11 Pro Tips for Scoring the Best Holiday Travel Deals to an NFL Playoff City
3. Set Fare Alerts and Monitor Price Drops with Multiple Tools
Multiple monitoring tools catch different deals, so use at least two. Google Flights is great for broad alerts across carriers, while Hopper and airline apps flag flash sales and predictive drops. Configure alerts for your exact route, but also for alternate airports and multi-leg itineraries. Watch alerts closely around early January bracket announcements; airlines sometimes release unsold inventory or brief sale fares in response to sudden demand changes. When setting alerts, include monitoring for one-way combinations and mixed-carrier itineraries; these can be cheaper than round-trip single-carrier fares. Use email and phone notifications to avoid missing short-lived offers. If a price dips to a level you’re comfortable paying, act — and apply any loyalty benefits or credit card protections when you book. Track prices in a simple spreadsheet so you can spot patterns and decide when to buy.
