Everyone wants to find cheap flights, but you may be using outdated strategies.
The rules change as the options change. Not only are there more options for consumers, such as low cost carriers in an increasing number of markets and new fare classes like basic economy, but there is also much more transparency around flight pricing that previously didn't exist before.That transparency is helping debunk commonly held travel myths, which, according to Hopper, could be holding you back from saving almost $300 on spring flights in 2019.
Here are the mistakes you might be making when booking a flight.
1. Always booking the cheapest fare.
Basic economy fares are being offered by almost all the airlines, but you have to pay extra to bring on a bag or select your seat ahead of time. Also the fees for checked bags can also add up depending on the airline. Southwest is unusual because they offer 2 free checked bags.
Basic Economy fares may look like the cheapest flight option, but you’ll have to either play by their rules or anticipate paying extra for things that are included in the economy fare. If you’ve got bags or need to sit with a family member (or hate the middle seat), you may actually save money by booking the standard economy fare upfront.
2. Booking too early (or too late)
The belief that you can find the best rate by buying flights as early as possible is outdated.Booking more than six months ahead can cost you since airlines set their initial prices conservatively. One of the things you really need to take in consideration is the time of year you are booking. If you are booking a holiday or summer trip, you may want to book further in advance. The airlines price flights according to the number of seats available. As the number goes down, the prices go up.
On the flip side, booking at the last minute is still going to cost you a premium. Prices typically start spiking in the two weeks leading up to a trip, and it's very unlikely that you'll find a better deal in that window than if you had purchased at an earlier date.
3. Avoiding early morning flights
The redeye is often thought to be the cheapest fare of the day, but flying at 5 a.m. is the true sweet spot. Most people want to fly after 8 a.m. and return home from a trip in the afternoon – that means you're more likely to save if you book an early morning return flight too.
Early morning flights are also less likely to be delayed as most planes have landed for the night and the airspace is relatively quiet. Airports are also less crowded in the early mornings,
4. Plugging in specific travel dates
Flights departing on Thursdays or Fridays tend to offer the lowest rates (with up to 10 percent in savings), while flights departing on Sundays were found to be the most expensive. While this is important to keep in mind, the cheapest days to travel varies by flight and destination. Some Sunday flights are economical. You really need to use a booking engine like Skyscanner, Kayak, or Hopper allows you to compare rates over several days or an entire month to see when the cheapest travel days are. Using this method, you might also be able to take advantage of airline errors or sale fares, resulting in crazy-cheap tickets at the airline or booking engine’s expense. Also flights on Saturdays are usually less expensive.
5. Forgetting budget airlines
It’s easy to plug in your travel dates and let big search engines do the work, but if you go this route you might miss out on budget airline fares. For example, Southwest’s fares often do not appear in Google Flights If you know a budget airline flies to your destination, head to their site directly to review rates.
6. Not trying one way tickets
If you just aren’t finding an affordable flight, you might consider alternative booking methods.
Most people steer away from one way tickets, but in some cases they work. Consider flying into one airport and out another, and keep an eye on airline sales, which in Southwest’s case are often one-way.
Judy Peterson HTTPS://www.PetersonTravelPros.com
The rules change as the options change. Not only are there more options for consumers, such as low cost carriers in an increasing number of markets and new fare classes like basic economy, but there is also much more transparency around flight pricing that previously didn't exist before.That transparency is helping debunk commonly held travel myths, which, according to Hopper, could be holding you back from saving almost $300 on spring flights in 2019.
Here are the mistakes you might be making when booking a flight.
1. Always booking the cheapest fare.
Basic economy fares are being offered by almost all the airlines, but you have to pay extra to bring on a bag or select your seat ahead of time. Also the fees for checked bags can also add up depending on the airline. Southwest is unusual because they offer 2 free checked bags.
Basic Economy fares may look like the cheapest flight option, but you’ll have to either play by their rules or anticipate paying extra for things that are included in the economy fare. If you’ve got bags or need to sit with a family member (or hate the middle seat), you may actually save money by booking the standard economy fare upfront.
2. Booking too early (or too late)
The belief that you can find the best rate by buying flights as early as possible is outdated.Booking more than six months ahead can cost you since airlines set their initial prices conservatively. One of the things you really need to take in consideration is the time of year you are booking. If you are booking a holiday or summer trip, you may want to book further in advance. The airlines price flights according to the number of seats available. As the number goes down, the prices go up.
On the flip side, booking at the last minute is still going to cost you a premium. Prices typically start spiking in the two weeks leading up to a trip, and it's very unlikely that you'll find a better deal in that window than if you had purchased at an earlier date.
3. Avoiding early morning flights
The redeye is often thought to be the cheapest fare of the day, but flying at 5 a.m. is the true sweet spot. Most people want to fly after 8 a.m. and return home from a trip in the afternoon – that means you're more likely to save if you book an early morning return flight too.
Early morning flights are also less likely to be delayed as most planes have landed for the night and the airspace is relatively quiet. Airports are also less crowded in the early mornings,
4. Plugging in specific travel dates
Flights departing on Thursdays or Fridays tend to offer the lowest rates (with up to 10 percent in savings), while flights departing on Sundays were found to be the most expensive. While this is important to keep in mind, the cheapest days to travel varies by flight and destination. Some Sunday flights are economical. You really need to use a booking engine like Skyscanner, Kayak, or Hopper allows you to compare rates over several days or an entire month to see when the cheapest travel days are. Using this method, you might also be able to take advantage of airline errors or sale fares, resulting in crazy-cheap tickets at the airline or booking engine’s expense. Also flights on Saturdays are usually less expensive.
5. Forgetting budget airlines
It’s easy to plug in your travel dates and let big search engines do the work, but if you go this route you might miss out on budget airline fares. For example, Southwest’s fares often do not appear in Google Flights If you know a budget airline flies to your destination, head to their site directly to review rates.
6. Not trying one way tickets
If you just aren’t finding an affordable flight, you might consider alternative booking methods.
Most people steer away from one way tickets, but in some cases they work. Consider flying into one airport and out another, and keep an eye on airline sales, which in Southwest’s case are often one-way.
Judy Peterson HTTPS://www.PetersonTravelPros.com