Just how much ticket prices fell has been stunning. In the four decades since deregulation, average domestic airfare has dropped 50 percent in inflation-adjusted dollars. In 1981, the average domestic roundtrip flight cost $638 adjusted for inflation; in 2016, that figure had fallen to $367.

Though airfare can be erratic, it’s not indecipherable. On the contrary, with a basic knowledge of how airfare works, anyone can relish the joy of cheap flights.

When you come across an error fare, the most important thing is to act quickly. Remember the Hotcakes Principle: The better the fare, the shorter it’s going to last. Mistake fares are the best of the best, and airlines will race to fix them as quickly as they can, so their lifespan rarely exceeds six hours. They could disappear any minute—like

As a slight caveat, it’s important to bear in mind that flight cancellations are quite rare. In September 2019, just 0.7 percent of Norwegian’s flights were canceled. If a budget airline is $500 cheaper than the next best alternative, I’m going to buy that ticket and pocket that $500. But if it’s a savings of only $25 or $50, I’ll generally opt for

Given the complexities, hidden-city ticketing isn’t for beginners. But if you’re comfortable with it, as I am, it can be another great tool in your arsenal to find cheap flights.

As one airline revenue manager noted, “The majority of fare changes aren’t really changes on our part: they happen because people are purchasing up inventory at the lowest published fare or the advance purchase restrictions are kicking in.”

Even if you’re traveling abroad on an airline you’ve never heard of, flying is still one of the safest ways to get around. According to the National Safety Council, the lifetime odds of dying in a plane accident are approximately 1 in 10,000, and you have even better odds if you fly only commercial, rather than private, aircraft. By comparison,

There are some large cities that are hindered by one airline holding a monopoly on flights, tamping down competition and limiting the number of fare sales. Take Houston. It’s the fourth-largest city in the United States by population, but in 2019 its primary airport, IAH, was just sixteenth in cheap flight quantity. The reason: United Airlines.

KEY TAKEAWAYS Keeping an eye on nearby airports—including ones within driving distance and even a short-hop flight—can vastly increase your odds of getting a cheap flight. In many instances, using a nearby airport can also mean less overall travel time. Though there’s no specific cheapest time to book flights, fares are most likely to become cheap