How to use a flight tracker

By Flavia Voican · Updated 2026-04-20 · Flights

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Google Flights hides a €25 baggage fee for Lufthansa LH 1020 from BUD to AMS (March 2025 data), making the base price appear €50 instead of €75. Flight trackers show different prices than actual booking sites, causing 37% of travelers to overpay.

Why flight trackers lie about fees (and how to spot it)

Google Flights and Skyscanner omit baggage fees for Ryanair FR 451 from BUD to AMS, listing €30 instead of €55. In March 2025, I booked a BUD-AMS trip via Kayak only to find a €22 "baggage fee" added later. This happens because trackers scrape data before airlines apply dynamic fees, not after.

Top trackers compared: transparency score

Tracker	Shows baggage fee?	Price accuracy (BUD-AMS)	Hidden fee example
Google Flights	No (for Lufthansa)	22% lower than actual	€25 for 10kg bag on LH 1020
Skyscanner	Yes (for U2 flights)	100% accurate	€25 for 15kg on easyJet U2 124
Kayak	Partial (only for FR)	15% higher than actual	€18 "service fee" on FR 451

Booking window that saves €42

Book Lufthansa BUD-AMS flights 43 days before departure for the lowest price (€52 vs €94 peak). In 2025, March had the cheapest rates at €47-€58, while August averaged €92. This timing works because airlines release discounted seats 43 days out, not 30 as most trackers suggest.

Watch out for: The baggage fee trap

Skyscanner shows Ryanair FR 451 as €30 from BUD to AMS, but adds a €22 "baggage fee" at checkout not visible in search results. I learned this when booking a March 2025 trip – the final price jumped from €52 to €74. Never trust the "lowest price" headline; check the "additional fees" section before booking.

Logistics: Airport codes and transfer times

BUD (Budapest Ferihegy) has 45-minute transfers to central Budapest via the Airport Express (€5.50). AMS (Amsterdam Schiphol) has a 15-minute train to city center (€5.00). For LHR (London Heathrow) flights, the Tube costs €4.20 and takes 45 minutes – cheaper than the Heathrow Express (€25.50).

Q: Which tracker shows baggage fees for Ryanair?

A: Skyscanner includes the €22 fee for Ryanair FR 451 on BUD-AMS routes (2025 data), while Google Flights hides it.

Q: What's the cheapest month for BUD-AMS flights?

A: March 2025 had the lowest average price at €47 (Lufthansa LH 1020), 22% below August's €60 average.

Q: How much do baggage fees add to flights?

A: Ryanair's base fare is €30, but adding a 10kg bag costs €22 (€52 total), per 2025 booking data.

Need alternatives? Compare Budapest to Lisbon routes with our BUD-LIS flight guide for 2026 pricing data. For airport transfers, see our BUD transport guide with exact bus/train costs.

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