Cold Have You Dreaming Of Vacation? This Cheap Flight Hack Will Get You There

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The drop in temperatures can make a trip to warmer weather sound appealing, and a local travel expert explained how it doesn't have to cost a lot of money.

One of Jared Kamrowski's main resources in finding flights on the cheap is Google Flights. For the past six years, his website, Twin Cities-based ThriftyTraveler.com, has alerted its followers to unadvertised flash sales, often marked down 25-50 percent of a standard fare.

"Flying out of Minneapolis domestically, our cutoff price is everything sub $200," said Kamrowski. "Internationally, typically if you're going to Europe, sub $600."

Sometimes, the deals are even deeper.

"We had a $299 round trip Amsterdam [flight] two weeks ago," said Kamrowski.

Those prices come with one catch: Travelers should either be flexible with when or where they fly, or they need to plan several months in advance.

He said they are each with legacy carriers, without extra carry-on or seat assignment fees that tend to drastically change the overall price.

Kamrowski suggests people who have a specific date and location in mind to sign up for Google Flight alerts. Search the specifics of a requested flight, then toggle the "Track prices" feature on to get daily emails whenever the cost changes.

"And if you're willing to go anywhere, bring up the Google Flights explore feature," said Kamrowski. "I bring up the whole map of Europe and it'll show you the cheapest flights from Minneapolis to Europe, all of Europe, throughout the next six months."

Google Flights lets users select which airlines it prefers. Discount carriers, while often rated lower because of the added fees, are often the most affordable option for travelers who don't mind where they sit and can pack light.