Should You Use a VPN to Book Flights in 2025?

✈️ Save Money, Skip Tracking, Travel Smarter

Ever searched for a flight, come back the next day… and the price magically went up? 👀
Yeah. You’re not imagining things. Airlines and booking sites track you. Your IP address, your location, your search history. All of it.

So here’s the question: Does using a VPN actually help you get cheaper flights in 2025?

I’ve tested it for years. Let me break it down, without fluff. Real hacks, real results.

🧠 What’s a VPN Anyway?

A VPN (Virtual Private Network) hides your IP address and tricks websites into thinking you’re somewhere else.
Like… sitting in Bangkok when you’re actually in Berlin.

It also blocks trackers, cookies, and stops price hikes based on repeat searches.
Sounds good, right? But does it really work for flights?

✈️ Can You Really Get Cheaper Flights With a VPN?

Yes – sometimes. But not always.
It depends on three things:

Your real location
The location you pretend to be in
The airline or booking site’s pricing logic

Let’s say you’re in the U.S. searching for a flight from New York to Tokyo.
If you switch your VPN to Argentina or India… you might see lower prices.

Why?
Some sites offer cheaper fares to lower-income regions.
Others jack up prices for people in “rich” countries. It’s called geo-pricing.

I’ve saved up to $140 on the same flight just by switching my VPN to Thailand.
But I’ve also seen no change at all on some airlines.

So, it’s not guaranteed. But it’s worth trying.

🔐 VPN vs Incognito Mode

Incognito mode hides your local search history.
VPN hides your whole identity and location.

Use both. Trust me.
Open an incognito window. Then fire up your VPN. Double protection. Double chance to outsmart those tracking scripts.

🧪 How to Use a VPN for Flights – Step by Step

Get a VPN – I use ProtonVPN (free version is fine for basic testing).
Open your VPN and connect to a different country – try a few. I often start with Thailand, Mexico, and India.
Open an incognito window
Search for the same flight on the same site (Google Flights, Expedia, airline direct…)
Compare the prices with and without VPN.

That’s it.
Takes 5 minutes. Sometimes it saves $5. Sometimes $200.

🧳 Which Countries Usually Show Cheaper Prices?

From my own notes and tests, these countries often give better prices when you search from them:

🇮🇳 India
🇹🇭 Thailand
🇲🇽 Mexico
🇦🇷 Argentina
🇲🇾 Malaysia

But again: test. Every route is different.

🤖 What If You Don’t Wanna Do All That Testing?

Honestly… I get it.
That’s why tools like FlyGPT are useful.

It’s an AI travel assistant (free to use), and it already does the VPN trick for you, plus some other sneaky hacks like:

Hidden-city ticketing
Geo-price shifting
Flexible date scans

I don’t mention tools lightly, but this one works. You still book through trusted platforms. Just smarter.

💡 Real Example From Last Month

I helped my cousin book a flight from Paris to Bali.
Regular price was €864.
Turned on VPN (Thailand). Price dropped to €711 on the same airline.
Tried again with Fly GPT – found a better routing via Kuala Lumpur, total price: €668.

Saved over €190 in 15 minutes. No rocket science.

🚩 Watch Out For These Pitfalls

Currency mismatch: Some sites show cheaper prices but charge a conversion fee at checkout.
Blocked cards: If you book as if you’re in a foreign country, your card might get declined.
Wrong language/terms: Booking sites may show foreign T&Cs. Be careful before clicking “buy.”

But none of this is hard to manage. Just double-check before paying.

📦 Summary

Using a VPN in 2025 still works for booking flights – but it’s not a magic bullet.
Here’s what to remember:

✅ Test different countries
✅ Use incognito + VPN
✅ Compare with AI tools like Fly GPT
❌ Don’t assume cheapest price is real final cost
❗Always double-check before booking

Takes a few extra clicks, but could save you serious money.

❓ FAQ – VPNs and Flight Booking in 2025

Can airlines see if I’m using a VPN?
No, not directly. They just see the IP and location you pick. As long as you pay and check in normally, they don’t care.

Is it illegal to use a VPN for booking flights?
Nope. It’s legal in most countries. You’re just browsing from a different location.

Do all booking sites change prices based on location?
No. Some don’t. But many still do, especially for international flights.

What if the price is in another currency?
You can still pay, but check if your bank charges foreign fees.

Which VPN is best for this?
ProtonVPN, NordVPN, or any that let you choose your country. Even free ones can work.

Do I have to clear cookies every time?
Better to use incognito. That way, you avoid the cookie hassle.

Can I book through the VPN or should I switch it off to pay?
Try both. Some banks reject international IPs. If it fails, turn off VPN and retry the final step.

Is there a tool that already does all this for me?
Yep. Fly GPT does the VPN trick, price scanning, and more, saves you time testing locations manually.