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Travel Hacks 2025: Using AI to Predict the Best Time to Buy Flights

Artificial intelligence can be a huge help when it comes to buying your ticket and making your travel dreams come true.

See how AI technology helps you save on flights!

Traveling on a budget has always been an art, but in 2025, that art has gained a powerful new ally: artificial intelligence.

See how to use this technology. Photo by Freepik.

In the past, finding the best flight deal required patience, dozens of browser tabs, and a bit of luck. But that’s all changed.

The end of guesswork

For decades, airfare pricing was a true mystery. Sometimes, the same flight would go up or down by hundreds of dollars from one day to the next, with no obvious reason.

Airlines use complex algorithms to adjust prices in real time based on demand, competition, dates, events—even weather conditions.

Many people try to give tips based on assumptions or personal experience, but with limited accuracy.

In 2025, the game has changed. AI-powered tools like Google Flights, Hopper, Skyscanner, and Kayak now use machine learning to analyze billions of historical data points and predict—with remarkable accuracy—when flight prices will rise or fall.

No more guessing. Now you have data-driven science helping you make smarter choices.

How does it work?

The idea is simple: these algorithms analyze past trends, buying behavior, holiday calendars, flight occupancy, demand alerts, and many other factors to predict whether a ticket is a good deal or if it’s better to wait a few days.

Even better, AI learns from your behavior: your preferred destinations, budget, and travel frequency. The more you use it, the more personalized the predictions become.

Smart alerts

One of the biggest benefits of AI for travelers is automated alerts. You enter your desired route and dates, and the platform monitors prices in real time.

In some apps, you can even set budget-based alerts. For instance, if you want to fly to California for under $250, the tool will notify you when that option becomes available—even if it involves flying out of a nearby airport.

The art of flexibility

Another major advantage of AI prediction tools is their ability to suggest alternate dates with much lower prices.

Many travelers stick to specific dates due to commitments, but if you can be flexible, you can save significantly.

Flying on a Tuesday instead of a Friday, for instance, can cut your cost by up to 40%. Apps like Google Flights display price graphs by day of the week and highlight the best combinations.

And here’s the real magic: AI can cross-check flexible dates with holidays, events, and travel trends to suggest the best times to fly out and return—always maximizing your savings.

AI + miles = a powerful duo

If you’re part of a frequent flyer or rewards program (like Delta SkyMiles, United MileagePlus, or American AAdvantage), AI can also help you make the most of your miles.

Some platforms already integrate this data and tell you when it’s better to use miles instead of cash—and vice versa.

This way, you don’t waste miles on cheap flights and save them for high-demand routes where tickets are expensive.

Pay attention to alternate airports

Another 2025 hack that AI masters is identifying flights that depart from or arrive at alternate airports.
In many cases, flying out of a smaller airport just an hour away can slash ticket prices by 30% or more.

Platforms like Skyscanner and Kayak automatically compare all nearby airports, and the AI suggests routes you might not have even considered.

This is especially useful in areas like the Bay Area (with San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose) or New York (with JFK, Newark, and LaGuardia).

Beware of “cheap but costly” deals

Despite all these advantages, it’s important to remember that the lowest price isn’t always the best choice.

Flights with multiple layovers, terrible flight times, or low-rated airlines can lead to frustration.

Fortunately, AI helps here too: many apps now indicate a “quality rating” for each flight, based on user reviews, airline punctuality, and even cancellation risk.

The future is now

AI is no longer science fiction: it’s in your pocket, ready to help you travel more, travel better, and spend less.

With a bit of planning and the right tools, 2025 could be the year you finally visit that dream destination you once thought was too expensive.

Gabriel Gonçalves
Written by

Gabriel Gonçalves