Is it true that I should delete search history and cookies when booking flights online?

I often hear that you should delete your search history, cookies and if possible change your IP when looking for flights online. The reason is that otherwise airline websites know that you're really interested and will increase prices. From personal experience, I had once the same impression when I first looked for a flights a couple of days in a row and got only high prices. Then I did the same at work with a different computer and got way lower prices. However, this could be a coincidence.

So my question is: Is this just an urban legend or is there really evidence?

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Should I clear cookies when searching for flights?

\u201cYou should search incognito for flights or clear the cookies on your internet browser because the website is tracking what you're looking for and will jack up the price.\u201d

Do airlines track your cookies?

Most airline websites monitor to see if you've visited in the past and what sort of flights you searched for by using browser cookies, which are files created when you visit certain websites. The reason they do this comes down to a process called dynamic pricing, in which airfare prices fluctuate according to demand.

How do I stop airlines from checking my searches?

Simply navigate to the browser menu, usually found in the upper right-hand corner of your browser window, and select \u201cNew incognito/private window.\u201d

Do flights go up if you keep searching?

However, airlines say prices change not because of a consumer's search history on a website, or their cookies, but because of inventory updates or glitches on the website, FareCompare's Rick Seaney said in an email.

Should I Clear My Cookies to Find Cheaper Flights?

Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

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