I can’t remember how I first came upon Scott’s Cheap Flights, only that it didn’t take long for me to join the cult. But before subscribing to his paid list of handpicked flight deals, I decided to first get to know Scott a bit better. Specifically, I picked up both of his Kindle books, each one under $5.
Scott’s Cheap Books
First, there’s How to Find Cheap Flights:
If you enjoy the thrill of the chase, you’ll appreciate this handy guide. In the book, Scott teaches you his best tricks for locating prices for international flights that are so crazy low that you won’t think twice about scooping them up.
Scott’s other book is How to Fly for Free:
This book will be a delightful read if you’re excited by the concept of credit card travel hacking. The author describes, in detail, how he was able to amass 1.4 million frequent flyer points. He also shares his secrets for maximizing your flights, like what it takes to earn a companion pass, how to add extra cities to your trip, and how to get upgraded to first class—all without breaking the bank!
But the books are just the beginning.
Scott’s Cheap Email List
Scott’s Cheap Empire culminates in a service he provides via a paid email subscription. With the help of his team, Scott scours flight search engines for mistake fares and other crazy good deals.
A subscriber has the option to opt into the deals most relevant to them.
First, pick the country you’ll be departing from (he covers more than just the United States), then the regions, then the cities.
For example, I live in Denver, but have family in Chicago I enjoy visiting on either end of a trip. So I’ve chosen Denver, Chicago, and Los Angeles as my departure cities.
Denver is a no-brainer: it’s the easiest for me to travel from, because I live there. Unfortunately, it’s limited in terms of direct flights. Chicago is a more international hub, plus I can get double duty out of the trip. LAX is added to the list since I’m in the West now, and a flight there, then out of the country, might be cheaper than Denver to somewhere else to an international city. Scott’s Cheap Flights also gives you an idea of the frequency of deals you can expect from each airport, so you can plan accordingly.
At any rate no matter what you pick, there will be deals, and that’s really the most important thing.
If you want a taste of what that looks like, here are the deals I received from Scott’s Cheap Flights based on the above dimensions, in a timeframe of August 10-13.
7 deals in 3 days that match my interests? Not bad. And if you take a closer look, you’ll see cheap flights to places like Kenya, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and quite a few deals in Europe.
And that deal to Iceland? I bought it:
Scott’s Cheap Flights helped me find the best deal of my life, and I’ve done multiple Groupon Getaways! So check it out, a trip to Iceland with a multi-day stopover in London. No bag fees. $338 per person.
Not a typo – it’s literally that crazy of a deal.
The Cost of Subscribing to Scott’s Cheap Flights
There is a free version of Scott’s Cheap Flights, but you don’t get to choose your departure cities, and finding your dream deal is a bit of a crapshoot. Also, the free subscribers get deals 30 minutes after paid members. As you start to get to know this world, you’ll realize that this puts the free subscribers at a distinct disadvantage. Travel deals book up and disappear fast!
To get the most out of Scott’s Cheap Flights, you’ll want to sign up for a subscription plan. Pricing is based on the initial trust you put into Scott and his team, and how much monetary pain you can feel now to save over the long-term. You could say that his pricing schemes are very cognizant of the cheapos who rely on his services to see the world.
At any rate, a subscription to Scott’s Cheap Flights breaks down as such:
Regardless of the plan you choose, if you book just one flight a year using the service the subscription pays for itself many times over. And if you plan to travel internationally more than once a year, you can see how this subscription is a gift that just keeps giving.
With the money you’ll save on booking airefare, you’ll have more money in your pocket to shop for travel tanks and tote bags! 🙌🙌
Scott’s Cheap Flights Daily Deal Emails
Scott’s Cheap Flights sends out very useful emails. You can usually tell by the subject line whether it’s worth your attention because it lists out a destination, departure city, price, and sometimes even time of year.
Once you open the email, departure cities (if there’s more than one) and associated prices are detailed.
Additional details give travelers guidance for when to book, how much the flight would normally cost, the airline, and how long they have to make a decision. As if that wasn’t enough, Scott’s team also shares information about the destination, and what you might do when you’re there. Who needs a travel agent when Scott’s Cheap Flights curates international travel options so cheap and effectively?
Each email also gives you a sample search to click through and customize. In general, the more flexible you can be with dates, the better, but there’s definitely room to try different things. It’s nice to know that these deals aren’t locked into certain rigid dates.
The Limitations of Scott’s Cheap Flights
There’s not a lot to dislike about Scott’s Cheap Flights, but you might be turned off by:
- No domestic flight deals (except the occasional Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico deal). If you’re not excited about international travel, you might want to skip out.
- Few first class deals. If you want the best prices, you’ve got to slum it with the plebs.
Also, in order to take advantage of the best deals, you’ll have to:
- Be flexible with travel dates
- Move fast on a deal—think a day or less
- Weed through a lot of emails until you find a destination that excites you
To me, none of these things take away from the value I get from Scott’s Cheap Flights.
Scott’s Cheap Flights Review
Ready to take the plunge? Check out Scott’s Cheap Flights for yourself.
I’ve subscribed to Scott’s Cheap Flights for over a year, and I’m always thinking about the possibilities when a great travel deal hits my inbox. You certainly don’t have to open every email or book every deal to make the most of this expertly curated service.
Have you used Scott’s Cheap Flights? Tweet your best deal find to @tanksgetaround (especially if it involved a funny international city)! And if you’re looking to travel hack domestic flights, here’s how to get the most out of United Basic Economy.
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