Expert Explains How to Get Cheapest Flights For Any Airline

Airline travel is expensive – that's no secret. But there is one trick you can use to make sure that you always get the cheapest fare that you possibly can, on any airline.

In a recent article for Thrifty Traveler, travel expert Gunnar Olson gave a very thorough explanation about when travelers should book their flights to make sure they get the best possible price. And it all starts with one particular airline: Southwest.

As Gunnar explains in his post, Southwest Airlines has long been the leader in the industry when it comes to setting low fares, and that hasn't changed even as Southwest has begun charging for checked bags.

"For years (or decades, even) Southwest has set the tone for flight prices—especially domestically. A big Southwest sale with $89, $69, or even $49 one-way fares almost always results in other big U.S. carriers slashing their own fares. That's why we've been telling travelers to subscribe to Southwest's promo emails for years," Olson wrote in a post for Thrifty Traveler this week.

"But even as travelers question Southwest's new bag fees and lament the end of its famously flexible fares, Southwest's pricing power remains in place. If anything, this trend seems to be accelerating: Southwest is firing off these sales more than ever … and Alaska, American, Delta, JetBlue, and United are just as scared of Southwest as ever."

Olson went on to explain and illustrate how Southwest's regular sales ultimately drive down prices for fares across all major airlines.

With that information in mind, Olson explains that the key to getting the best fare possible is to simply subscribe to Southwest's promotional emails and wait for them to announce their regular sales, which typically begin on Tuesday morning and end on Thursday night.

Beginning Tuesday morning, customers should notice that fares will begin to drop across all airlines in response to Southwest's sales.

"The key: Booking (or rebooking) your flights between Tuesday afternoon and Thursday night to get the best fares on any airline," Olson wrote.

So next time you're looking to book a flight, consider waiting until the middle of the week to do it in order to make sure you have the best price.