Chart: How airfare alert sites compare

The best way to snag a low airfare is to sign up for free fare alerts. Many sites offer this service. Here are how some of the top sites compare. What's your fave airfare alert site? (And no, you don't have to say it's Airfarewatchdog.com). Leave a comment below!

Website	All routes?	Limit on number of routes?	Specific dates?	Alternate airports?	Nonstop flights option?	Alerts include promo code fares?	Allows subscriber to specify airlines?
Airfarewatchdog How it works: You have three options: sign up for all low fares from airports of your choosing, including from nearby airports; all fares to a specific airport (e.g., all low fares from all US airports to Paris), or specific routes (LAX to NYC).	No, but includes Southwest and Allegiant	25 speciific routes, 5 "all fares from my airport"	No (requires some travel date flexibility to get lowest fares)	Automatically included	No	Yes	No
Bing.com/travel How it works: Search for fare on a particular route and date, then click on "Track Fares" link for the same route/dates; or register/sign in and click on "Your travel account" to add new alerts.	Not quite all routes, and none on Southwest or Allegiant	No	Only specific dates or weekend trips supported	Not automatically included	No	No	No
Farecompare.com How it works: Choose a route, class, airlines, minimum price change to trigger alert, flexible or specific dates	Except those served by Southwest and Allegiant	No	Specific or flexible dates supported	No	Yes	No	Yes
Kayak.com How it works: Register and add fare alerts individually; or search for a fare on a specific route and date, then click on "Get a fare alert"; choose exact dates or other dates by month; weekly or daily; sent 10-14 times before expiring. Some data may be 24-48 hours old. Or choose to see 25 best fares to cities in regions of your choice (Europe, Mexico, etc) under a price you specify.	Except those served by Southwest and Allegiant	No	Specific or flexible dates supported	No	Yes	No	No
Orbitz.com How it works: after registering, click on the above link and add alerts; choose specific dates or weekend trips only; you must set minimum target price (presumably you know what a "good" fare on the route is).	Except those served by Southwest and Allegiant	No	Only specific dates or limited flexibility (+/- 1 to 3 days) supported	Option to include airports within 80 miles	Yes	No	Yes
Travelocity.com How it works: Click on above link, add route, choose to be alerted if fare goes down by at least $25 or below a price you choose.	Except those served by Southwest and Allegiant	Up to 10	No (requires some travel date flexibility to get lowest fares)	No	No	No	No
Tripadvisor.com/flights How it works: sign up under "Cheap airfare alerts" in left margin, or search for fare on any route, choose specific dates or flexible, and a pop up box offers to track prices for you.	Except those served by Southwest and Allegiant	Up to 10	Specific or flexible dates	No	No	No	No
Yapta.com How it works: Choose route and specific dates, travel times and preferred airlines, find flights, then click on "Track price drops" link. Under "Settings," choose $5, $10, $25 or $50 minimum price drop. After you buy, sign up to track any fare drops, but only on some airlines and routes.	Except those served by Southwest and Allegiant	No	Only specific dates supported, down to specific departure times	No	Yes	No	Yes

Categories: Airfare Tips

I use Fly, sometimes it comes up with lower fares than Kayak. It includes several airlines that Kayak doesn't include either.

by atvm27 on Friday, August 20, 2010

I'm been receiving the farecompare notices for Detroit (flyfromDTT). I can click on the link and search, but it then never finds the low fares it keeps sending me, so it's rather useless.

by Charles on Wednesday, July 14, 2010

@Davidsco27, Kayak does indeed allow you to SEARCH for alternate airports and narrow to certain airlines, but we are talking here about the ALERTS they send. As far as we could tell, you cannot ask for alerts only on a specific airline and it will not automatically alert you to alternate routes.

by Airfarewatchdog on Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Set your own life time more simple get the home loans and all you want.

by business loans on Saturday, May 29, 2010

Midway to Sacramento, Ca early A.M. SouthWest

by KyleFan on Sunday, May 09, 2010

Your info is INCORRECT. Kayak DOES provide info on alternate nearby airports, and they do allow you to narrow to certain airlines

by davidsco27 on Monday, May 03, 2010

I appreciate the info on airfarewatchdog and its easy to read format. Now, if you could only make the fares go down.....:)

by retired traveler on Sunday, May 02, 2010

I would like to get an alert site for one-way fares, so that would be a useful column to add to above chart.

by johann on Sunday, April 25, 2010

@Furry, yes, we've received that request many times. Hopefully, a future enhancement.

by George Hobica on Friday, April 23, 2010

I wish airfarewatchdog would allow me to only choose nonstop flights and on airlines of my choosing only. Otherwise, it's perfect.

by Furry_Flyer on Friday, April 23, 2010

Very useful info as always. All these sites have something to offer, although I like the way airfarewatchdog.com displays all the low fares in one glance including nearby airports, although I wish I didn't have to click on further links to see the nearby airport fares.

by Tran on Friday, April 23, 2010

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Chart: How airfare alert sites compare

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Chart: How airfare alert sites compare

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