How to find cheap flights to New York?

1/ Book as early as possible

• Airline pricing has changed dramatically in recent years. When a flight first goes on sale, airlines offer their lowest fares. Prices then climb steadily as the departure date approaches.
• To secure the best rates, book your flight to New York as far in advance as possible—ideally 6 months before departure. Booking just 15 days ahead rarely yields good prices. Last-minute deals from airlines are increasingly rare.

2/ Travel during off-peak seasons

• Airlines adjust prices based on demand and season. A flight from December 23 to January 1 will cost far more than one in October, a quieter month.
• Summer is another peak period, when families travel during school holidays. If you can, plan your trip for spring or fall instead. Both seasons are ideal for visiting New York anyway.
• Avoid dates tied to major events, such as the New York Marathon in November. Airlines know these dates draw crowds and raise prices accordingly.

3/ Be flexible with your travel dates

• Avoid flying out and returning on weekends. More people prefer weekend-to-weekend travel because it uses fewer vacation days. Airlines know this and price accordingly.
• Flights are typically cheaper Tuesday through Thursday and jump by around $5 from Friday through Monday.

4/ Be flexible about your departure airport

• Flight prices from Europe to New York vary significantly depending on your departure airport. If you’re in northern France, compare fares from Paris, Brussels, and nearby hubs.
• From eastern or southeastern France, check prices from Frankfurt and Geneva as well. You may find pleasant surprises.
• From southwestern France, look at flights departing Barcelona, Madrid, and Lisbon.

5/ Search airline websites directly

• Airlines increasingly want to control ticket sales themselves. Their strategy: offer the lowest prices on their own websites. Use flight comparison sites to research, but always check the airline’s website before booking. You’ll often find better rates there.
• Lufthansa, for example, has charged a €16 fee on tickets purchased anywhere but its own site since summer 2015. For a Paris-New York flight via Frankfurt on Lufthansa, book directly on the airline’s website. The same applies to Swiss, which is part of the Lufthansa Group. Since December 1, 2018, Lufthansa also reserves its lowest fares exclusively for direct bookings, excluding travel agencies using standard reservation systems.
• Booking directly on airline websites also gives you access to exclusive promotions not available elsewhere.

6/ Browse and book from different locations

• When you browse online, you’re not anonymous. Websites track your clicks and activity. Commercial sites use this data to target you with specific offers. Search for a Paris-New York flight, and within minutes you’ll likely see ads for those same flights on news and travel blogs. This is no coincidence.
• Some sites practice IP tracking—they identify your computer’s address and adjust prices with each visit. Search for a flight on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, and prices may be higher by Thursday. This practice is questionable but currently not illegal in most places. The tactic aims to artificially raise prices based on your demonstrated interest.
• While no airline or booking site openly admits to IP tracking, the temptation to raise prices for a customer they know wants a specific flight is obvious.
• To avoid IP tracking, try two approaches. First: do all your research on your phone away from home or on a home computer. Once you’ve decided on a flight, book from a different computer—at a café, restaurant, or workplace. Second approach: book early and directly from the airline’s website, completing your purchase the same day you first check. If you’ve already decided on dates and airline, why risk paying more? The booking is done before tracking can affect the price.

7/ Join airline loyalty programs

• Sign up for loyalty cards from multiple airline alliances. If you have Air France’s Flying Blue, also join programs from Oneworld (British Airways, Iberia) and Star Alliance (Lufthansa, Swiss). On long-haul flights, miles accumulate quickly, and you never know which airline you’ll fly next. Collect miles with every flight, regardless of carrier.
• Redeem miles for free tickets or perks like airport lounge access and upgrades to Premium Economy or Business class.

8/ Consider flying to a nearby city instead

• One final tip: fly to a nearby city like Philadelphia or Boston instead of New York. Flights to these cities are sometimes significantly cheaper.
• Be realistic, though. The savings on your flight will likely be offset by train or bus fare to New York. However, this approach gives you a chance to visit a second American city at no extra cost.

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