How to Find Error Fares and Mistake Fares (Save Up to 90%)

Imagine booking business class to Tokyo for $300. Or flying round-trip to Europe for $200. These aren't scams or too-good-to-be-true offers. They're error fares and mistake fares, and they happen more often than you think.

Error fares are airline pricing mistakes that slip through automated systems. When they do, travelers who spot them fast enough can save 70-90% on flights. I've personally booked $180 round-trip flights to Europe (normally $700+) and $400 business class to Asia (normally $3,000+).

Here's everything you need to know to find and book these incredible deals before they disappear.

Table of Contents

• What Are Error Fares?
• Will Airlines Honor Them?
• How to Find Error Fares
• Booking Strategy
• What If Cancelled?
• FAQ

What Are Error Fares and Mistake Fares?

Error fare: A pricing mistake caused by:

• Currency conversion errors
• Missing fuel surcharges
• Wrong decimal placement ($500.00 published as $50.00)
• Tax calculation errors
• Technical glitches in booking systems

Mistake fare: Broader term that includes:

• Deliberate price tests by airlines
• Fare wars that get out of hand
• Promotional errors (wrong discount applied)
• Route miscalculations

Flash sale vs error fare:

• Flash sales are intentional, last hours/days
• Error fares are accidents, usually fixed within 1-24 hours

Real Examples of Error Fares

Business class to Asia for economy price:

• Los Angeles to Hong Kong, business class: $418 (normally $3,500+)
• Discovered: 2023, lasted 4 hours
• Result: Airline honored all bookings

Transatlantic for under $200:

• New York to Milan round-trip: $130 (normally $600-900)
• Discovered: 2022, lasted 8 hours
• Result: Airline honored

Round-the-world error:

• Multi-city: US → Europe → Asia → US for $400 (normally $3,000+)
• Discovered: 2024, lasted 6 hours
• Result: Mixed (some honored, some refunded)

Free tickets (taxes only):

• London to various European cities: $0 base fare + $30-50 taxes
• Discovered: 2023, lasted 12 hours
• Result: Airline honored after public backlash

Why Do Error Fares Happen?

Modern airline pricing involves:

• Multiple booking systems talking to each other
• Currency conversions across dozens of currencies
• Dynamic pricing algorithms making thousands of adjustments daily
• Manual fare rule entries by humans
• Complex tax calculations varying by route

With this complexity, mistakes are inevitable. Common causes:

1. Currency Conversion Errors

Airline publishes fare in USD but system converts it twice, or uses wrong exchange rate.

Example: $1,000 fare → System converts to EUR → Converts back to USD using wrong rate → Shows as $350

2. Missing Fuel Surcharges

Fuel surcharges ($200-500 on long-haul flights) fail to load in the system.

Result: $900 flight shows as $400

3. Fat Finger Mistakes

Human types $400 instead of $4,000, or $50.00 instead of $500.00.

4. Fare Class Confusion

Business class fare publishes in economy booking class by mistake.

5. Route Calculation Errors

System calculates price for LAX-HKG but accidentally applies price for shorter LAX-SFO route.

6. Tax Miscalculations

System forgets to add airport taxes, government fees, or carrier surcharges.

7. Routing Loopholes

Booking two one-ways or adding a stopover triggers pricing error that makes the fare cheaper.

Will Airlines Honor Error Fares?

Short answer: Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Depends on:

Factors That Increase Honor Rate:

1. Jurisdiction:

   • US Department of Transportation (DOT): Strongly encourages airlines to honor error fares
   • EU regulations: Generally favor consumers
   • Other regions: More hit-or-miss

2. Publicity:

   • If error goes viral on social media, airlines often honor to avoid PR disaster
   • Small, quiet errors more likely to get cancelled

3. Ticket issued:

   • If actual ticket number issued (not just confirmation), much harder for airline to cancel
   • Some airlines honor only after tickets issued

4. Airline policy:

   • Some airlines (Emirates, Cathay Pacific) have track record of honoring
   • Budget airlines often more willing to cancel

5. Size of error:

   • $200 instead of $300 → Likely honored
   • $200 instead of $3,000 → More likely cancelled
   • But there are exceptions both ways

Factors That Decrease Honor Rate:

1. Clearly "too good to be true": Business class round-the-world for $50
2. Outside US/EU: Less consumer protection
3. Error discovered quickly: Airline cancels before many people book
4. Booking via third-party: OTAs can make it easier for airlines to cancel

Historical Honor Rates

Based on documented error fares 2020-2025:

• ~60-70% of error fares honored
• ~80% honored in US/EU
• ~40% honored outside US/EU
• Nearly 100% honored if tickets already issued

Notable honors:

• United: $0 base fare to Hawaii (2022) - Honored
• British Airways: First class to Dubai for economy price (2023) - Honored
• Singapore Airlines: Business class to multiple cities 80% off (2024) - Honored

Notable cancellations:

• Air India: Business class US-India for $400 (2021) - Cancelled
• Qantas: Sydney-US first class for $2,000 (2023) - Cancelled and offered 30% discount
• Several Chinese airlines: Various errors typically cancelled

How to Find Error Fares

Method 1: Deal Alert Services (Easiest)

Paid services ($40-100/year):

1. Scott's Cheap Flights (Going)

   • Best for: US departures
   • Speed: Usually finds deals within 1-3 hours
   • Worth it: Yes, easily pays for itself with one deal

2. Secret Flying

   • Free version available
   • Best for: European departures
   • Speed: Very fast (30-60 minutes)

3. The Flight Deal

   • Free and premium tiers
   • Best for: US departures, comprehensive coverage
   • Speed: 1-3 hours

4. Jack's Flight Club

   • Best for: UK/EU departures
   • Speed: Fast
   • Worth it: Yes if based in Europe

Free services:

1. Paglipat Blog

   • Posts error fares and deals
   • Set email alerts

2. Holiday Pirates

   • Free alerts
   • European focus

3. Flyertalk Forums

   • Community-sourced
   • "Mileage Run Deals" section often has error fares
   • Slowest but free

Method 2: Social Media Monitoring

Follow these accounts for instant notifications:

Twitter/X:

• @TheFlightDeal
• @SecretFlying
• @AirfareWatchdog
• @TravelPirates

Reddit:

• r/flights
• r/TravelHacking
• Sort by "New" and check multiple times daily

Telegram/Discord:

• Many deal hunting communities
• Often faster than Twitter

Method 3: Manual Hunting (Advanced)

For the dedicated:

1. Check airline websites directly

   • Look for obviously wrong prices
   • Focus on complex routes (multi-city, positioning flights)
   • Check during off-hours (midnight-5am local time)

2. Use Paglipat Flight Search

   • Run broad searches (whole month view)
   • Look for prices dramatically lower than surrounding dates
   • Check multiple search engines simultaneously

3. Monitor ITA Matrix

   • Advanced flight search engine
   • Shows routing details that reveal errors
   • Can find complex fare loopholes

4. Check OTA websites

   • Sometimes error fares show on Expedia, Kayak, etc. but not airline site
   • Or vice versa

Method 4: Price Alerts on Steroids

Set aggressive price alerts:

• Use Paglipat, Google Flights, Hopper
• Set alerts for routes you'd love to take
• Set threshold very low (50% below normal)
• Check immediately when alert fires

How to Book Error Fares (Step-by-Step)

When you find an error fare, speed is critical. Here's the optimal process:

Step 1: Verify It's Real (60 seconds)

1. Check multiple search engines (Paglipat, Google Flights, airline direct)
2. Compare to historical prices (is it 40%+ cheaper?)
3. Check date restrictions
4. Read fare rules

Red flags it might not be honored:

• "Fare not available" errors when trying to book
• Price dramatically different on airline site vs OTA
• Only shows up in one obscure search tool

Step 2: Book Immediately (5-10 minutes)

Critical rules:

1. Book first, ask questions later

   • Don't spend an hour researching
   • Don't wait to ask friends
   • Don't deliberate

2. Use a credit card (not debit)

   • Easier to dispute if cancelled
   • Some cards offer travel insurance
   • Many cards have price protection

3. Book directly with airline if possible

   • Higher honor rate
   • Easier to manage if issues arise
   • Can sometimes issue ticket faster

4. Complete booking in one session

   • Don't save in cart and come back
   • Error fares often fixed within hours

5. Screenshot everything

   • Confirmation page
   • Fare rules
   • Final price
   • Booking confirmation email

Step 3: Get Ticket Issued (24-72 hours)

Confirmation ≠ Ticket

• Confirmation code is just a reservation
• Ticket number (usually 13 digits) is the actual contract
• Airlines can cancel confirmations easier than issued tickets

To speed up ticketing:

1. Call airline and ask them to issue ticket immediately
2. Some airlines issue instantly, others take 24-72 hours
3. Check "My Trips" section of airline website for ticket number
4. Once you have ticket number, breathe easier

Step 4: Stay Quiet (Important)

Don't:

• Post about it on your social media
• Tell airline chat support "I got a great error fare!"
• Brag publicly until after you've traveled

Why: The more attention an error fare gets, the more likely:

• Airline notices and fixes it faster
• Airline cancels bookings to avoid PR nightmare
• You draw attention to your specific booking

Do:

• Share in private deal communities after booking
• Help others book quietly
• Post publicly only after traveling (or if airline already cancelled)

Step 5: Monitor Your Booking (Days-Weeks)

If airline honors:

• You'll receive ticket number
• No further communication
• Check-in opens normally

If airline cancels:

• Usually within 24-72 hours (sometimes weeks later)
• You'll receive cancellation email
• Full refund (sometimes airline offers discount/voucher)

If in limbo:

• Call and politely confirm booking
• Don't mention "error" or "mistake"
• Just verify dates, times, confirmation

What to Do If Your Error Fare Gets Cancelled

Step 1: Accept the refund

• You'll get full refund (required by law in most places)
• Don't argue immediately

Step 2: Check for compensation

• Some airlines offer:
  • Discount codes (10-50% off)
  • Vouchers
  • Complimentary miles
• Politely ask if any goodwill gesture available

Step 3: Know your rights

In the US:

• DOT says airlines should honor error fares
• But it's not strictly enforceable
• File DOT complaint if you want (rarely works)

In EU:

• Stronger consumer protections
• If ticket issued, much harder to cancel
• Can file complaint with national aviation authority

In other regions:

• Varies widely
• Generally favor airlines over consumers

Step 4: Move on

• Don't take it personally
• There will be other error fares
• At least you tried

Error Fare Booking Strategy

Risk Management

Conservative approach:

• Only book if you'd take trip at normal price (just sooner because of deal)
• Don't book non-refundable hotels/cars until ticket issued
• Choose destinations you're flexible about

Aggressive approach:

• Book error fare for dream destination
• Book all trip components immediately
• Accept risk of cancellations

Recommended middle ground:

• Book error fare immediately
• Wait 72 hours to see if ticket issues
• Then book hotels/activities

Multiple Bookings

Can you book multiple tickets on same error fare?

Yes, BUT:

• Increases chance airline notices
• Some airlines limit bookings per person
• Use different confirmation codes/transactions
• Book for friends/family legitimately

Don't:

• Book 10 tickets intending to resell (illegal)
• Use fake names
• Book beyond what you'd actually use

Advanced Error Fare Tactics

1. Positioning Flights

Sometimes error fare leaves from different city. Is it worth positioning?

Example:

• You're in Seattle
• Error fare: NYC to Tokyo for $300 (normally $1,000)
• Seattle to NYC positioning: $150

Total: $450 vs $1,000 - Save $550. Worth it!

Calculator: Normal fare - (Error fare + Positioning cost + Hassle factor) = Real savings

2. Long Connection Hacks

Some error fares involve absurdly long connections. Worth it?

Example:

• NYC to Bangkok: $250 with 18-hour London layover
• Direct NYC to Bangkok: $900

Decision factors:

• Can you handle 18-hour layover?
• Do you want to briefly visit London?
• How much do you value time vs money?

Tip: Long layovers can become free stopovers. Explore the connecting city!

3. Error Fare Insurance

Travel insurance won't cover:

• "I booked an error fare and airline cancelled"

But consider insurance for:

• Trip cancellation for other reasons
• Medical emergencies
• Flight delays

Use credit cards with trip insurance:

• Chase Sapphire Reserve
• Amex Platinum
• Capital One Venture X

4. Throwaway Ticketing (Risky)

What it is: Booking A→B→C but only flying A→B because it's cheaper than booking A→B directly.

Example:

• NYC to London: $800
• NYC to London to Paris: $300 (error fare)
• You skip London-Paris leg

Why it's risky with error fares:

• If airline cancels entire booking, you lose both flights
• Airline might ban you for fare abuse
• Only works with one-ways (not round-trips)

Verdict: Not recommended for error fares specifically.

Error Fare Myths Debunked

Myth 1: "Incognito mode prevents airlines from seeing you found the deal" Reality: Airlines track by route and booking volume, not individual browsers.

Myth 2: "Booking at 3am increases chances it's honored" Reality: Timing of your booking doesn't matter. When error was created matters.

Myth 3: "Airlines always honor if they issue ticket" Reality: Usually true but not guaranteed (though very rare to cancel after ticketing).

Myth 4: "You can sue airline if they cancel" Reality: Terms of service usually protect airlines from pricing errors. Not worth legal fees.

Myth 5: "Error fares happen all the time" Reality: Major error fares happen maybe 10-30 times per year globally. You need to be watching.

Tax Implications and Legality

Is it legal to book error fares?

Yes, completely legal. You're accepting a publicly posted price.

Can airlines come after you later?

No. Once refunded or honored, it's over. Airlines can't charge you the "correct" fare later.

Tax considerations:

• If airline gives you compensation (vouchers, miles), might be taxable
• Typically not an issue unless you're running a business booking error fares for others (which is illegal ticket reselling)

Error Fare Communities and Ethics

Best communities:

1. FlyerTalk - Oldest, most knowledgeable
2. Reddit r/flights - Active, fast-moving
3. Secret Flying Discord - Real-time alerts
4. Twitter travel hacker community

Ethics question: Is it right to book error fares?

Arguments for "yes, it's fine":

• It's publicly posted price
• Airlines make billions in profit
• They regularly change rules to their advantage
• You're accepting an offer, not stealing

Arguments for "have some conscience":

• It's clearly a mistake
• Somebody at airline might get in trouble
• Would you want someone exploiting your mistake?

My take:

• It's legal and within the rules
• Airlines are sophisticated businesses with teams of lawyers
• They choose whether to honor or not
• Book with clear conscience, accept outcome gracefully

Tools and Resources for Error Fare Hunting

Essential Bookmarks

1. Paglipat Flight Search - Search and track prices
2. Google Flights - Calendar view, explore feature
3. ITA Matrix by Google - Advanced routing
4. Flyertalk - Deal forums
5. Secret Flying - Error fare alerts

Browser Extensions

1. Honey - Sometimes catches price errors
2. Keepa (for Amazon Flights if available in your region)
3. Auto-refresh - Auto-reload error fare pages

Mobile Apps

1. Hopper - Price predictions and alerts
2. Skiplagged - Hidden city routing
3. Going (formerly Scott's Cheap Flights) - Mobile alerts

Notification Setup

Create multi-channel alerts:

• Email: Deal services → Create filter → Forward to SMS
• Twitter: Enable mobile notifications for key accounts
• Telegram: Join error fare channels
• Reddit: Apollo app with keyword notifications

Goal: Get notified within 15-30 minutes of error fare posting.

Real Success Stories

"I flew first class to Dubai for $600"

• Normal price: $8,000+
• Error: Fare calculation mistake
• Booked: Within 20 minutes of posting
• Result: Honored, incredible trip

"Business class to Asia for 4 people: $1,600 total"

• Normal price: $12,000+
• Error: Currency conversion
• Booked: Family of 4 in 45 minutes
• Result: Honored, once-in-a-lifetime family vacation

"$127 round-trip to Europe from US"

• Normal price: $700-900
• Error: Missing fuel surcharge
• Booked: Within 1 hour
• Result: Honored for most people, cancelled for some who waited

"Free flights (taxes only) to 5 European cities"

• Normal price: $400-600 each
• Error: Base fare $0
• Booked: Multiple bookings over 2 hours
• Result: Airline tried to cancel, public outcry made them honor

Final Tips for Success

1. Be fast: Set up alerts, check regularly, book immediately
2. Be prepared: Have account created with major airlines, payment methods saved
3. Be flexible: Best error fares might not be your first choice destination
4. Be patient: Error fares are rare. You might wait months between opportunities
5. Be graceful: If cancelled, accept it. If honored, enjoy it.
6. Be quiet: Don't broadcast until after you've traveled
7. Be realistic: Not every "deal" is an error fare. Do quick research.

Most important: Actually take the trip! Error fares aren't about hoarding deals. They're about making travel accessible and experiencing places you might not otherwise afford.

The Bottom Line

Error fares are real, happen regularly, and can save you thousands of dollars on flights. They require vigilance, speed, and a bit of luck.

Your action plan:

1. Subscribe to 2-3 deal alert services (at least one free, one paid if you travel often)
2. Follow key Twitter accounts
3. Set up mobile notifications
4. When error fare appears, book first, research later
5. Hope for the best, plan for refund

Remember: Even if 60% of error fares you book get honored, you're still saving massive amounts on those that do. One honored business class error fare can save you $3,000+, easily justifying a year of failed attempts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Are error fares legal to book? A: Yes, completely legal. You're accepting a publicly posted price. Airlines can't charge you more later if they honor it, and if they cancel it, you get a full refund.

Q: Will I get in trouble for booking an error fare? A: No. At worst, the airline cancels your booking and refunds you. You won't face legal consequences or bans (unless you're booking hundreds of them repeatedly for resale).

Q: How often do error fares happen? A: Major error fares happen 10-30 times per year globally for popular routes. You need to actively monitor deal sites to catch them since they're usually fixed within 1-24 hours.

Q: Should I book non-refundable hotels before my error fare is confirmed? A: No. Wait until you receive a ticket number (not just confirmation code) before booking non-refundable accommodations. Book refundable hotels or wait 72 hours to see if the ticket issues.

Q: What's the difference between an error fare and a flash sale? A: Flash sales are intentional promotions that last hours to days. Error fares are pricing mistakes that are usually fixed within hours and may or may not be honored. Flash sales are always honored.

Q: Can I use frequent flyer miles on error fares? A: If the error fare is honored, you'll earn miles like any normal ticket. You can't use miles to book error fares though - they must be paid with cash/credit card.

Related Travel Guides

Master flight deals and savings:

• When to Buy Cheap Flights: Complete Guide - Optimal booking windows
• Flight Hacking: 15 Tricks Airlines Don't Want You to Know - Advanced strategies
• Flight Booking Mistakes That Cost Hundreds - Avoid common errors
• Last-Minute Flight Deals Guide - Emergency booking tips
• Multi-City Flight Hacks - Complex routing savings

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Start tracking error fares today with Paglipat's price alerts. Be the first to know when mistake fares appear for your favorite routes.