International Travel Hacks: Save Big on Flights to Paris

Be Flexible with Your Travel Dates

One of the first things I learned when searching for affordable flights to Paris is that timing is everything. I used to think weekends were the best time to travel—more convenient, right? But I quickly found out that flying mid-week, like on a Tuesday or Wednesday, can save you a ton. Airlines often lower prices on these days because fewer people are flying, and I saved almost $150 on my round-trip ticket just by shifting my departure from a Saturday to a Wednesday. If you can be flexible with your schedule, mid-week flights are a game-changer for finding cheap airfare to Paris.

Another tip that worked wonders for me was embracing off-season Paris travel. I initially planned my trip for summer, thinking the sunny weather would be perfect for exploring. But the flight prices were sky-high—over $900 for a round trip from New York! After some research on Cheap Deals Fare, I learned that late fall (November) and early spring (March to early April) are the cheapest months to fly to Paris. I ended up booking for early March, and my ticket dropped to $550—a huge savings! Not only did I save money, but Paris was less crowded, and I got to enjoy crisp weather and blooming gardens without the summer tourist rush. Based on fare trends I found on Cheap Deals Fare, January and February are also great months for Paris flight deals, with prices often dipping as low as $500 round-trip from major U.S. cities.

Use Points and Miles to Fly for Free or Cheap

I’ve always heard about people flying for free using points, but I never thought it was something I could do—until I tried it for my Paris trip. One of the best ways to save on Paris flights with points and miles is by signing up for a travel credit card. I got the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, which gave me a 60,000-point sign-up bonus after spending $4,000 in the first three months. That was enough to cover most of my flight to Paris! Cards like Capital One Venture also offer great bonuses—50,000 miles after spending $3,000 in three months—which can get you a good chunk of the way there.

Another strategy I used was leveraging airline loyalty programs. I signed up for Delta’s SkyMiles program because they have a strong presence on Paris routes. By transferring some of my Chase points to Delta and booking during a sale, I managed to get a one-way flight for just 30,000 miles plus $50 in taxes. The return flight was a steal at $200, thanks to a deal I found on Cheap Deals Fare. I was inspired by stories on travel blogs like Families Travel Free, where families have flown to Paris using points—like one family who used 26,000 Aer Lingus points per person to get to Europe. It made me realize that travel rewards for Paris flights are totally within reach, even for someone like me who’s new to the points game. If you start collecting points now, you could be sipping wine in Paris for almost nothing!

Use Flight Comparison Tools and Alerts

I’m a bit of a planner, so I wanted to make sure I was getting the best possible deal on my flight. That’s when I discovered the power of flight comparison tools for Paris. I started by setting up alerts on Google Flights and Skyscanner, which let me track prices for my route (New York to Paris) over a few months. Every time the price dropped, I got an email, which helped me spot trends—like prices dipping mid-week or during off-season months. But the real game-changer was using Cheap Deals Fare flight alerts. I set up an alert for Paris flights on their site, and within a week, I got a notification about a $520 round-trip deal with Air France—way cheaper than the $800 I’d been seeing!

I also used an app called Hopper to predict price drops. Hopper analyzes historical data to tell you whether prices are likely to go up or down, and it recommended I book about 60 days before my trip. I waited until exactly 62 days out, and sure enough, the price dropped to $510. From my research, booking 60 to 90 days before departure is the best time to book flights to Paris for the lowest fares. Tools like these take the guesswork out of finding cheap airfare to Paris, and Cheap Deals Fare made it so easy to snag the best deal at the right time.

Consider Alternate Airports and Routes

Looking outside of Paris's major airports was one hack that shocked me with how much I was able to save. Charles de Gaulle (CDG), Orly (ORY), and Beauvais (BVA) are the three main airports in Paris; nevertheless, flights into CDG can be expensive, particularly during the busiest times of the year. I discovered a whole new world of savings when I began looking into other airports for flights to Paris. I discovered that a $400 airfare from New York to Brussels was $150 less expensive than a direct ticket to Paris. I paid only $30 for a high-speed rail ticket from Brussels to Paris, which got me there in less than two hours. The entire price was $430, which is significantly cheaper than the $600 I would have spent on a direct ticket!

I have thought about flying into London and traveling to Paris on an inexpensive rail, such as the Eurostar. With flights to London starting at $380 and a rail ticket of about $50, my total came to $430 once more. I also researched stopover or multi-city flights; for instance, I discovered a Cheap Deals Fare offer that would allow me to fly from New York to Dublin and from Dublin to Paris for a total of $450. Before leaving for Paris, I had the opportunity to explore for a few hours during my enjoyable layover in Dublin.

Lastly, if you're flexible, I found inexpensive flights to Paris, which could be a lifesaver. With one-way tickets frequently starting at $300, airlines like French Bee and Vueling provide reasonably priced flights to Paris from places like New York and Los Angeles. For example, I nearly booked a $320 flight from Newark to Paris with French Bee. You may have to pay a bit extra for transportation into downtown Paris because these airlines frequently fly into Orly or Beauvais, but the savings are worthwhile. Finding these low-cost flight offers is easy with Fare; simply set an alert to get notified when costs decrease.

Book at the Right Time

Timing your booking is just as crucial as finding the proper vacation dates. I found that the ideal days and times of the week to book flights to Paris are mid-week, namely Tuesday or Wednesday evenings. The finest deals appeared on a Tuesday night at approximately 8 PM, as I had predicted when I placed an alert on Cheap Deals Fare. When I checked the same flight the next day, the price had increased to $580 from the $510 round-trip ticket I had purchased that evening. Compared to reserving on weekends, when demand is higher, you can save up to 20% by making your reservation during the week.

You’ll also want to avoid holiday weekends and major events in Paris, like Fashion Week (late September) or Christmas markets (December), when flight prices soar. I made the mistake of looking at flights during the Christmas season, and prices were over $1,000 round-trip! Instead, I found that specific deal seasons, like January sales, are perfect for scoring Paris flight deals. Airlines often slash prices after the holiday rush to fill seats, and I saw round-trips as low as $480 in early January on Cheap Deals Fare. Timing your booking strategically can make a huge difference in finding cheap airfare to Paris.

Maximize Travel Deals and Flight Sales

I’m a big fan of being proactive when it comes to finding deals, and one of the best ways to do that is by signing up for deal newsletters. I subscribed to Cheap Deals Fare’s newsletter, as well as Scott’s Cheap Flights, and it was like having a personal deal hunter in my inbox. Cheap Deals Fare sent me weekly emails with best flight deals to Paris with Cheap Deals Fare, including a flash sale for $490 round-trips from Chicago to Paris. Scott’s Cheap Flights also alerted me to a limited-time promo with Delta for $520 flights from Atlanta.

Flash sales and limited-time promos are another way to save big, but you have to act fast. I learned to keep my credit card handy and check my email daily so I wouldn’t miss out. For example, Cheap Deals Fare emailed me about a 24-hour sale with Air France, and I booked my flight within an hour of getting the alert. By the next day, the price had gone up to $600! My tip for booking fast before prices rise is to set up notifications on your phone for Cheap Deals Fare flight alerts and have your travel dates ready to go. That way, you can jump on a deal the moment it drops.

Travel Light and Save on Fees

I didn't think my airfare would be impacted by luggage fees, but they can add up quickly! To cut down on luggage costs for Paris, I chose airlines that offer free carry-ons, such as French Bee and Delta (for international flights). I also made it a point to pack as little as possible; I was able to save $60 on round-trip checked baggage fees by using a carry-on suitcase and an underseat backpack. By using packing cubes and rolling my clothes, I was able to fit everything I needed into a smaller space, so I didn't have to check a bag.

Before leaving for the airport, I also made careful to weigh my carry-on. Since most planes have a 15–22 pound carry-on weight limit, I packed clothes that I could wear anywhere, such a jacket. It was really easy to pass through the airport and make your cheap airline to Paris genuinely reasonable by traveling light to avoid additional fees.

Conclusion

Planning my trip to Paris taught me that finding cheap airfare to Paris doesn’t have to be a daunting task—with the right international travel hacks, you can save hundreds and make your dream trip a reality. By being flexible with your dates, using travel rewards for Paris flights, leveraging flight comparison tools for Paris, exploring alternate airports for Paris flights, booking at the right time, maximizing deals, and traveling light, I managed to cut my flight costs from $900 to $510. The best part? I combined multiple hacks—like booking mid-week in the off-season and using points—to maximize my savings.

I couldn’t have done it without Cheap Deals Fare, which became my go-to for finding Paris flight deals and setting up Cheap Deals Fare flight alerts. Their platform made it so easy to track prices and snag the best fares, and I’m already using it to plan my next adventure. Ready to make your Paris dream a reality? Start planning your dream trip to Paris today with Cheap Deals Fare! You’ll be sipping champagne under the Eiffel Tower before you know it—without breaking the bank.