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Pricing and Price Alerts.

Price Alerts.

Setting up Price Alerts on the website.

Sign in to your KAYAK account first, then choose one of these methods:

For flights:

  • Toggle on "Track prices" at the upper left of your flight results page

For hotels:

  • Click "Set Price Alert" at the top right of the hotel results list

For car rentals:

  • After entering your location and dates, toggle on the price alert option at the top of the results page

From any search result:

  • Click the suitcase or heart icon on any offer you want to track

View and manage all your alerts at kayak.com/alerts or through “Price Alerts” in your account menu.

Setting up Price Alerts in the mobile app.

Choose one of these three methods:

From your profile:

  • Tap profile in the bottom menu bar
  • Select Price Alerts
  • Tap the "+" in the top right corner

From a search:

  • After running your search, tap the white bell icon at the top right.

From a specific result:

  • After running your search, tap the white heart icon in the bottom right corner of any result.

Access your alerts through “Price Alerts” in the app’s navigation menu.

Yes, you can set multiple Price Alerts for different routes, hotels or cars on KAYAK. There’s no limit and you can manage all of them together in one place at kayak.com/alerts.

Yes, Price Alerts expire once the travel date has passed. They can also expire if you don’t open or engage with Price Alert emails. We’ll send an expiration email ahead of time as a heads-up.

How to check your Price Alert status.

Visit kayak.com/alerts to see all your active Price Alerts for cars, flights and hotels in one place. From there, you can verify which alerts are active and check your delivery settings.

Price Alerts update in two main ways. A daily scheduled refresh, and in real time if there’s a significant price change.

How often are Price Alerts refreshed?

  • Daily: Most Price Alerts are sent once a day. We bundle all your active alerts into one email or push notification, usually sent in the early morning.
  • Real-time alerts: You can also choose to get real-time Price Alerts. These trigger when there’s a significant price change, typically a 10% increase or drop, since your last update.

You can manage your Price Alerts for flights, hotels and rental cars from your KAYAK account. Here are the ways to remove or stop them:

  • From your account: Go to your notification center at kayak.com/alerts to view all your Price Alerts in one place. From there, you can delete a Price Alert completely or pause an alert temporarily
  • In the KAYAK app: If you're using the KAYAK app, swipe left on any Price Alert to reveal the delete option. Tap it to remove that alert.

Unsubscribe from Price Alert emails.

Each Price Alert email includes an “unsubscribe” link in the footer. Click it to stop receiving emails for that specific alert. Please note that this stops the emails but may not delete the alert itself from your account.

Change your email notification settings.

To stop receiving Price Alert emails globally, go to the Notifications page in your account. You can modify or turn off email subscriptions there, including Price Alert emails.

For more information.

Price Forecast.

Travelers perform billions of requests for travel information on KAYAK’s websites and mobile apps each year. We analyze these queries to forecast whether the price for a given destination and dates is likely to go up or down over the next seven days.

Our scientists develop these flight price trend forecasts using algorithms and mathematical models. Predictions based on past history can never be perfect, so we can’t guarantee they’ll be correct, which is why we also let you know the confidence of the statistical analysis.

We monitor and measure daily the accuracy of our predictions, by keeping track of a certain number of flights throughout the next seven days (or between your search and departure date whichever is shortest) and what predictions we originally issued, and then verifying whether they turned out to be right or wrong.

How reliable is the “buy now” recommendation?

The “buy now” or “wait” recommendation is based on the same predictive models and data. While not perfect, it’s generally correct more often than not. Check the confidence level displayed to help you assess the recommendation.

Can I use Price Forecast on the KAYAK app?

Yes. The Price Trend graph appears at the top of your flight search results on mobile. You can also manage Price Alerts directly in the app through the navigation menu to receive notifications when prices drop.

The Price Forecast (also called Price Trend) graph doesn’t appear for every flight search. Here’s the main reasons why:

  • Your route doesn't have enough data: Not all flight routes have sufficient historical information to generate a forecast. Some routes are too uncommon to support predictions
  • You're not searching round-trip flights: The Price Forecast graph only displays for round-trip searches. One-way searches won't show the graph
  • The model needs more information: Even for round-trip searches on popular routes, the graph won't appear if our algorithms don't have enough data to make a confident prediction

Understanding prices.

All flight prices on KAYAK include applicable taxes and fees. Any exceptions to this are any optional fees like checked baggage or airlines that charge for seat selection, pet accommodations, etc. These types of add-ons will have to be arranged separately with your airline or travel agency.

Flight prices shown on KAYAK do not include baggage fees. The displayed prices cover the base fare, applicable taxes and mandatory fees, but optional add-ons like checked bags, carry-ons (on some airlines), seat selection and pet accommodations are extra.

How to find baggage fees before you book.

Check the Airline Fees page.

KAYAK’s Airline Fees page shows what airlines charge for checked bags and carry-ons. It also links directly to airline websites for full baggage policies.

Use Fee Assistant.

Fee Assistant estimates baggage and payment fees based on what you’d pay on the provider’s site. For example, if you add one checked bag, it will show you the estimated total cost.

Important: Fee Assistant does not add baggage to your reservation. It’s a planning tool only. You must purchase baggage directly with the airline or booking site.

Hover over the suitcase icon.

On the KAYAK website, hover over the suitcase icon in your search results to see a price breakdown showing base fare, taxes and fees. This helps you understand what’s included before you click through.

KAYAK does not collect baggage fees. These charges go directly to the airline or booking provider you choose.

For more information.

Get tips and advice on luggage policies, packing, and baggage fees on the KAYAK Blog.

Car rental prices on KAYAK don’t automatically include taxes, airport fees or insurance.

What’s not included in car rental prices?

The car rental rates you see on KAYAK come straight from the rental companies. Here’s what you need to know:

  • Taxes and airport pickup/drop-off fees aren't included in the displayed rates
  • Insurance coverage isn't automatically included in car rental prices

Each provider has different policies on what’s included in their base price. You’ll need to check the provider’s website to see the full price breakdown before booking.

How to check what’s included in your rental price.

  • Search for cars at kayak.com/cars and compare available deals
  • Select a rental option that fits your needs
  • Review the price breakdown on the provider's website before completing your booking
  • Verify whether taxes, airport fees and insurance are included or cost extra
  • Check the provider's terms and conditions for their specific policies

Please keep in mind that KAYAK isn’t the seller for car rentals. Any questions about fees, refunds or changes need to be handled directly with the rental company you book with.

KAYAK searches across hundreds of travel sites at once to get you the most accurate results possible. Ticket prices are constantly fluctuating depending on a number of factors, not least supply and demand.

Due to these factors, on occasion, problems arise in the price and availability data we obtain from the travel sites.

If you encounter an inaccurate price please let us know so we can get to work on addressing the underlying issue.

KAYAK Explore shows you prices that other users found in the last 48 hours. Think of these as snapshots of recent deals rather than guaranteed fares. Here’s why the price can change when you click through:

  • Airline seats are priced dynamically and can change frequently. The fare you see on Explore may no longer be available by the time you click, especially if other travelers are booking the same flights simultaneously.
  • The prices shown reflect limited seats that may not be available on all flights or days. Once those seats are gone, the price increases.
  • KAYAK aggregates results from hundreds of travel sites but doesn't control or guarantee the prices from other companies. We show you what's available, but the provider sets the final price.
  • Explore prices include taxes and fees but may not include baggage fees charged by carriers. Your final cost can differ once you add baggage or other options.

If you notice a price inaccuracy, you can provide feedback here.

Found a price on KAYAK that doesn’t match what you see on the provider’s website? Fill out this form so our team can investigate and fix the issue.

If you want to provide general feedback, you can also use our general feedback form.

KAYAK ensures all flight prices with add-ons are comparable by displaying the base price first and then providing clear, side-by-side comparisons of what is included in each fare, such as luggage allowances, change fees, and other services. This approach is designed to maximize transparency and help avoid surprise fees.

Saving money with KAYAK.

KAYAK’s Price Calendar is a free tool that shows you flight prices by date, making it easy to spot cheaper travel options at a glance. It uses historical and real-time data to help you track prices and book smarter.

A Hacker Fare is when KAYAK combines two separate one-way tickets (often from different airlines) instead of a traditional round-trip booking. The goal is simple: find you cheaper prices and more flight time options than you’d get with a single round-trip ticket.

How Hacker Fares work.

When you book a Hacker Fare, you’re getting two separate tickets:

  • Each direction is its own booking with its own confirmation number
  • The tickets may be issued by different airlines or providers
  • You'll receive separate confirmation emails for each leg

Important things to know.

Since you’re booking separate tickets, each one follows its own rules:

  • Baggage fees differ: Each airline has its own baggage policies and fees
  • Change and refund policies vary: What applies to your outbound flight may not apply to your return
  • Tickets are independent: If one flight is canceled or changed, the other airline isn't obligated to accommodate you on the other ticket
  • Check-in requirements differ: Each airline has its own check-in times and requirements

Before you book.

  • Verify both fares are still available at the displayed price on each airline's website
  • Review each airline's baggage rules, change fees and refund policies
  • For international travel, keep both e-ticket confirmations handy - you may need to show proof of return travel at check-in or immigration

What to do if a fare becomes unavailable.

If the second flight is no longer available after you’ve booked the first:

  • Search for a one-way ticket for the remaining leg and book it separately
  • Contact the provider you used for the first booking to explore cancellation options

What to do after booking.

Keep both confirmation emails easily accessible. For international trips, consider printing both e-ticket confirmations to have your complete itinerary ready when needed.

Here’s how to use our tools to compare airlines and surface the cheapest airline tickets for your trip.

How airline comparison works on KAYAK.

When you search for flights, you can filter and sort results by airline, price, stops, duration, baggage allowance and more.

Our Fare Comparer shows a side-by-side breakdown of what each fare includes like checked bags, seat selection and flexibility. This helps you compare airlines and booking providers easily.

Once you pick a flight, we’ll show your fare options (like Basic Economy vs Economy) with a clear list of what’s included and what’s not, before sending you off to book.

We compare both airlines and online travel agencies (OTAs), so you see all your options in one place.

When you search for flights on KAYAK, you can include nearby airports in your search to quickly compare prices.

  • Start your flight search on KAYAK
  • Look for the “Add nearby airports” option or banner
  • Click “Show” to include nearby airports in your results
  • Compare prices and options

Flexible dates show flight deals up to 3 days before and after your selected departure and return dates. You can also broaden your search with flexible weekend or month options to find the cheapest prices that still work for your plans.

This works for both one-way and round-trip searches. Keep in mind that not all providers support flexible date searches, so you may see different results compared to exact-date searches.

How to search with flexible dates on desktop.

  • Open the flight search and select your destination and your departure and return dates in the calendar
  • In the calendar's top-right corner, choose the option to show flights up to three days before/after your chosen dates
  • Run your search to see departure and return options up to ±3 days from your selected dates

How to search with flexible dates on the KAYAK app.

  • Open the KAYAK app and select your destination
  • When adding your departure and return dates in the calendar, choose the option at the bottom of the calendar to show flights up to three days before/after your chosen dates
  • Run your search to see departure and return options up to ±3 days from your selected dates

KAYAK doesn’t offer military or senior discounts. Because we’re a search engine (not a booking provider), we don’t have the authority to set or apply special category discounts on airfare, hotels or car rentals.

We recommend you search hundreds of sites at once on KAYAK to find your best option then reach out to the airline or travel agency directly to discuss special category discount options.

KAYAK is an online travel search site that partners with travel companies who offer student discounts on flights for college students and travelers under the age of 26. Discount availability varies by route and date, so you’ll need to run a search to see if a discount is available for your specific trip.

How to find student-priced flights on KAYAK.

  • Enter your origin and destination in a KAYAK flight search
  • Select "students" instead of "adults" as your traveler option
  • Sort results by "cheapest" to see the lowest prices
  • If a student-provider fare is available for your route, those partners will appear at the top of your results

For more information visit our dedicated student discounts page.

Questions & feedback

Got questions or feedback about bookings, trips, pricing, or anything else?

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