44 Flight Booking Myths That Are Actually Wasting You Money

Myth 23: Using a VPN Always Lowers Flight Prices

There’s a popular rumor that using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) to change your online location can unlock cheaper fares. While this sometimes works in rare cases, it’s far from a guaranteed travel hack. The idea behind this myth is that airlines and booking sites offer different prices to people in different countries, and if you appear to be booking from a low-income country, you might see cheaper fares. While airlines do sometimes adjust fares by region, the vast majority of pricing is based on real-time demand, inventory, and booking history—not your physical location. Instead of relying on a VPN, use smarter flight tracking strategies: set fare alerts on Google Flights, Skyscanner, or Kayak; use incognito mode to avoid cached pricing changes; compare prices in different currencies, which sometimes makes a bigger difference than changing locations.