How We Saved Thousands on Flights (and How Your Family Can, Too!)
Picture this: Six wild-hearted Walkers, all buzzing with excitement, scored roundtrip flights to London for the same price Mom and Dad (Bonnie and I) once paid for just two tickets. You read that right—six for the price of two! Was I ready to shout from the airplane window? Maybe. Instead, I’m sharing our secret right here.
Our trick involves flexibility, a little faith, and a game-changing website called Going.com. Imagine sparing your wallet so you can upgrade your gelato budget, spend more days exploring castles, or simply sleep better at night knowing you didn’t sink it all into airfare. With a few tweaks to your travel approach, your family can trade “Are we there yet?” for “Can you believe we’re actually here?”
How Going.com Can Save Your Family Thousands on Flights
Tired parents, rejoice: hunting down crazy flight deals no longer requires twelve tabs and your sanity. Going.com (formerly Scott’s Cheap Flights) does all the legwork for you. It’s part eagle-eyed human, part smart computer. Together, they watch for bonkers airfare drop moments and send alerts straight to your inbox.
You sign up, pick your home airports (easy favorites like Las Vegas, LA, Salt Lake City, you name it), and then wait for the travel fairy to work her magic. Most Going.com members save an average of $550 per ticket. Multiply that by the number of kids you wrangle, and you could be looking at a small fortune.
Here’s what we experienced. Our family waited for the right alert, pounced when the London fare popped up, and paid, give or take, what Bonnie and I spent on just our tickets the last time we crossed the pond. The difference bought us more Tower of London admissions, more fish-and-chips, and maybe (definitely) some extra snacks at Heathrow.
Ready to get in on it?
Sign up for Going.com here and start saving big.
Real-World Wins with Going.com
- Family of six to Europe: $1,100 per person instead of $1,800.
- Four to Japan in cherry blossom season: $850 roundtrip tickets.
- Multigenerational crew to Hawaii: Saved $400 per person, which meant more shaved ice for everyone.
Deal alert pros: You set your preferred airports and destinations, relax, and wait for magic—instead of spending hours searching and second-guessing.
Quick tip: Mark the Going.com signup link. When a fare to your dream spot drops, you’ll be the first to know.
What Makes Going.com Different From Other Flight Deal Sites?
Plenty of sites promise cheap flights. Going.com stands out because it blends real people (expert deal hunters who crave the rush of a good find) with A-plus tech. They only send deals they’d book themselves, slashing the time and stress busy parents usually spend sifting through endless “deals” that are anything but.
- Handpicked deals: Real flight experts review before you ever see a deal alert.
- Custom alerts: You can pick your airports and set how far you’ll drive to save. Perfect for families in the suburbs (or those as close to three airports as a kid’s cough is to bedtime).
- Mistake fares: Sometimes airlines really do goof, and that’s your lucky day. Going.com is quick to spot these.
Unlike other apps that flood your inbox with wishy-washy “maybe” fares, here, every alert is vetted and family-trip ready. Your time is precious; spending it on airport pastries, not flight-hunting, sounds much better.
The Family Guide to Flexibility: Secret Sauce to Big Savings
The biggest mindset shift? Be open. Cheap flights don’t care if you insist on flying June 15. But if you’re game for an adventure, the deals will find you.
Families that win with Going.com treat airfare like a scratch-off ticket: you get more chances if you’re open to new days or destinations. If Paris is $1,600 each but Amsterdam is $500—well, grab the stroopwafels, folks.
Flex tips:
- Fly midweek: Tuesdays and Wednesdays cost less.
- Use the Goldilocks Window:
- For US flights: book 1 to 3 months out.
- For international: 2 to 8 months is prime.
- Try nearby airports: If Vegas pops up but you live near St. George, Utah, it could be worth the drive.
- Let the deal pick you: Sometimes the best trips are the ones you didn’t know you wanted.
Start your flexible flight search with Going.com here.
Simple Hacks Every Family Can Use—No Travel Ninja Needed
You don’t need secret superpowers for this. You just need a few easy habits:
- Monitor multiple airports: Big cities often have more than one choice. Casting a wide net means better luck.
- Target shoulder seasons: Travel when crowds thin out. Airfare drops, and lines at attractions shrink.
- Take advantage of the 24-hour rule: US airlines must allow you to cancel any flight within a day. If you spot a deal, snag it. Then check schedules with your spouse after bedtime.
- Try open-jaw tickets: Fly into one city, out of another (for example, London in, Paris out). This saves time and money.
- Be a “not-so-extreme” planner: Even with doctor visits or school, some flexibility lets you snag deals now and adjust details later.
You don’t need to turn your family schedule inside out—anyone can try a few of these. I’d bet even your mother-in-law could get on board.
Every Dollar Saved Turns into a Bigger Family Adventure
Every buck you save on flights is a little more for gelato, a better family room, or another day hiking red rocks. That’s real investment in adventure and growth together. You’re not just skipping a flight upgrade. You’re making memories that can last a lifetime (and keep the “remember when we went to London for $600?” brag alive).
Hit Going.com, join the crowd of thrifty travelers, and dream a little bigger for your next trip. Share your biggest wins in the comments or tag us on social media—I want to see where your going.com deals take you, snacks and all.
Happy trails and even happier wallets, friends.
