Headed to Orlando soon but want to snag a great deal on your flights? As someone who flies to Disney several times a year, here are my tips to find cheap flights. 

Going to Disney is quite an expense. From your hotel, park tickets, and dining, all of these items can add up quite quickly. As someone who flies to Disney several times a year, it’s important to me to save money on flights since I am visiting so frequently. 

No matter which airline you prefer or airport, there are some easy ways that I try to save money (and some sanity) along the way. Here’s hoping the tips that help me get some great deals on flights help you too! 

Where to Start for Cheap Flights to Disney

You’ve booked your Disney trip and you are ready to solidify your flight information… what next? I would say the starting place would be to decide the dates and times you would like to arrive and depart Orlando International Airport. Keep in mind that you might need to be flexible with these times, as some airlines to and from specific airports only operate a few flights daily. I typically fly out of and into a major airport in the NYC area, which offers an array of flight options. 

Cheap Flights to Disney: Tips for Finding Them

Once you’ve selected your preferred flight times and airlines, you’ll need to take action with that information. That’s where our tips come in- some ways to save a bit of (or a lot) of money on your flights. 

Wait for a Certain Time Frame

One thing people often think isn’t entirely accurate is booking your flight super far in advance of your arrival. While that could be good if you are eager to book the flight, sometimes it’s more expensive.

One thing I typically like to do is to wait until closer to your arrival at Disney. I’ve booked flights less than a month in advance and saved some serious cash. While this might not work for everyone, it can sometimes save you money. And if you do book ahead of time, consider looking for upgrades the closer you get to your departure. 

Tuesdays and Thursdays are Your Friends 

You’ve probably heard that Tuesdays are typically a good day to book airfare. And it’s true! Tuesdays are typically a good day for flights as they are usually cheaper, but so are Thursdays — Thursday Nights in particular.

At MCO, traveling to Disney World! Photo by Allyson Koerner

On a few occasions, I’ve found airfare on Thursday nights and it’s significantly cheaper than even a Tuesday. These days are good to check and set a baseline if you are getting ready to book. 

Consider Different Airlines

This might sound silly, but consider looking at more than one airline. We all have an airline we frequently fly with and earn miles for. Whether it’s United, JetBlue, or American, they all have options we typically only consider. But, think about checking out other airlines. While I typically fly United to Orlando, I’ve found JetBlue and even Spirit to be cheaper options with the same amenities. Again, it’s not always a surefire thing but it’s worth a try to save some money. And just think, it’s spending money on Disney! 

My Secret Weapon: Google Flight Alerts

I’m revealing my favorite and secret weapon when it comes to booking flights… using Google Flight Alerts! If you’ve never used Google Flight Alerts before, it is a game-changer! Google Flight Alerts allows you to input flight info that you are interested in and save it. Then, Google will send you notifications as the prices change for those flights. You can get as specific as certain flights or super generic notifications such as just a route from airport A to airport B on a certain date. 

Using Google Flight Alerts allows you to keep track of prices and even shows you flight trends and when flights are typically cheaper for you to book. I typically like to set this up as soon as I know I have a trip booked and track it over a little bit of time. You’ll need a Google account and will receive emails to the account with the price changes. 

Things to Remember When Flying to Orlando

As with anything else, there are a few things you should remember when flying to Orlando. First, make sure you know which airport you are flying into. Orlando Sanford might show up as being cheaper, but it’s a further distance to Disney than MCO. 

Another thing to keep in mind is that Orlando International Airport has most of the major airlines that fly into and out of it. That means you’ll have many options here, but you might need to go to another airport in your home city to get a cheaper deal. For example, the NYC area has three airports, LaGuardia, JFK, and Newark. One of these other options might have cheaper deals than the other and both still allow you to arrive in Orlando at the same time.