When not booking with miles (which we never did until recently, silly us!) finding cheap airfare is seriously one of the most gratifying experiences around.  Below are some tools that we use to help us get there, and trust us, the extra time is worth it.

Keep in mind, once we find the airfare, if we’re member of their frequent flyer program, we always book directly through the airline’s website.  Or at least that’s just us.

The Matrix – Nope, not about the red pill / blue pill but if your travel is flexible will show you the cheapest flights around for your destination.  It’s pretty much the best tool out there.

Airfare Watchdog – Follow these guys on twitter too as they post crazy flight deals that they find throughout the day.

Kayak – beloved Kayak.  Still our first go-to for a quick browse on what to expect.

Flight Fox – Never used it but it’s a pay for service to take the legwork out of the above.  Would love to know your thoughts if you’ve used it!

And finally, a really great article on how to get the cheapest airfare possible or “hacker” fare.

Happy flying.