans renew: $231.75 for one year, $417.15 for two years
- Unlimited GB
- Unlimited
- Yes
- Everything in Starter, plus Antivirus protection, Identity protection, Email Breach and Credit Card Alerts, Online Alias Plans renew: $239.25 for one year, $430.65 for two years.
- Unlimited GB
- Unlimited
- Everything in One, plus Data removal Plans renew: $269.25 for one year, $404.65 for two years
- Unlimited GB
- Unlimited
4. TunnelBear — Best Free VPN for Cheap Flights
cheaper prices for direct and connecting flights.
TunnelBear is the best free VPN for booking cheaper flights and will suit users on a tight budget. The VPN has free servers in 47 countries, offering numerous options to find cheap flights to your dream destination. TunnelBear offers 2GB of data per month, which should serve you well if you only need it to find affordable flights.
Additionally, TunnelBear is secure despite being a free provider. Beyond its basic security features, TunnelBear offers the GhostBear feature — its version of obfuscation. It allows users to bypass VPN blocks on airline sites and use TunnelBear in restrictive countries. Sadly, GhostBear is only available on Windows, Mac and Android — iPhone users are out of luck.
TunnelBear also offers a tracker blocker, which blocks travel-booking and airline websites’ attempts to monitor your online activity. These websites won’t know when you revisit them, which shields you from unfair price hikes. However, the blocker is only available on Chrome — it can’t protect you if you use another web browser.
Luckily, TunnelBear is a free VPN provider, so you don’t have to pay a dime to use it. It does also offer affordable paid plans, but they aren’t a great value for the money. Learn more in our comprehensive TunnelBear review.
- 2GB
- 2GB
- Unlimited
- Unlimited GB, unlimited devices, priority customer service *Price for the 1-year and 3-year plans are only billed for the first year.
- Unlimited GB
- Unlimited
- Yes
- Unlimited GB, centralized billing, account manager, price per user per month
- Unlimited GB
- Unlimited
- Yes
Can You Use a Free VPN for Cheaper Flights?
Yes, you can use a free VPN to find cheaper flight tickets, provided it’s secure and has servers in relevant countries. Just bear in mind that many free VPN providers aren’t reliable enough to bypass VPN blocks on airline and booking sites. Some collect and sell your personal data, while cybercriminals may use others to target unsuspecting users.
That said, there are a few reputable free providers out there. TunnelBear, PrivadoVPN, Windscribe and hide.me are some of the best free VPN providers you can try.
The Best Free VPN for Cheaper Flights: TunnelBear
As we already mentioned, TunnelBear is the best free VPN provider for finding cheaper flights. The VPN service has free servers in 47 countries and delivers top-notch security. TunnelBear also offers GhostBear, which enables users to circumvent VPN blocks. It does have a 2GB data limit, but it isn’t a major issue if you only need it to look for cheaper flights.
How to Get Cheaper Flights with a VPN
In this section, we’ll use ExpressVPN to show you how to use a VPN to get cheaper flights. We compared flight ticket prices for a flight between Buenos Aires and New York on American Airlines’ website.
- Download and Install the VPN
Download and install one of the best VPNs for cheaper flight tickets. If you’re a mobile user, download the VPN from the Google Play Store or Apple’s App Store.
- Search Ticket Prices Without a VPN
Find the “expensive” flight, which you’ll use as the base price for comparison. Using the incognito browser mode and without a VPN, search for a flight on the airline’s website. If you’re in a wealthier country or a nation outside the airline’s headquarters, the flight prices you see without a VPN will most likely be expensive.
- Connect the VPN App
Launch the VPN app and connect to a server in a country with cheaper flights. For starters, connect to a server in a low-income country or the airline’s home country. We connected to a server in Argentina and took a look at the results.
- Compare the Ticket Prices
Compare prices across different offers with those in your home country. Repeat steps #3 and #4 until you find a good deal. We highlighted the cheaper plan in green and the more expensive ones in red.
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Best Practices to Find the Cheapest Flight Tickets
When searching for a cheaper flight online, there are a few best practices to follow for better results.
- Clear your cookies, cache and browsing history after every search. Alternatively, use incognito mode and restart the browser after every search.
- Be patient. We spent a whole hour trying to find the cheapest flight tickets from Argentina to the U.S. We visited numerous airline and booking websites, switching VPN servers multiple times, to find cheap tickets. Your search for a cheaper flight could take longer.
Best VPN Locations to Buy Cheaper Flights
Finding cheap flight tickets isn’t a matter of simply connecting to a VPN server outside of your country and accessing the airline’s website. You must be intentional in your search and should have a few countries in mind that could offer cheaper fares.
Cheapest Country to Book Flights From With a VPN
You can begin your search for a cheap flight deal in the VPN locations in the table below.
Europe
Romania
Greece
Lithuania
Estonia
Latvia
Georgia
Hungary
Poland
Americas
Argentina
Brazil
Mexico
Southeast Asia
India
Malaysia
Thailand
This list isn’t exhaustive; we listed just a few countries to give you a head start. You can broaden your search by adding other countries to the list.
Here are the characteristics to look for when choosing a country:
- Low-income or developing countries
- Home country of the airline
How Do Websites Determine Your Location?
Airline and booking websites use different techniques to determine your physical location, such as the following:
Tips and Tricks to Get Cheap Flights
To board a plane to your destination without spending a premium, you have to explore unconventional avenues besides using a VPN. Some of the best tips and tricks to find cheaper flights include the following:
Community Feedback: VPN for Cheaper Flights on Reddit & Social Media
We combed through comments online, and two details stood out to us.
- Google Flights might not be dependable when searching for cheaper flights. Many users on Reddit are under the impression that Google Flights serves up outdated or older flight deals that don’t reflect the actual prices on the airline’s website.
- Many users don’t believe that VPNs can help find cheaper flights. We understand where these users are coming from, because finding an affordable flight requires patience. Cheaper flights are buried deep on the airline’s website. You have to use a reliable VPN and be tactful in your search to unearth the best flight deals.
Final Thoughts: Plane Tickets
Do not overpay for your next flight to your dream summertime destination or your ideal wintertime getaway. Airlines have cheap flight deals but hide them based on your location. With a VPN and some effort, you’ll be spoiled for choice with the number of low-end flights available when booking outside your country.
For starters, ExpressVPN offers users a large pool of IP addresses to broaden their search and find cheap flights with ease. If ExpressVPN is not the right fit, try alternatives like NordVPN or Surfshark.
Have you used a VPN to find cheap flight tickets? Which VPN service did you use? How easy or difficult was it to find the cheapest flight? We’d like to hear about it in the comments. As always, thanks for reading.
FAQ: Use a VPN to Book Cheap Flights
-
No, connecting to a VPN doesn’t make expensive flights cheaper. You have to connect the VPN to a country renowned for budget airlines and access different airline websites to find cheap flights.
-
Some of the cheapest VPN locations for flights include countries in Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia and South America. Generally, airlines offer cheap flights to residents of low-income countries.
-
ExpressVPN is the best VPN for booking flights because it offers servers in 105 countries, giving you plenty of options to find cheaper deals.
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