Best flight price tracker comparison
We tested the best flight price trackers on the same flights
TripManta Pro caught 3.3× as many price drops as Google Flights. When both found the same price drop, TripManta Pro emailed first 100% of the time, typically 14h 4m earlier.
Head-to-head price alert test
TripManta Pro caught 3.3× as many price drops as Google Flights
We tracked the same flights with all four services. Across the 20 drops that TripManta Pro and Google both found, TripManta Pro emailed first 100% of the time, typically 14h 4m earlier.
Price drops found
TripManta Pro was first 100% of the time when both alerted
How we tested
Same flight. Same dates. Same cabin.
We sent every alert to the same email account, counted price-drop emails, and compared when they arrived.
- Exact flight numbers and travel dates
- Matching cabin and passenger count
Sample of flights in the test
Domestic and international, economy through business
What this looked like
Real fares. Actual email times.
Each chart shows the price history and when each service sent an email. Provider names, alert times, and delays appear below the price line.
LAX → SYD
Los Angeles to Sydney
Delta DL 41 / DL 40 · Business · Oct 20 – Nov 3
First drop to $8,953
First alert
52 minutes later
Next drop to $8,908
Alert sent
No price-drop email
No price-drop email
No price-drop email
TripManta caught the first drop 52 minutes before Google, then caught the next drop while Google, KAYAK, and Skyscanner stayed quiet.
ATL → LAX
Atlanta to Los Angeles
Delta DL 331 / DL 395 · First · Oct 15 – Oct 22
The fare dropped
$1,057 fare
24h 21m later at $1,067
TripManta emailed at $1,057. Google followed 24 hours 21 minutes later and showed a higher $1,067 fare.
DAL → DEN
Dallas to Denver
Southwest WN 1352 / WN 3229 · Economy · Oct 14 – Oct 21
The fare dropped to $303
Price-drop email sent
18h 20m later
TripManta sent the $303 price-drop email 18 hours 20 minutes before Google Flights.
Source: Price-drop emails for the same flights and travel dates, July 19–August 14, 2026. Each flight-specific price drop inside a multi-flight email counts once. TripManta Free uses the daily result from our hourly-versus-daily tracking study.
Based on more than 1.4 million flight price checks
TripManta Pro found 76% more price drops than daily checks.
TripManta Pro checks every hour, 24/7. Checking once a day found only 57% of the price drops that hourly tracking found.
Flight price tracker comparison
Features below come from each company's website. The alert test above compares the price-drop emails each service actually sent.
Trip Manta
- What it tracks
- A specific flight or route
- How often it checks
- Every hour, 24/7
- How it alerts you
- Instant email
- Where to use it
- Web
- Save after booking
- Yes. Forward your confirmation to TripManta. If the price drops on an eligible booking, TripManta works to get you an airline credit or refund.
- Price
- Free for up to 5 active trackers; Pro is $9.99/month
Google Flights
- What it tracks
- A specific flight, route, or travel dates
- How often it checks
- Google does not say
- How it alerts you
- Email and Google notification
- Where to use it
- Web
- Save after booking
- No
- Price
- Free
KAYAK
- What it tracks
- Routes, dates, and saved flights
- How often it checks
- Daily, with faster alerts for some large changes
- How it alerts you
- Email or phone notification
- Where to use it
- Web and app
- Save after booking
- No
- Price
- Free
Skyscanner
- What it tracks
- Routes, dates, and saved flights
- How often it checks
- Skyscanner does not say
- How it alerts you
- Where to use it
- Web and app
- Save after booking
- No
- Price
- Free
Hopper
- What it tracks
- A trip or selected flight
- How often it checks
- Hopper does not say
- How it alerts you
- Phone notification
- Where to use it
- App
- Save after booking
- No
- Price
- Free to watch; optional paid products and booking charges may apply
Expedia
- What it tracks
- A roundtrip or one-way search
- How often it checks
- Expedia does not say
- How it alerts you
- Phone notification
- Where to use it
- App
- Save after booking
- No
- Price
- Free with an account
What each tracker is genuinely good at
1 of 6
Trip Manta
24/7 tracking, instant emails, and help after booking
Strength: The clearest fit when you already know which flight you want. TripManta checks every hour, emails you instantly when the price drops, lets you choose the price you want, and can help after booking.
Limitation: It focuses on tracking. Google Flights, KAYAK, and Skyscanner offer more ways to browse destinations and flexible dates.
2 of 6
Google Flights
Finding flights and comparing flexible dates
Strength: Fast search, excellent flexible-date tools, an Explore map, historical price context, and tracking for routes or selected flights—all for free.
Limitation: Google does not say how often it checks. You cannot choose the exact price that triggers an alert, and Google does not help you get a credit if the price drops after booking.
3 of 6
KAYAK
Searching many airlines and booking sites
Strength: Searches many airlines and booking sites, supports flexible dates, and offers daily alerts plus faster alerts for some large price changes.
Limitation: KAYAK decides which price changes deserve an alert. You cannot choose an exact price, and KAYAK does not help you get money back after booking.
4 of 6
Skyscanner
Comparing airlines, booking sites, and destinations
Strength: A strong option for comparing airlines and booking sites, searching broadly, and receiving simple price-change emails.
Limitation: Skyscanner says it checks regularly but does not say how often. Most filters from your original search are not saved with a standard alert.
5 of 6
Hopper
Price predictions and booking in an app
Strength: Its app combines price predictions, alerts, and booking for travelers who want a recommendation on when to buy.
Limitation: Hopper does not say how often it checks or let you choose an exact alert price. Its optional paid products are separate from getting money back after a price drop.
6 of 6
Expedia
Price alerts and booking in one account
Strength: Convenient for travelers who want price history, predictions, alerts, and booking inside the same travel account.
Limitation: Price tracking works mainly in the app, is not available for every search, and Expedia does not say how often it checks.
Use both tools together
Search with Google. Track with TripManta.
- 1. Find the flight. Use Google Flights to compare dates, routes, and schedules.
- 2. Choose your price. Add the flight to TripManta and tell us the price that should trigger an email.
- 3. Keep saving after you book. Forward the confirmation to [email protected] and TripManta will check whether it can protect the price.
We save you money even after you book
Forward your confirmation to [email protected]. If your trip is eligible and the price drops, TripManta works with the airline to get you a flight credit or refund.
Works with Delta, United, American, Southwest, Alaska, JetBlue. Many non-refundable Main Cabin and economy tickets are eligible. Basic Economy and award bookings are excluded.
How we compared these tools
- Only official product and help documentation was used for table claims.
- We compared standard price alerts, not travel insurance, fare freezes, or other paid products.
- If a company does not say how often it checks, the table says that plainly.
- We review this guide every quarter and whenever one of these products changes.
Flight price tracker FAQs
What is the best free flight price tracker?
Google Flights is a strong free search tool. TripManta is the better fit when you want 24/7 tracking, instant price-drop emails, and control over the price that triggers an alert. The free plan includes one flight tracked every hour and up to five active trackers.
Which flight price tracker checks most often?
TripManta checks every hour, 24/7. KAYAK says it sends daily alerts plus faster alerts for some large price changes. Google Flights, Skyscanner, Hopper, and Expedia do not say whether they check every hour.
Can Google Flights track a specific flight?
Yes. Google says users can track prices for a route or a specific flight. Claims that Google can track routes only are inaccurate.
What happens if the fare drops after I book?
Forward your booking confirmation to [email protected]. TripManta will tell you if the trip is eligible, keep watching the price, and work to get you an airline credit or refund if the fare drops.
Should I use more than one flight tracker?
Often, yes. A practical workflow is to research flexible dates and schedules in Google Flights, then use TripManta to track the exact flight 24/7 and keep watching after you book.
Flight price tracking guide
Continue exploring flight price tracking
Flight price tracker
Track an exact itinerary 24/7 and review its recorded price history.
Airfare alerts
See how thresholds, alert emails, and post-booking monitoring work.
Methodology
Read the quality gates, limitations, and publication standards.
Flight price research
Explore reproducible studies based on Trip Manta observations.
Get the price drop while it is still there
TripManta tracks your flight every hour, 24/7, and emails you instantly when the price drops. Track one flight free or use Pro for unlimited 24/7 tracking.