Flights · Updated July 2026
Aviasales Review: The Flight Search Engine We Use for Every Price on This Site
Our editorial rating
Aviasales is the flight metasearch engine behind every live price you see on Total Trip Cost. It compares fares from more than 700 airlines and dozens of online ticket agencies, then hands you off to whichever seller has the cheapest ticket for your dates.
We have run thousands of route queries through its data API while building this site, which gives us an unusual amount of insight into how accurate its prices really are.
thumb_up What we like
- check_circleNo booking fees or markups, ever
- check_circleFinds regional agency fares other engines miss
- check_circleExcellent cheapest-month calendar view
- check_circleReliable price alerts in the app
thumb_down What could be better
- remove_circle_outlineSome listed agencies have stricter refund terms than airlines
- remove_circle_outlineSupport for a booking problem sits with the agency, not Aviasales
How Aviasales works
Type in your route and dates and Aviasales polls airlines and agencies in parallel, usually returning a full results page in a few seconds. You never pay Aviasales itself. It is a comparison layer, so the price you click is the price the airline or agency charges. There is no booking fee and no markup on top.
The search covers the useful extras that separate a good metasearch from a basic one: flexible date matrices, nearby airport suggestions, price alerts, and a calendar view that shows the cheapest day in each month. The calendar view is the single feature we recommend the most. Shifting a departure by two or three days routinely saves 20 to 40 percent on European routes.
Price accuracy
In our own testing across dozens of routes, the fare shown on Aviasales matched the final checkout price at the agency in the vast majority of cases. When there was a difference it was usually a baggage or payment-method surcharge added by a third-party agency, not by Aviasales.
Our advice is the same for every metasearch: when a fare from an unfamiliar agency is only a few dollars cheaper than booking directly with the airline, book direct. When the gap is large, the agency fare is usually genuine, but read the fare rules before paying.
Where it beats Google Flights and Skyscanner
Aviasales indexes a deep pool of online travel agencies, including regional ones that Google Flights simply does not list. On Eastern European, Central Asian and intra-Asian routes this frequently surfaces fares 10 to 25 percent below what the big Western engines show.
The mobile app is also genuinely good: fast, uncluttered, and price alerts actually fire when fares drop rather than hours later.
verifiedOur verdict
Aviasales is our default flight search and the data source for this whole site. Use the calendar view, compare the top agency fare against the airline direct price, and you will rarely overpay for a ticket again.
Try Aviasalesopen_in_newAviasales: Frequently Asked Questions
Is Aviasales legit and safe to book through?expand_more
Yes. Aviasales is a metasearch engine, so your actual purchase happens with an airline or a licensed ticket agency. It has operated since 2007 and handles millions of searches a day.
Does Aviasales charge booking fees?expand_more
No. Aviasales earns a commission from the airline or agency you book with. The price you see is the price you pay, with no added fee.
Why do prices sometimes change at checkout?expand_more
Fares are cached for short periods. On volatile routes a fare can move between the search result and checkout. If the new price is worse, go back and pick the next seller in the list.
Disclosure: if you book through links on this page we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Ratings and opinions are our own and are not influenced by partners.