Flight prices are always changing. Sometimes prices can go up for no reason at all (that’s just how the airlines work). But you have some control over when you buy a ticket and can use that to get a better deal. Here are three simple ways to avoid price hikes when booking a flight, according to the great Scott Keyes:
1) Search your route in incognito mode
2) Use Google Flights’ price graph
3) Buy your tickets on a Tuesday or Wednesday
Keyes says that these tips can save you up to $130 per ticket.
To avoid price hikes, you need to plan ahead. Airlines take advantage of the fact that consumers have little choice but to pay the asking price.
1. Book your flight at least two months in advance: A study by Expedia and ARC Airlines found that the ideal time to book a domestic flight is 60 days in advance. That way you can avoid paying more for popular routes during peak travel season.
2. Travel midweek: Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday are the cheapest days to fly, according to a study by FareCompare.com. You can save up to $70 if you fly on a Tuesday as opposed to a Sunday, it found.
3. Check out alternative airports: If you’re using an airport outside of a major city, you may end up saving money on airfare and rental cars because they tend to be less crowded than major airports like New York’s LaGuardia or Los Angeles’ LAX.
Flying can be an expensive way to get around. But with a little know-how and some planning, you can often avoid price hikes. Here are three ways to do that:
1. Travel during the off-season
2. Fly indirectly
3. Fly in economy class
Everybody likes a good deal. Whether you’re booking a hotel or a flight, you can always get a better price if you know how to look for it. Here are some tips to avoid overpaying when booking your next flight:
1 Don’t book too early.
A study found that the best time to book a domestic flight is four weeks in advance, while the prime booking window for international flights is seven months prior. If you wait too long or book too early you’ll pay more than if you booked at the right time. And don’t forget your return flight, which can also be expensive if booked late!
2 Don’t fly on weekends.
Try to fly mid-week if possible, as weekend flights are usually more expensive. Sundays are usually the most expensive day to fly, and Mondays and Fridays tend to be cheapest.
3 Don’t procrastinate.
If you’ve waited until the last minute and there aren’t any cheap seats left, try searching one-way fares separately; sometimes it’s cheaper than buying roundtrip tickets together. You could also try flying budget airlines like Southwest or Allegiant Air that often offer lower fares than traditional carriers (however be sure to compare bag fees).
The first step in getting the best flight is to know what you’re getting. Use Flightfox.com, a global network of more than 600 travel experts, who will do all the research and planning for you. The company sources flights from around the world and finds the best deals, which it shares with customers. What’s more, the service isn’t restricted to certain flights or airlines; these experts will search for any flight you want.
They’ll also help you with any other requests such as seat selection, meal preferences and even local airport assistance. And once you’ve booked your flights, you can use their app to organize your trip and keep track of everything in one place.
Flightfox is free to use but there’s a fee if it finds a better deal than you could get on your own. The company’s team of experts has a long track record of finding great-value flights, so they’re well worth using. Just be sure to give them plenty of time before your trip when briefing them on what you want. If you’re leaving in less than three weeks expect a higher fee; if you’ve got more time up your sleeve then fees are much lower.
This is not a travel guide. This is a guide to negotiating the labyrinthine maze of flight booking websites and airfare comparison engines and frequent flyer programs that have been designed, intentionally or not, to part you from your money. It’s no secret that airline tickets are by far the most expensive purchase you can make on the Internet. But few people realise just how many tricks and traps are out there to part you from your money when purchasing an airline ticket.
It’s pretty easy to get a better deal on plane tickets than most people do. In fact, it’s pretty easy to get a great deal on plane tickets. And it doesn’t take much time at all. And it doesn’t require any special skills or any particular kind of knowledge about the airline industry or anything like that. All you need is a willingness to do some digging; some basic math skills; and a willingness to be flexible about when, where, and how you fly.
If you can manage those three things—digging, math, flexibility—you’ll never again overpay for airline tickets.
1. Book in the middle of the week.
2. Look for flights at weird times.
3. Don’t be afraid to book last minute.