Introduction
Imagine booking a round-trip flight from New York to Tokyo for $150. Or London to Singapore for £120. Sounds impossible, right? Well, it happens more often than you’d think, and it’s all thanks to something called error fares.
I’m talking about genuine airline pricing mistakes that occasionally slip through the cracks—and when they do, travelers who know where to look can score ridiculously cheap flights to Asia, Europe, or pretty much anywhere in the world. We’re not talking about slightly discounted tickets here. Error fares are the holy grail of budget travel.
But here’s the catch: these deals disappear fast. Like, within hours sometimes. And there’s always a question mark hanging over whether the airline will actually honor your booking. That’s the gamble.
In this guide, I’ll explain exactly what error fares are, how they happen, where to find them, and most importantly—how to maximize your chances of actually flying on one of these insanely cheap tickets. Because yes, it’s possible to get a $100 flight to Asia if you know what you’re doing.
Understanding Error Fares: What They Actually Are
Let’s start with the basics. An error fare is essentially a pricing mistake made by an airline, booking agency, or the system that handles their fares. These aren’t intentional sales or promotions—they’re genuine screw-ups that result in tickets being sold for a fraction of their normal price.
How Do Error Fares Happen?
There are several ways these pricing mistakes slip through:
Currency Conversion Errors: This is probably the most common cause. Airlines operate globally, dealing with dozens of currencies. Sometimes the system miscalculates an exchange rate, turning a $1,000 ticket into a $100 one. Whoops.
Missing Decimal Points: Someone at the airline inputs $50000 instead of $500.00. The system reads it as fifty dollars instead of five hundred. Simple human error, massive consequences.
Fuel Surcharge Glitches: Airlines often add fuel surcharges separately from the base fare. Sometimes the system forgets to add them, or adds them incorrectly, resulting in tickets that cost way less than they should.
Tax Calculation Mistakes: Similar to fuel surcharges, tax calculations can go wrong. International flights have complex tax structures, and when the system miscalculates, error fares can emerge.
Third-Party Booking Site Errors: It’s not always the airline’s fault. Sites like Expedia, Kayak, or Skyscanner sometimes display incorrect prices due to data feed issues or their own system glitches.
The thing about error fares is that they’re completely unpredictable. You can’t create them or force them to happen. You can only be ready when they do.
Real Examples: Error Fares That Actually Happened
Let me give you some concrete examples so you understand just how insane these deals can get.
Hong Kong to New York (2019): Cathay Pacific accidentally sold premium economy tickets for around $670 instead of $4,000+. The kicker? They honored every single booking. Travelers got to fly in premium economy across the Pacific for the price of a budget domestic flight.
London to Dubai First Class (2014): British Airways had a pricing glitch that sold first-class tickets to Dubai for £200 instead of £2,000+. Champagne, lie-flat seats, the full luxury experience—for less than an economy ticket normally costs.
Multiple US Cities to Asia (2021): United Airlines had an error fare situation where business class tickets to various Asian destinations were selling for $200-300 instead of several thousand dollars. Some got honored, others didn’t.
Australia to Multiple Destinations (2017): Etihad had a major error fare where first-class tickets from Sydney to places like London and New York were selling for AU$300-500. The usual price? Around AU$10,000. They honored most bookings after initial confusion.
These aren’t urban legends or too-good-to-be-true scams. Error fares genuinely happen, and people really do fly on them. The question is always whether the airline will honor the mistake.
Where to Find Error Fares Before They Disappear
Okay, so error fares exist and they’re amazing. But how do you actually find them? They don’t exactly get advertised.
Error Fare Alert Services
Several websites and social media accounts dedicate themselves entirely to hunting down error fares and alerting travelers fast. Here are the main ones:
Secret Flying: One of the most popular error fare sites. They post deals immediately when they find them, covering flights from multiple countries. Free to use, though they make money through affiliate links.
The Flight Deal: Similar concept—they scan for pricing errors and post them quickly. Their community is pretty active, so you’ll often see people confirming whether deals are still available in the comments.
Jack’s Flight Club: This one offers both free and premium memberships. The premium version (around £40-50/year) gives you earlier access to deals, which matters when error fares disappear within hours.
Airfare Watchdog: More US-focused but catches good error fares. They also highlight general deals alongside mistakes.
Scott’s Cheap Flights (now Going): Similar to Jack’s Flight Club—free version exists, but premium membership gets you faster notifications. Worth it if you’re serious about finding error fares.
Social Media and Forums
Twitter and Reddit are surprisingly good for error fare alerts. Follow accounts like @TheFlightDeal, @SecretFlying, and @JacksFlightClub on Twitter with notifications turned on.
The FlyerTalk forums have dedicated threads for error fares too. The community there is knowledgeable and quick to share when something pops up.
Pro tip: Speed is everything with error fares. Set up notifications on your phone for these services. If you wait even a few hours, the deal might be gone.
How to Actually Book Error Fares Successfully
Finding an error fare is one thing. Actually booking it and having it honored? That’s where strategy comes in.
Act Fast, But Smart
When you spot a potential error fare, you’ve got maybe 2-6 hours before it gets fixed. Airlines have automated systems monitoring for pricing anomalies, and they work fast. Here’s what to do:
Book Immediately: Don’t wait to consult with travel partners, check your schedule, or think it over. If the price seems insane, book first and figure out the details later. You can usually cancel within 24 hours anyway (more on this later).
Use a Credit Card: Never use a debit card for error fares. Credit cards offer better protection if things go wrong, and most importantly—if the airline cancels the booking, getting a refund to a credit card is much faster and safer.
Screenshot Everything: The moment you see the error fare, take screenshots. Capture the price display, the search results, the booking page—everything. If the airline disputes the price later, you’ll have evidence.
Complete the Booking Properly: Don’t rush so fast that you make mistakes. Enter your passport details correctly (you can usually update these later, but don’t complicate things). Use your real information.
Book Separate Tickets for Group Travel: If you’re booking for multiple people, consider separate bookings. Airlines sometimes get suspicious about multiple tickets on the same error fare and might cancel the entire group. Individual bookings might slip through better.
Understanding Ticket Rules and Refunds
Here’s something crucial about error fares—airlines have different policies about honoring them.
US Airlines: In the United States, the Department of Transportation says airlines aren’t required to honor “mistaken fares.” However, many US carriers have chosen to honor error fares for PR reasons. It varies case by case.
European Airlines: EU regulations are stricter. If you’ve received a confirmation and booking reference, airlines generally must honor the ticket. There’s more legal protection here.
Asian Airlines: This is more unpredictable. Some Asian carriers have great track records of honoring error fares (like Cathay Pacific), while others don’t. It’s a gamble.
The 24-Hour Rule: Most airlines offer free cancellation within 24 hours of booking. This means if you snag an error fare and the airline later cancels it, you should get a full refund anyway. The risk is minimal.
Maximizing Your Chances of Error Fare Success
Let me share some insider tips that’ll help you actually fly on these ridiculously cheap tickets.
Flexibility Is Key
Error fares usually have specific date ranges. If you’re rigid about when you can travel, you’ll miss most opportunities. The travelers who benefit most from error fares are those who can be spontaneous with their dates.
Keep a rough list of places you’d love to visit. When an error fare pops up for one of those destinations, you can jump on it immediately instead of deliberating.
Don’t Book Connecting Arrangements Yet
Here’s a mistake I’ve seen people make: They book the error fare, then immediately book a non-refundable hotel or connecting flights. Then the airline cancels the error fare booking, and they’re stuck with non-refundable arrangements.
Wait at least a few days after booking an error fare before making other arrangements. Ideally, wait until closer to departure when you’re confident the ticket will be honored.
Join Frequent Flyer Programs
Even error fare tickets usually earn miles and status credits. Before booking, make sure you’re enrolled in the airline’s frequent flyer program or a partner program. Free miles on a $100 ticket to Asia? Yes, please.
Be Prepared for Cancellation
The reality is that many error fares do get cancelled. Airlines have gotten better at catching them quickly, and not all choose to honor mistakes.
If your booking gets cancelled, you’ll receive a full refund. It’s disappointing, sure, but you haven’t lost anything except the time spent booking. Don’t get too emotionally invested until the error fare has been honored and confirmed.
Some airlines have honored error fares weeks or even months after booking, only to cancel them right before departure. It’s rare, but it happens. Travel insurance won’t cover error fare cancellations typically, since it’s not a covered reason.
The Ethics and Legality of Error Fares
Let’s address the elephant in the room—is booking error fares ethical? Are you somehow cheating the airline?
Honestly, opinions differ on this. Some people feel guilty taking advantage of a company’s mistake. Others argue that airlines make billions in profits and can absorb occasional errors. I’m not here to tell you what to think, but I’ll share some perspectives.
The Legality: Booking an error fare isn’t illegal. You’re not hacking anything or committing fraud. The airline listed a price, you agreed to pay that price, and you completed a transaction. That’s normal commerce.
The Ethics: Airlines make pricing mistakes. But they also engage in complex pricing strategies that often disadvantage consumers—dynamic pricing, hidden fees, last-minute price increases. Many travelers see error fares as the occasional balance in their favor.
The Risk: The airline can choose not to honor the ticket. That’s their right in most cases (except where EU regulations apply). You’re not guaranteed to fly on an error fare, and that’s the trade-off.
My take? If an airline chooses to honor an error fare, enjoy it guilt-free. If they cancel it, accept the refund gracefully. Don’t harass customer service or act entitled—it was always a maybe, not a guarantee.
Frequently Asked Questions About Error Fares
Q: Will airlines honor error fares or cancel them? It depends entirely on the airline and the specific situation. Some airlines (like Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines) have track records of honoring most error fares. Others cancel them quickly. European airlines generally must honor confirmed bookings under EU law, while US airlines have more discretion.
Q: How fast do I need to book an error fare? Extremely fast—usually within 2-6 hours of being posted. Some error fares get fixed within an hour. The moment you see a legitimate error fare alert, you need to book immediately if you’re interested. Waiting even a few hours often means missing out.
Q: Can I get a refund if the airline cancels my error fare booking? Yes, absolutely. If an airline cancels an error fare booking, they must provide a full refund. This is why you should always book error fares on a credit card rather than debit card—refunds are processed faster and you have additional protection.
Q: Are error fares a scam or too good to be true? Error fares are 100% legitimate pricing mistakes. They’re not scams. However, there’s no guarantee the airline will honor the booking. Many people have successfully flown on error fares, but many have also had bookings cancelled. It’s a calculated risk with minimal downside.
Q: How often do error fares happen for flights to Asia? Error fares to Asia happen several times per year, though they’re unpredictable. Major airlines like United, Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, and others have all had notable error fares to Asian destinations. Following error fare alert services ensures you’ll hear about them when they occur.
Conclusion: Your Ticket to Incredible Travel Deals
Error fares represent the ultimate travel hack—genuine opportunities to fly to Asia, Europe, or anywhere else for absurdly low prices. They require speed, flexibility, and a bit of luck, but the payoff can be extraordinary.
The key is preparation. Follow the right alert services, set up notifications, keep your passport details handy, and have a credit card ready. When an error fare appears, you’ll need to act within hours, not days.
Will every error fare booking be honored? No. But even if half get cancelled, the potential rewards make it worthwhile. We’re talking about the chance to visit Tokyo, Bangkok, Singapore, or Hong Kong for less than $200. That’s life-changing for budget travelers and adventure seekers.
Start following error fare services today. Join the communities, learn the patterns, and be ready to pounce when that next incredible deal emerges. Your $100 flight to Asia might be just one alert away.
Remember: book fast, screenshot everything, use a credit card, and don’t make non-refundable arrangements until you’re confident the ticket will be honored. Happy hunting, and may the error fare gods smile upon your travels!
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