Best websites for cheap flights

Whether it's a vacation in Bali or your first Big Overseas Experience, there's nothing like a bargain airfare.

And some of these websites don't rely on Air New Zealand's computers.

Grabaseat.co.nz

The home of Air New Zealand's bargain flights, you can't think about travelling on the cheap without venturing to Grabaseat. Every day it offers cheap flights both within New Zealand and occasionally internationally - sometimes starting at just $1.

Grabaseat tells you how many seats are left at the low price, so when the figures start to deplete you have to act quickly, and hope your internet connection doesn't fail you.

Put it on your favourites today and check it every morning - the good deals go very, very fast.

Seeya.co.nz

Once upon a time there was a great little website called Grabaseat Quick, which emailed you the deals which would be featured on Grabaseat every morning.

It ceased existence after about six months, but luckily there's a new player - Seeya. This website doesn't just email you the Grabaseat deals of your preferred routes when they come up, it also gives you a heads up on Pacific Blue's Happy Hour flights.

On occasion, it'll also email you details on accommodation deals you might like, based on your profile preferences.

Wego.com

Wego searches over 100 different travel websites to find you the best deals on flights and accommodation. Wego will search all of the flight providers leaving your airport of choice, and this website is also great for customising your search - just drag the filter to set your price range, and check the boxes that best suit you in regards to your preferred travel time, stopover locations, and even aircraft type.

Wego has live updating, so if a deal comes up while you're searching, it'll automatically pop up.

STAtravel.co.nz

The word "cheap" is synonymous with the word "student", so for the cheapest youth flight deals there's only one place to go: STA Travel.

This website shows you the cheapest student deals (and deals for those under 26 years of age), which are often 10 per cent to 20 per cent less expensive than standard fares around the globe.

STA Travel's website can also hook you up with working holiday and volunteering holiday packages, travel insurance, and all the Big OE information you can shake a stick at.

Itchyfeet.co.nz

Honest travel information about flights and how to survive your trip can be hard to come by. Itchyfeet is full of great information for travellers.

The website offers invaluable tips such as "what you should book online" compared to "what you should go to a travel agent for", "choosing the best time to travel to certain destinations", and "what to expect from each airline on your journey" - from the check-in experience to the range of in- flight food and beverages.

Check out Itchy Feet's "DE CATCH" clause with every flight offer - it's a quick and easy summary of the fine print of every travel deal.