---
source_url: "https://chasingadvntr.substack.com/p/stop-overpaying-for-flights-do-this"
title: Stop Overpaying for Flights (Do This Instead)
mirrored_at: 2026-08-15T01:38:25.322Z
host: chasingadvntr.substack.com
cited_in_42a: true
mirror_canonical: "https://index.42a.ai/chasingadvntr.substack.com/p/stop-overpaying-for-flights-do-this"
---

> **Original source:** https://chasingadvntr.substack.com/p/stop-overpaying-for-flights-do-this

While I love to share travel destinations and inspiration, it doesn’t really matter if you can’t afford to get there - and flights are expensive and only getting more expensive.

**Did you know that the average cost of a summer flight in the U.S. jumped over 20% in the last two years?** And that was before oil prices jumped.

Today I just wanted to share all my top suggestions for how I actually [book our family](https://chasingadvntr.com/resources-to-plan-travel/) of 5 on flights for less with a few series of tools and tips.

Want more on how to save money when you travel? I’ve got a few in-depth resources for you. You can either purchase these as stand alone resources or as a paid member of our newsletter you get these for free.

[Adventure Travel Budgeting](https://chasingadvntr.thrivecart.com/adventure-travel-budgeting/) - this is a great way to travel more

[Chat GPT Prompts to Save your Money](https://chasingadvntr.thrivecart.com/chat-gpt-travel-deal-prompts/)

**1\. Book in the “Goldilocks Window”** Timing matters more than which day of the week you book. For domestic flights, aim to book 1–3 months before departure. For international, give yourself 2–8 months. Book too early and you’ll overpay; wait too long and prices spike.

**2\. Be Flexible, Even a Little** The more flexible you can be when booking your flights, the better. Flying a few days before or after your ideal date can make a huge difference (often you can cut your costs in half, and when you’re buying multiple tickets, that adds up fast).

3.**Use Points & Miles** This is one of the most underused strategies out there. The first easy step is to sign up for frequent flyer mile programs for any airline you fly. The next step is to get a credit card with travel benefits: just make sure you never increase your spending just to earn more miles. The best card is the one that earns rewards on the airline you actually fly.

This is one method that allows us to travel at least twice as much as we would have without points and miles.

My absolute favorite credit cards are the [Chase cards right now you can earn 125,000 bonus points with Sapphire Reserve® or 75,000 bonus points with Sapphire Preferred®.](https://www.referyourchasecard.com/19v/01WF0YW9UA)