Let me tell you about the time I nearly paid £800 for a flight to Bangkok that I eventually booked for £320. The difference? One Google search that led me to Aviasales, and about twenty minutes of my life I’ll never get back—but damn, was it worth it.
I was sitting in my London flat, laptop balanced precariously on my knees, frantically clicking through Expedia and Kayak like some sort of digital masochist. Every refresh seemed to add another £50 to the price, as if the airlines were watching me through my webcam, cackling at my desperation. That’s when my travel-savvy friend mentioned Aviasales—a flight search engine I’d never heard of but would soon become obsessed with.
Fast forward six months, and I’ve saved over £2,000 on flights using this Russian-built platform that somehow manages to unearth deals that make other booking sites look like they’re charging luxury tax on economy seats.
What Makes Aviasales Different From Every Other Flight Search Engine
Here’s the thing about most flight comparison sites—they’re like that friend who insists they know all the best restaurants but keeps taking you to chain places. They’ll show you the obvious options, charge you a booking fee, and call it a day.
Aviasales operates differently. Founded in 2007 by a group of Russian entrepreneurs who were presumably as fed up with overpriced flights as the rest of us, it’s become one of the most comprehensive flight search engines globally. Unlike Expedia or Booking.com, Aviasales doesn’t actually sell tickets—it’s purely a search engine that redirects you to airlines and booking sites.
The platform searches through over 700 airlines and dozens of online travel agencies simultaneously, including some budget carriers and regional airlines that bigger sites often miss. It’s like having a really obsessive travel agent who checks every possible option, including the ones that require three connections and a prayer.
The Psychology of Flight Pricing (And Why Timing Matters More Than You Think)
Before we dive into the Aviasales methodology, let’s talk about why flight prices fluctuate more than cryptocurrency. Airlines use dynamic pricing algorithms that consider everything from your browsing history to the weather forecast in Reykjavik. I’m not kidding—seasonal demand, fuel costs, competitor pricing, and even major events can cause prices to swing wildly.
The Tuesday-afternoon-booking myth? Largely debunked. The sweet spot for international flights is typically 2-3 months in advance, but domestic flights can be cheaper just 1-6 weeks out. Aviasales actually provides historical price data that shows these patterns, which is gold for the analytically inclined among us.
Step-by-Step Guide to Mastering Aviasales
Step 1: Set Up Your Search Parameters Strategically
Open Aviasales and resist the urge to immediately punch in your dream destination. Start with these settings:
Currency Selection: Always check prices in the local currency of your departure country first, then compare with the destination country’s currency. I’ve found price discrepancies of up to 15% just by switching currencies.
Flexible Dates: This is where Aviasales shines. Their calendar view shows price variations across entire months, not just the arbitrary +/- 3 days that other sites offer.
Step 2: Use the “Whole Month” Feature Like a Pro
Click on “Whole Month” instead of specific dates. This reveals Aviasales’ secret weapon—a heat map of prices across all possible travel dates. Green dates are cheapest, red dates will make your wallet weep.
I once found a flight to Tokyo for £380 instead of £650 simply by shifting my travel dates by four days. The difference was a Wednesday departure versus Sunday—apparently, even airlines judge people who travel on Sundays.
Step 3: Master the Multi-City and Open-Jaw Search
Here’s where things get interesting. Aviasales allows complex routing that can save serious money:
- Multi-city searches: Flying London → Bangkok → Tokyo → London separately can be cheaper than round-trip tickets
- Open-jaw tickets: Fly into one city, out of another
- Hidden city ticketing: Book a flight with a layover in your actual destination (use cautiously—airlines hate this)
Step 4: Leverage the Price Prediction Feature
Aviasales includes a price prediction tool that analyzes historical data to forecast whether prices will rise or fall. It’s not infallible, but it’s more reliable than your gut feeling about airline pricing.
The algorithm considers:
- Historical price trends for specific routes
- Seasonal demand patterns
- Current booking rates
- Competitor pricing
Step 5: Set Up Price Alerts (And Actually Use Them)
Create price alerts for your routes and forget about them. Aviasales will email you when prices drop. I have alerts set for about fifteen different routes I travel regularly, and I’ve booked some incredible spontaneous trips when prices hit rock bottom.
Advanced Aviasales Techniques That Most People Miss
The “Everywhere” Search Function
Feeling adventurous? Enter your departure city and select “Everywhere” as your destination. Aviasales will show you the cheapest flights to every possible destination, sorted by price. It’s like Tinder for travel—you might discover your next favorite city.
Using Different Departure Airports
If you live between major airports, search from all of them. I’m equidistant from London Heathrow, Gatwick, and Stansted, and prices can vary dramatically. A flight to New York might be £150 cheaper from Stansted, even factoring in the extra transport costs.
The VPN Trick (With Caveats)
This is ethically gray but technically effective: some airlines show different prices based on your location. Using a VPN to appear to be searching from different countries can reveal price variations. However, always book using your actual location to avoid issues with payment processing.
Weekend vs. Weekday Departure Analysis
Aviasales’ data consistently shows that Tuesday and Wednesday departures are cheapest for international flights, while Friday and Sunday are most expensive. But here’s the kicker—the return journey day matters more than the departure day for overall trip cost.
Common Aviasales Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)
Mistake #1: Ignoring Budget Airlines
Aviasales includes budget carriers that other sites miss, but you need to understand their baggage policies. A £150 flight becomes £250 when you add checked bags, seat selection, and food. Calculate total cost, not just ticket price.
Mistake #2: Not Checking Visa Requirements
Aviasales will happily show you flights to countries where you need visas, don’t assume you can just rock up. Their destination guides include visa information, but double-check with official sources.
Mistake #3: Booking Immediately After Finding a Good Deal
Found an amazing price? Wait twenty minutes. Refresh the page. Check the same route on two other sites. Airlines sometimes show “phantom” availability that disappears during booking.
When Aviasales Might Not Be Your Best Option
Let’s be honest—Aviasales isn’t perfect for everything:
- Premium cabin bookings: For business or first-class, airline websites often have better deals and upgrade options
- Last-minute bookings: Within 24-48 hours of departure, airline apps sometimes have exclusive deals
- Group bookings: For 10+ people, contacting airlines directly usually yields better rates
The Hidden Costs Nobody Talks About
Aviasales shows you the flight price, but budget airlines are notorious for add-on fees:
- Seat selection: £15-50 per flight
- Checked bags: £25-80 per bag
- Travel insurance: Often overpriced through booking sites
- Payment fees: Credit card charges can add 2-3%
Factor these into your total cost comparison.
Real-World Success Stories (And One Epic Fail)
Success: Found Edinburgh to Iceland for £89 return when every other site quoted £200+. The trick was searching Tuesday-Thursday travel with flexible dates enabled.
Epic Fail: Booked a “cheap” flight to Mumbai with three stops and a 14-hour layover in Moscow. Technically it was £300 cheaper, but I aged approximately five years during that journey.
Top Products and Travel Recommendations
Flight Search and Booking Tools
- Aviasales – The star of our show, unbeatable for comprehensive flight searches
- Skyscanner – – Excellent backup option with strong mobile app
- Google Flights – google.com/flights – Great for quick searches and price tracking
- Momondo – momondo.com – Colorful interface with good international coverage
- Kayak – kayak.com – Solid all-around booking platform
- Scott’s Cheap Flights – scottscheapflights.com – Premium service for flight deal alerts
- Hopper – hopper.com – Mobile app with AI-powered price predictions
Travel Planning Apps
- Rome2Rio – – Multi-modal transport planning
- Citymapper – – Essential for airport transfers in major cities
- XE Currency – – Real-time currency conversion
Accommodation Platforms
- Booking.com – – Huge selection with flexible cancellation
- Airbnb – airbnb.com – Unique stays and local experiences
- Hostelworld – hostelworld.com – Budget accommodation specialist
Travel Insurance
- World Nomads – worldnomads.com – Comprehensive coverage for adventurous travelers
- SafetyWing – safetywing.com – Affordable digital nomad insurance
VPN Services (For Price Comparison)
- ExpressVPN – expressvpn.com – Fast, reliable service for price research
- NordVPN – nordvpn.com – Budget-friendly option with good server coverage
Budget Management
- Revolut – revolut.com – Multi-currency card with excellent exchange rates
- Wise – wise.com – International money transfers and debit cards
- Trail Wallet – trailwallet.com – Simple expense tracking for travelers
Making Aviasales Work for Your Travel Style
For the Spontaneous Traveler
Set up price alerts for 5-10 destinations you’d love to visit. When prices drop significantly, book immediately. This strategy works best if you have flexible vacation time and minimal commitments.
For the Planned Traveler
Book 8-12 weeks in advance for international flights, 3-6 weeks for domestic. Use Aviasales’ price prediction feature to determine optimal booking timing.
For the Budget Backpacker
Focus on budget airlines and be willing to take longer routings. The savings can be substantial—I’ve saved £500+ on round-the-world tickets by accepting longer travel times.
The Bottom Line on Aviasales
After using Aviasales for over two years, I can confidently say it’s found me the cheapest flights about 70% of the time. The remaining 30% are split between direct airline bookings and other search engines, but Aviasales consistently uncovers options that others miss.
The platform isn’t perfect—the interface can be clunky, and customer service is minimal since they’re just a search engine. But for finding genuinely cheap flights, especially to off-the-beaten-path destinations, it’s become my go-to tool.
Your mileage may vary (literally), but in a world where airline pricing seems designed to separate you from your money as efficiently as possible, Aviasales feels like having a secret weapon. And honestly, who doesn’t want to feel like they’ve outsmarted the system while saving enough money for an extra week of travel?