A positioning flight gets you to a different departure city where the main flight is much cheaper. Example: a cheap low-cost flight to London, then a long-haul fare from London that's hundreds less than from your home airport.
When it works
- Big hubs with lots of competition (London, Paris, Amsterdam, Istanbul, Dubai, New York, Los Angeles) often have far lower long-haul fares than smaller cities.
- When a hub is having a sale that your home airport isn't.
Do it safely
- Position the day before, not the same day, because the tickets are separate.
- Add the hotel night and transfers to your comparison.
- Count bag fees on the low-cost leg.
Our "Cheap flights from" pages show every nonstop destination from each hub, which helps you spot where to position.