Finding cheap flights has become more challenging than ever. With airfare costs rising post-pandemic, many travelers are turning to flight deal services to help them save hundreds—sometimes thousands—on their trips. But with so many options available, which service delivers the best value?
Today we're comparing two of the most popular flight alert services: Thrifty Traveler and Dollar Flight Club. Both promise to find you amazing deals, but they take different approaches and serve different types of travelers.
Quick Verdict
Thrifty Traveler Premium wins for most travelers. At $99/year, it includes business and first-class deals, points and miles alerts, serves 200+ airports, and offers a lifetime price guarantee. Dollar Flight Club is cheaper at $69/year but only covers economy flights and serves fewer airports in its basic plan.
Service Overview Comparison
Pricing:
- Thrifty Traveler: $99/year (Premium), $149.99/year (Premium+)
- Dollar Flight Club: $69/year (Premium), $99-169/year (Premium Plus)
Airport Coverage:
- Thrifty Traveler: 200+ airports across US and Canada
- Dollar Flight Club: Approximately 30 major US airports
Trial Options:
- Thrifty Traveler: 100-day money-back guarantee
- Dollar Flight Club: 14-day trial for $1
Price Protection:
- Thrifty Traveler: Lifetime price lock guarantee
- Dollar Flight Club: No price protection
Thrifty Traveler Review
What Is Thrifty Traveler?
Thrifty Traveler is a comprehensive flight deal service founded in 2015 by Jared Kamrowski. The platform has built a reputation for finding exceptional flight deals while maintaining high standards for deal quality.
Unlike many competitors, Thrifty Traveler includes premium cabin deals and points and miles opportunities in their standard Premium membership, making it an excellent choice for travelers who want access to all types of deals.
How Thrifty Traveler Works
Once you sign up for Thrifty Traveler Premium, you'll customize your preferences by selecting:
- Up to 200+ departure airports (including smaller regional airports)
- Preferred cabin classes (economy, premium economy, business, first)
- Interest in points and miles deals
- Dream destinations
Their team of travel experts searches for deals 24/7 and sends email alerts when they find something exceptional. For the rarest deals—like mistake fares that could disappear within hours—they'll send text message alerts.
Thrifty Traveler Pricing
Premium ($99/year):
- Domestic and international flight deals
- Economy, business, and first-class fares
- Points and miles award deals
- Text alerts for mistake fares
- Lifetime price guarantee
- 100-day money-back guarantee
Premium+ ($149.99/year):
- Everything in Premium
- Hotel deal alerts for major chains
- Award availability notifications
The lifetime price guarantee means your annual rate will never increase, even if they raise prices for new members.
What Makes Thrifty Traveler Stand Out
Comprehensive Coverage: Thrifty Traveler covers over 200 airports, including smaller regional ones that many competitors ignore. This is particularly valuable if you don't live near a major hub.
Premium Cabin Focus: Unlike Dollar Flight Club's basic plan, Thrifty Traveler includes business and first-class deals in their standard Premium membership. We've seen deals like $400 business class to Peru and $600 lie-flat seats to Europe.
Points and Miles Integration: Thrifty Traveler excels at finding award flight deals and flash sales. This is perfect if you're accumulating points through travel credit cards and want to maximize their value.
Quality Over Quantity: They don't flood your inbox with mediocre deals. Instead, they focus on truly exceptional opportunities that represent significant savings.
Dollar Flight Club Review
What Is Dollar Flight Club?
Dollar Flight Club launched in 2016 with the mission of making travel more affordable. The service has grown to over 3 million members and focuses primarily on economy flight deals, with premium cabin options available in higher-tier plans.
How Dollar Flight Club Works
After signing up, you'll select up to four departure airports (Premium plan) and specify your preferred destinations. Dollar Flight Club's algorithm then searches for deals and sends email alerts when they find significant savings.
They also offer a mobile app and recently enhanced their personalization algorithm to better match deals to your preferences.
Dollar Flight Club Pricing
Free Plan:
- Limited deals (about 3 per week)
- One departure airport
- Economy flights only
Premium ($69/year):
- 5x more deals than free plan
- Up to 4 departure airports
- Domestic and international economy flights
- Mistake fare alerts
Premium Plus ($99-169/year):
- Everything in Premium
- Business and premium economy deals
- Partner discounts (TSA PreCheck, airport lounges)
What Dollar Flight Club Does Well
Affordable Entry Point: At $69/year, the Premium plan is more accessible than many competitors, making it a good option for occasional travelers.
User-Friendly Experience: The interface is clean and straightforward, with clear booking instructions for each deal.
Partner Perks: Premium Plus members get discounts on travel-related services like TSA PreCheck and Priority Pass lounge access.
Head-to-Head Comparison
Deal Quality and Frequency
Thrifty Traveler generally provides higher-quality deals with more detailed information. Their emails include comprehensive details about change/cancellation policies, upgrade options, and booking tips.
Dollar Flight Club sends more frequent alerts but with varying quality. Some users report receiving deals that aren't significantly better than regular fares.
Geographic Coverage
This is where the services differ most significantly. Thrifty Traveler covers 200+ airports across the US and Canada, including smaller regional airports. Dollar Flight Club focuses on approximately 30 major airports, primarily in the US.
If you live near a smaller airport, Thrifty Traveler is likely your only option between these two services.
Premium Cabin Deals
Thrifty Traveler includes business and first-class deals in their standard $99 Premium plan. Dollar Flight Club requires upgrading to Premium Plus ($99-169) for premium cabin access.
For travelers interested in maximizing credit card points for premium redemptions, Thrifty Traveler offers better value.
Customer Service and Billing
Thrifty Traveler has received consistently positive reviews for customer service and offers a generous 100-day money-back guarantee.
Dollar Flight Club has faced criticism for billing practices and cancellation difficulties. Several users report being charged after forgetting to cancel their $1 trial, with limited success getting refunds.
Which Service Should You Choose?
Choose Thrifty Traveler If:
- You want access to business and first-class deals
- You're interested in points and miles opportunities
- You value comprehensive deal information
- You prefer lifetime pricing protection
- You live near a smaller airport
- You travel 2+ times per year
Choose Dollar Flight Club If:
- You primarily fly economy
- Budget is your main concern
- You live near a major airport they cover
- You travel infrequently
Consider Alternatives If:
- You want more control over deal parameters (try Going for $49/year)
- You prefer mobile-first experience
- You need deals from international departure airports
Real User Experiences
Thrifty Traveler members frequently share success stories of saving $300-500 per trip. Recent highlights include $180 roundtrip to Dublin, $330 to Barcelona, and numerous business class deals under $800 to Europe.
Dollar Flight Club users report mixed experiences. While some find excellent deals, others note that many "deals" are only marginally better than regular fares, especially when factoring in fees and restrictions.
Making Your Decision
Both services can potentially save you money, but they serve different audiences. Thrifty Traveler Premium offers better overall value for most travelers, especially those interested in premium cabins or points and miles strategies.
The $99 annual fee typically pays for itself with a single international booking. Plus, the lifetime price guarantee protects you from future increases—something that's particularly valuable as these services grow in popularity.
Dollar Flight Club remains a viable option for budget-conscious travelers who primarily fly economy and live near major airports. However, be cautious about the trial period and ensure you understand their billing practices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I use these services for last-minute deals? A: Both services occasionally feature last-minute deals, but they primarily focus on advance bookings (2-11 months out). For last-minute travel, consider booking directly with airlines or using flexible booking tools.
Q: Do these deals include baggage fees? A: The listed prices typically include only the base fare. Always factor in baggage fees, seat selection costs, and other extras when calculating true savings.
Q: How quickly do I need to book when I get an alert? A: Deal duration varies widely. Mistake fares might last hours, while promotional deals could be available for weeks. Both services include estimated expiration times in their alerts.
Q: Can I book these deals with points instead of cash? A: Many deals are cash-only, but Thrifty Traveler specifically includes award availability alerts and points/miles deals, making it superior for points and miles enthusiasts.
Q: Are these prices guaranteed? A: No flight deal service can guarantee prices due to airline inventory systems. Always book quickly if you see a deal you want, as prices can change without notice.
The Bottom Line
For most travelers, Thrifty Traveler Premium offers the best combination of deal quality, coverage, and value. The $99 annual fee includes everything you need: premium cabin deals, points opportunities, extensive airport coverage, and lifetime pricing protection.
While Dollar Flight Club costs less upfront, the limited airport coverage and economy-only focus in the basic plan make it less versatile for serious travelers.
Remember, the best flight deal service is the one that consistently finds deals from your preferred airports to destinations you actually want to visit. Both services offer trial periods, so you can test them risk-free to see which works better for your travel patterns.
Ready to start saving on flights? Consider signing up for travel rewards credit cards to earn points you can combine with these deals for maximum savings.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products.
