How to spot a good fare
 

Hi there,

I've always been into flying and traveling, but being student (COVID too) has limited my traveling abilities.
Anyhow, from this summer I will be doing a lot more travelling and am having a hard time telling when a fare is a good deal or not.
Comparing it with the average price for the past x months/year doesn't seem a smart idea due to how pricing has been due to covid and countries are opening up now.

So, how would you guys, in the current climate say by looking at a ''deal'' if it's really a good one? I am London based if this would help anyone.

Also, would like to thank anyone who responds and apologise if this is the wrong forum.

This question is way too vague to answer because it's way too subjective. Ultimately the only person who it matters to if it's a "good deal" is you because what may be a good deal to you may not be a good deal to someone else.

After all, $500 for a round trip between North America and the UK? For many, a good deal. For others, it may not be a "good deal" because no matter how good the deal, they won't do an international flight in economy. The route matters too. $500 may be a great deal between the UK and North America but would be a terrible deal between say Seattle, Washington and Los Angeles, California, a route I've paid just over $100 round-trip for before. Conversely, $500 may be a good deal in US domestic market with little competition otherwise. Time of year matters too. $500 may not have been a great deal for a random week trip between Seattle, Washington and Detroit, Michigan (a route I flew frequently to visit family) but $500 over Christmas would have been a "good deal" because fares around Christmas sometimes went for $600--$700+ even in Economy.

Other factors are the airline. What is included in that "good deal". A "good deal" on Spirit or Ryanair with little more included than a ticket from A to B but then having to pay for anything/everything else is different than a "good deal" on a full-service carrier that comes with some amenities on the flight.

ok i will try this bad fare lax to ord 800 4 hr flight lax to hawaii 195 5 hr flight mid week prices half of weekend buy on tuesday or saturday

A good fare is what you can afford - you can probably find so many deals from stansted. Possibly your best bet is to think of where you want to go. When I was younger, I wanted to go to London a lot in the 90s. If I lived in London, I would actually just explore London from zone 2 to zone 6. I would see zero purpose to travel outside of London if I lived there.