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Summer is here and vacation time is in the air, literally! Everyone is on the hunt for good travel deals and eager to find the cheapest days to buy flights and get out of town for a bit.
If you are looking for airline tickets but booking them so far in advance in not always practical and buying them during prime times will leave you penniless for the rest of the vacation, then read on for our tips and travel hacks.
Since airfare is one of the largest expenses of the vacation, finding a cheap flight deal is just as important as finding the right company, finding the right destination or even the right place to stay.
From special promotions to mistakenly published fares, everyday airlines come up with thousands of deals. If you know how to find them, then you will be enjoying your vacation with far more change in your pocket than the rest.
However, with continually fluctuating prices and endless search engines, the approach to looking for cheap flights can be quite overwhelming. So what is the cheapest day to buy flights?
What are the tips and tricks to save money for travel? Here are some important travel hacks that will save you from frustration and help you save money and even time when booking your next flight.
Book the flight Seven Weeks in Advance
According to data gathered from the Airlines Reporting Commission, passengers can save even up to 10% of the fare if they buy their tickets 50 days before the journey.
This data was compiled by looking at the 2017 ticket sales from corporate and online travel agencies. However, this seven-week strategy is not always one of the surest ways of bagging the cheapest fare.
Since this is the trend, most airlines will provide good offers all the time but maybe not the best. However, on average, this 50-day strategy still works so plan a head a bit.
Be Flexible with your Travel Dates
Depending on the day of the week, upcoming holidays and time of the year, airline tickets can vary a great deal. For instance, the Fourth of July, Christmas or Thanksgiving are one of the busiest time frames for traveling, everyone wants to go somewhere especially when the kids are out of school.
If you are going to book your flight when everyone is doing it, then your ticket is going to cost more. To get a cheaper ticket, you need to be flexible with your dates and try to book travel during less popular times.
If you can be flexible, you will be guaranteed a cheaper seat.
Cheapest Days to Book for Flights are Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays.
According to a study done on FareCompare.com, the cheapest days to buy flights are Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays.
Flying during these days always cost a lot less as compared to other days of the week. While Fridays and Sundays are the most expensive for domestic flights, for international travels weekdays are much cheaper.
Be Flexible with your Destinations
If you cannot be flexible with the time, then you should at least be flexible with your destination. Although it’s best to be flexible with both, if you want to save money and get the most of your journey, you need to be flexible with at least one.
Thankfully, online searchers have made it very easy if you are looking for the cheapest flight. Just like Kayak has the explore tool, Google flights has the same but its a much better tool in my opinion.
If you want to be flexible with where you want to go, you can use this tool to help you. When it comes to airfare, there is always a deal to nearly any destination.
Fly Out Early
Ahh the crack of dawn… if you’re a fan, then you are in luck! The cheapest flight is the first one in the morning. This means that you have to wake up early.
If you miss the morning flight, then the next cheapest flights are during lunch hour or after dinner. That’s because most travelers don’t want to travel at uncomfortable or inconvenient times.
Use Budget Carriers
Previously, if you wanted to visit different continents, you didn’t have any option but to use the traditional expensive flights. Since budget airlines now provide service to long haul routes, this is not the case anymore. It’s possible to fly around the world using budget airlines.
Whenever possible, flying using these airlines provides the best alternatives. Although you get fewer packages, you can save a lot of money when it comes to the price. You just need to ensure that you watch out for the fees. Also- do not book out much further than 8 weeks as some of these budget airlines can adjust their schedules more than average, so be prepared to be a bit flexible.
Watch Out for Any Special Deals
Although you may not want to clutter your main email box, if you sign up for a mailing list from the airlines you’ll be able to get updates on any specials or last minute deals that are happening.
This is one of the best ways to ensure that you secure a cheap flight. In most instances, cheaper flights are just available for 24 hours. If you are regularly checking the web, you may miss out on many of the cheaper deals. In addition, they also offer several bonuses that you can take advantage of.
Fly for Free with Points
The cheapest airline seat that you can book is, well… free, and the easiest way to do that is by using points. If you lack the points to use then, maybe next time.
By signing up for travel rewards credit cards and hitting your target, you can land some extra points that can be enough to give you a free flight.
Search for Ticket Prices as One Person
Instead of buying or searching for multiple ticket prices in a single purchase, search as one person. When you are searching as a group, most airlines tend to show the highest ticket price.
For instance, if you are a group of four people, the airline will look for four seats and show you the fare based on the highest price.
If you want to get the lowest price, search as a single person. Later on, you can pick your seats so that you and your groups sit together.
Book a Vacation Package
If you book the whole package including a hotel and a flight you can often time save a lot of cash. Most third party booking sites and airlines all provide packages. By doing this, you can book and cheaper flight and enjoy the bonus.
Search for Tickets in other Currencies
If your country’s currency is stable, search for airfare prices in a place where the currency is weaker. For instance, since the US dollar is strong and New Zealand’s currency is weak, it’s advisable to search for the ticket in New Zealand.
Although this trick does not work often enough, it’s worth trying especially if you are planning on traveling internationally.
Book Connecting Flights for Less
If you are traveling to a place that involves a transfer, then you need to consider booking for these flights separately.
While doing this, try to avoid booking tight layovers. However, this approach only applies to those who want to create another destination before taking their next flight.
Summary
Finding a cheap flight is basically about being smart and flexible in where you go, how you get there and when to go.
Whether you are booking six months in advance or you cannot book until last minute, you can always get fins the cheapest day to buy flights via airlines if you are smart about it.
The idea is having a flexible travel itinerary and knowing where to look for. If you don’t have a preference for the flight time, travel days, and carrier these money saving tips can be an eye-opener.
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