FlightFox – Let Experts Compete For Your Flight

Why spend the time and energy necessary to find the cheapest fare on your next international flight, when FlightFox has travel professionals ready to do the work for you? FlightFox’s “experts” search through published and unpublished fares for all airlines and route combinations, working to find users the most direct flight options at the lowest prices. These same experts can offer advice on seat choices, visa requirements, and trip planning, as well.

When you’ve exhausted your resources and grown tired of searching for the cheapest flight fare on sites like Kayak and Expedia, head to FlightFox and launch a “flight contest.” Enter the details of your trip (like where you’re going to and from, your travel dates, and flexibility options) along with your preferences in terms of layovers, specific airlines, and number of carry on bags. Most importantly, tell FlightFox what’s most important when searching for your ideal flight. Do you want the cheapest flight, regardless of convenience? The most convenient flight, with the fewest layovers? How about the chance to fly in style, in exchange for a higher price tag? The results that FlightFox’s experts uncover will depend largely on the preferences you put in.

In exchange for finding you the ideal flight, FlightFox charges a finder’s fee. The platform requires that you select the finder’s fee (which is variable, depending on the number of experts you’d like to compete), along with the number of days its experts have to find you the best flight. Once you’ve entered your credit card information to secure the payment, FlightFox will launch your contest and the platform’s experts will get to work finding your dream flight. Although you’re under no obligation to purchase a ticket, the platform “guarantees” that its experts will uncover the lowest prices available on any given flight.

Practical Uses:

• Get help creating a complicated flight itinerary for your trip to Europe
• Save money when planning a trip to Hawaii
• Find flights and route options that aren’t published on traditional booking sites
• Make sure your clients are comfortable on the flights you’ve booked

Insider Tips:

• Finder’s fees increase based on the complexity of the itinerary
• Finder’s fees are refundable if you provide proof of a lower price
• Users can select how many days the experts have to find the best fares
• FlightFox’s experts are freelancers with an interest in travel

What we liked:

• People flying with pets or small children can use the service to make sure they won’t have any unanticipated hiccups on their trips
• FlightFox’s experts search for transportation options via private jet, as well as legacy airlines and low-cost carriers
• Experts can find fares that haven’t been published on consumer travel websites
• FlightFox’s experts can provide advice on seat selection and visa requirements

What we didn’t like:

• Users pay a finder’s fee even if they don’t end up booking one of the flights an expert has selected

Alternatives:

• Hipmunk – https://www.hipmunk.com
• Routehappy – https://www.routehappy.com

Company Info:

• Launched: 2012
• Privately Held
• Headquarters: Mountain View, California
• Founded by: Lauren McLeod and Todd Sullivan
• Web site: https://flightfox.com

Costs:

• Finder’s fees start at $24 for a one-way flight