Hopper: Watch Flight Prices Over Time and Book When the App Says the Price Is Right

Hopper is a travel app that analyzes flight price history and uses that data to predict whether prices are likely to go up or down in the coming days. Instead of booking a flight the moment you search for it, Hopper recommends the best time to buy — sometimes telling you to book immediately and sometimes suggesting you wait a few more days for a better price.

The app uses color-coded pricing calendars that make it easy to see at a glance which travel dates are cheapest. Green dates are inexpensive, yellow dates are moderate, and red dates are expensive. This helps you choose travel dates with cost in mind rather than just convenience.

Hopper's "Watch" feature is one of its most popular tools. After you search for a flight, you can tap "Watch This Trip" and Hopper will monitor the price and send you a notification when the price changes significantly. If the price is predicted to rise, Hopper will recommend booking soon. If it is predicted to fall, it will suggest waiting.

One feature Hopper offers that airlines and other booking sites do not is "Price Freeze." For a small fee (usually $5 to $20), Hopper will lock in the current price for a flight for up to 14 days. This lets you think about a trip or wait for travel approval without risking the price jumping before you decide. If the price drops during the freeze period, you get the lower price.

Hopper books directly within the app — you complete the entire purchase without being redirected to another website. Customer support for bookings made through Hopper is handled by Hopper's own team.