STOP using Google Flights: 3 better ways to find cheap tickets!
If Google Flights is your go-to for finding cheap flights, you’re overpaying — and I can prove it. In this video, I’m breaking down 3 better flight booking tools that find cheaper airline tickets, predict fare drops, and unlock routes Google can’t even show you. Real flight hacks from your travel bestie. 💸✈️
Are you still relying on Google Flights to find your travel deals? In 2026, the algorithm has changed, and if you aren’t using these 3 secret tools, you are leaving hundreds of dollars on the table. From AI price predictions to hidden mistake fares, I’m showing you the “Travel Bestie” secrets to booking international flights for 40-60% less.
In this video, Vivid Travels breaks down:
Hopper: The app that tells you the EXACT day to buy (not just today’s price).
Going: How to get $400 round-trip tickets to Paris sent straight to your inbox.
Kiwi.com: The “Virtual Interlining” hack that finds routes Google literally cannot show you.
The Mid-Week Secret: Why booking on a Tuesday or Wednesday is still the ultimate budget move.
0:00 Why Google Flights is costing you money in 2026
0:48 Why gas prices are skyrocketing airline tickets
1:10 Google Flights limitations: What Google doesn’t show you
2:03 Method 1: Hopper – The AI flight price prediction tool
3:07 Pro-Tip: How to set up flight price alerts that actually work
3:58 Method 2: Going (Formerly Scott’s Cheap Flights)
4:22 How to find “Mistake Fares” and accidental airline deals
5:44 Saving 40-60% on international flights using “Going”
6:05 Method 3: Kiwi.com – Finding hidden routes Google can’t see
7:15 What is “Virtual Interlining?” (Mixing budget carriers for savings)
8:02 Crucial Tip: Why you need the Kiwi Guarantee for mixed carriers
8:44 Bonus Hack: The best day of the week to book flights
9:21 Does Incognito Mode actually save money on flights?
10:07 How to avoid baggage fees: Personal item only packing
10:32 Recap: The ultimate 2026 cheap flight toolkit
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#CheapFlights #TravelHacks2026 #GoogleFlights #HopperApp #KiwiTravel #BudgetTravelTips #VividTravels #flightdeals
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HAD TROUBLE WITH KIWI
theyre not in NEW ZEALAND theyre in Europe
I love hooper
ALWAYS book direct. As an airline employee we can not help you with flight disruptions.
FYI, search all you want – book flights directly with the airline.
These all appear to be for cash flights. I prefer to use points.
👍
"Virtual Interlining" is a dream which can turn into a nightmare very quickly. Guarantee or not.
Often enough you face a check-in agent who does not know a thing but pretends to know it all at a normal long haul check-in with multiple stops. As a result, it is YOU who suffers the consequences. And now this gimmick. You have to check-in like for one trip. Then pickup luggage at destination. Enter the country because the next check-in is not in the transit area. Do you have the right passport and visa for this inconvenience? The UK requires ETA (similar to ESTA) even if you are in transit and won't set foot into the UK territory legally. Nowadays you better triple-check rules for every single stop.
Picture this: Your trip is PHL-LIS lets say with AA. Your connection is LIS-MRS with Ryanair. Sounds great. And then, being late, Ryanair does not give a damn. They don't do charity or customer satisfaction attempts. You show up in time within the rules and that's it. Your "guarantee" is not "rebooking" you, Ryanair will not rebook you at LIS airport. You are out of pocket and have to chase your money for many months to come, if ever. EU reimbursement rules will not help you, they do not apply in this case!
This shall say, that this is the worst thing to do.
I did more than a million miles on planes and consider this here bad advice.
Hopper scammed me so I would not trust their customer service. They literally lied to me! Beware!
The airlines, Priceline, and Orbitz were way better than Hopper and Kiwi.
Thank you so much for this information and these great hacks!
I'm going to try Kiwi first.👍🏾💜Thanks
Informative! Kiwi having lot of issues when you try to change your flight. People should avoid it. Some people are saying its a scam they showed you cheap price when booked they charge you extra fee
This is bullshit, google has the same price or lower than any of these. Plus, they notify you of changes as one option.
If it Literally blew your mind then how is your brain still working ? I am guessing that you don't know what literally means.
I can’t find the going app
Mixed carrier is a nightmare
The Incognito mode or the use of VPNs is proven NOT to work. I made a lot of comparisons, using 2 different computers (Windows and Linux), Incognito or not, VPN or not and I got the same prices all the time. The only difference is, by using a VPN, that prices might be in a different currency (the local one of the "residency" of that connection); the difference is only due to how the conversion rate is done and it is small (basically only the difference between the Bid and Ask price in the Foreign Exchange markets) plus the headache of doing conversions. Useless
I'll be downloading the Hopper app. Thanks!
AI says two out of the three tools recommended should not be used in the uk
These are not new ideas or concepts…not exactly a good use of time. Edit edit edit…you seem to like to listen to yourself talk…sorry, just sayin'…good luck!
This is a truly value-adding video. Thank you very much!
Thanks
Etihad are the cheapest but not the best there actually shit airline haven't gone back to them for at least 15yrs
Kiwi used to be good always remember if you book two separate companies and you are delayed the connection will not wait
THERE CHEAP CORRECT BUT ONE SMALL PROBLEM THEY HAVE MASSIVE LAYOVERS SOME 2 DAYS NO WAY LMAO
smh Google flights doesn't alert fares or combine different airlines? 😂
Awesome! Thanks for taking the guesswork and pain out of trying to find cheap flights elsewhere. 🛫
Thank you for this content. You are very much appreciated is it going to go a long way! Happy travels❤
Thank you so much
Most platforms are directly or indirectly owned by one or two major travel powerhouses. I never see any differences between portals.
Like almost all youtube vidoes you can skip the first two minutes , 1) hooper – price prediction, 2) Going – mislabeled flights, few avaialbe , 3) Kiwi with multiple carries
Going app is not available in the NL
Huge caution ⚠️ about using mixed carriers on international flights. If there’s a delay on the legs prior to the final leg, it can become a nightmare. Trust me, airlines don’t care much about 3rd party bookings. You will get a resolution but carriers will tell you have to call your 3rd party agent. I went through it, had people in my travel groups go through the headaches. Never again.
I just searched for the flights all the way on October compare to one on June and the prices aren't that much different. The current war/oil situation just pretty much F things up for travelers both domestic or international.
I live in Bali, do Visa runs 2x per year. I want to book one way flights, so I can do train travel in S.E Asia. Anyone have suggestions on best company to get best prices?
$1956 on Hopper. Same flight $681 on Kiwi. Thanks!
Google flights does everything Hopper does (date grid and price grid), I'll try Going, but it bothers me that it costs $$ and you may not get anything in return! You also use Google flights to do what Kiwi does but it's manual, so I will try it out too. Thanks for the info.
None of this matter since Trump has f*** everything up. There are European flights that are being canceled. I'm not watching any of this s*** anymore because we do good just to fly out of america to anywhere
No, for the lowest fare book on Sunday and this was confirmed by a study and shown via Expedia Air Hacks.
*Update/Correction – the best day to get the lowest fare is on Friday as stated on Expedia Air Hacks. It was Friday for a few years in a row.
No, Kiwi is the WORST! An issue happened thru no fault of my own and to get a refund, I had to get the Better Business Bureau involved. It took many months to almost a year too, but after getting the Better Business Bureau involved THEN they issued me a refund, before doing that they just ignored me and gave me a bunch of non-answers and weren't seriously trying to resolve the issue. Never again will I use that website and when you look them up there are SO MANY complaints against that company! Very bad recommendation.
Great info, thank you. I’m using Hopper!
Yes, Kiwi is showing very cheap prices, but if you try to book the fare with Kiwi – the fare does not exist anymore (or the airfare is much, much higher). My experience the last 2 to 3 months. Second complaint with Kiwi is that if you have checked baggage you are really not "lucky". Kiwi is clearly only for young travellers with a small backpack (in the cabin)….
All your method's are only for the USA 👎 boooooo
I so done with cheapOair
Kiwi 🥝
Not sure about the others, but I have used Going since it was Scott's Cheap Flights. Not sure what everyone is saying about booking ( never used Hopper or Kiwi) but you should always book directly with the airline. When I get an email from Going I confirm on GF, then I go to the airline site for final confirmation and booking.
We currently do not serve airports outside the US. (Going!)