Cheap flights to
Tampa (TPA)

Over the years, we’ve come up with a few favorite tips and tricks for finding cheap flights. Booking within the Goldilocks Window is one of those. That means looking for a flight during a period that’s not too close to your departure date and not too far away. For domestic flights we’ve found that sweet spot to be about 1–3 months before your trip. For international flights, you have a longer window, from 2–8 months before a trip.

That said, if you’re planning a trip during peak travel season or if your dates are not flexible, we recommend planning even further in advance. If, for instance, you’re hoping to travel during the December holiday season, it’s best to start looking for flights in July.

While we wish last-minute deals existed, the truth is that they’re few and far between, especially during busy travel periods. Fares generally increase at the 21-, 14-, and 7-day points ahead of trips, so try to book before then.

One of our favorite hacks for finding cheap flights involves getting as close as you can to your destination for the cheapest price, then finding a regional budget flight or other mode of travel between that destination and your final stop. We call it the Greek Island Trick, but it works for plenty of locations outside of Greece.

If flights to TPA are out of your price range during spring break, for example, look for flights into Gainesville, Florida; Tallahassee; or even Alabama. Then, rent a car to reach Tampa. It takes more time and planning, but it could also save you a bundle on a getaway.

Travelers living near New York City may have never considered flying out of an airport that’s not JFK, LGA, or EWR—the big three serving the NYC area. But, believe it or not, there may be situations in which you could save money by looking for flights departing from a bit farther away. If you see a $102 roundtrip deal from Boston to TPA, for example, it could be worth taking the train, bus, or driving to Boston from New York.

You could even consider taking a short flight to another airport if that makes more financial sense. The moral of the story: Don’t discount flying out of another airport just because it’s not typically where you fly out of. If you can snag a deal, it might make sense to get yourself there.

Winter and spring break are busy travel seasons in much of Florida, including Tampa. It makes sense—people in much of the rest of the country want to escape the cold weather, and kids have off school for winter and spring break. Of course, this means airlines can charge more for flights.

The fall season, from September to December, is also a great time to visit because you’ll find cheaper flights but also still have good weather. Sometimes, you can even snag a great deal to Florida during the summer months, though you shouldn’t bank on this, as travelers often flock to Florida and other southern destinations to take advantage of the beaches during this time; fair warning the humidity can also make Florida muggy and hot during the summer.

If traveling outside of winter isn’t an option for you, or if you’re set on a spring break trip, be sure to at least look at fares on what are usually the cheapest days to fly: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. Avoid Fridays and Sundays, the most expensive days to fly, if you can.

Keeping track of airfare as it fluctuates is difficult—we know that firsthand. The good news is that technology can help.

Set up fare alerts for your itinerary—making sure to set multiple alerts if your dates are flexible—and you’ll get an email when the fare drops into your target price range. We recommend doing this well in advance of your trip, before the Goldilocks Window we talked about above, so you can see prices drop during that time.

Tampa is a decent size airport, with nonstop flights to 80 destinations around the world. From most major US cities, as well as some cities in Latin America, you can reach Tampa nonstop. From elsewhere in the world, you can reach Tampa with one stop.