You could be spending hundreds of dollars MORE than you need to on plane tickets! Find out the BEST time to buy
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Nowadays, everything seems expensive. Food, petrol, rent — name any basic thing a person needs to live and it’s probably enough to make your bank account weep.
Speaking of things to make your wallets cry, we all know how expensive airfares can be, especially if you're travelling during peak times like Christmas.
Recent reports say Aussies are expected to spend twice as much on airfares than normal because of various factors, including pent-up demand over the last two years of suspended travel from COVID and soaring prices of fuel.
If you are considering travel plans, you might be on the way to cancelling them to save precious cash — but don’t!
We have some good news! (Something in short supply these days…)
There are ways to help flyers get the best bang for their buck. All it takes is strategy and time, according to travel experts like comparison site Finder’s Angus Kidman.
How exactly, you ask?
For starters, booking flights as early as possible helps.
‘If you see a cheap international fare, snag it right away,’ he said.
On average, Aussie travellers who booked their flights at least three months ahead saved 30% for local flights and 25% for international compared to those who booked last minute, according to Expedia’s 2023 Travel Hacks report.
Neat, right? It gets better! Apparently, planning flight bookings down to specific days could also help.
Bookings on Sundays instead of Fridays also had a tendency to cut costs by an average of 20% for domestic and international flights, the report said.
Travellers who scheduled their departures on Saturdays instead of Mondays also saved 20% for domestic flights.
Meanwhile for international flyers, departures on Fridays instead of Sundays had an average saving of 10%.
‘It’s well-known that flight prices vary based on the day of the week,’ Angus pointed out.
‘I am very much a Tuesday traveller. I always aim to book domestic flights between Tuesday and Thursday. That’s generally when the cheapest sale seats are available too. Added bonus: The airport queues are usually shorter too.’
‘Note that the key is when the flight happens, not when you book it. Airlines often run sales on a particular day of the week – Virgin on Thursdays, Jetstar on Fridays. But they don’t make all future fares cheaper just because it’s a Tuesday.’
Another thing Angus recommends is using technology to your advantage.
‘Set up a price alert for your dream destinations to be notified whenever the fare changes,’ he said.
‘Booking sites such as Kayak and Skyscanner offer this feature, while airlines including Qantas, Virgin, and Jetstar will let you set up reminder emails too.’
In addition, travellers could also use features usually present on travel sites that compare rates across carriers, if only to give a variety of prices to choose from.
Beyond cheap airfares, another handy tip Expedia’s report gave out was on how to avoid nasty flight cancellations by booking departures at midday.
Apparently, flights scheduled between 9 AM - 3 PM have the best chance for seamless departures compared to the 3 PM - 9 PM window, which has a 30% higher chance, on average, of flight cancellations.
We hope this piece helps you in your future travels! We also encourage you to talk to your travel agent, if you’re not a big fan of online travel applications, for more tips on how to score cheap airfare — you do you!
If you have time, be sure to check this TikTok user’s viral hack for cheap airfare! And if you’re thinking of places to go, we got you covered with these top overseas destinations.
Next time you're planning a trip, keep these findings in mind – they could help you save hundreds of dollars!
Do you have any cheap airfare tips of your own? Don’t be shy, come and share them with us in the comments section below!
Source: YouTube/9 News Australia
Speaking of things to make your wallets cry, we all know how expensive airfares can be, especially if you're travelling during peak times like Christmas.
Recent reports say Aussies are expected to spend twice as much on airfares than normal because of various factors, including pent-up demand over the last two years of suspended travel from COVID and soaring prices of fuel.
If you are considering travel plans, you might be on the way to cancelling them to save precious cash — but don’t!
We have some good news! (Something in short supply these days…)
Booking flights well in advance can help save on costly airfare. Credit: Pexels
There are ways to help flyers get the best bang for their buck. All it takes is strategy and time, according to travel experts like comparison site Finder’s Angus Kidman.
How exactly, you ask?
For starters, booking flights as early as possible helps.
‘If you see a cheap international fare, snag it right away,’ he said.
On average, Aussie travellers who booked their flights at least three months ahead saved 30% for local flights and 25% for international compared to those who booked last minute, according to Expedia’s 2023 Travel Hacks report.
Neat, right? It gets better! Apparently, planning flight bookings down to specific days could also help.
Bookings on Sundays instead of Fridays also had a tendency to cut costs by an average of 20% for domestic and international flights, the report said.
Travellers who scheduled their departures on Saturdays instead of Mondays also saved 20% for domestic flights.
Meanwhile for international flyers, departures on Fridays instead of Sundays had an average saving of 10%.
‘It’s well-known that flight prices vary based on the day of the week,’ Angus pointed out.
‘I am very much a Tuesday traveller. I always aim to book domestic flights between Tuesday and Thursday. That’s generally when the cheapest sale seats are available too. Added bonus: The airport queues are usually shorter too.’
‘Note that the key is when the flight happens, not when you book it. Airlines often run sales on a particular day of the week – Virgin on Thursdays, Jetstar on Fridays. But they don’t make all future fares cheaper just because it’s a Tuesday.’
Another thing Angus recommends is using technology to your advantage.
‘Set up a price alert for your dream destinations to be notified whenever the fare changes,’ he said.
Setting email alerts is also helpful for keeping track of airfare price changes. Credit: Pexels
‘Booking sites such as Kayak and Skyscanner offer this feature, while airlines including Qantas, Virgin, and Jetstar will let you set up reminder emails too.’
In addition, travellers could also use features usually present on travel sites that compare rates across carriers, if only to give a variety of prices to choose from.
Beyond cheap airfares, another handy tip Expedia’s report gave out was on how to avoid nasty flight cancellations by booking departures at midday.
Apparently, flights scheduled between 9 AM - 3 PM have the best chance for seamless departures compared to the 3 PM - 9 PM window, which has a 30% higher chance, on average, of flight cancellations.
If you have time, be sure to check this TikTok user’s viral hack for cheap airfare! And if you’re thinking of places to go, we got you covered with these top overseas destinations.
Next time you're planning a trip, keep these findings in mind – they could help you save hundreds of dollars!
Do you have any cheap airfare tips of your own? Don’t be shy, come and share them with us in the comments section below!
Source: YouTube/9 News Australia
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