Airlines: Are You Getting the Best Price?

It’s that time of year once again - the kids are back to school, which means holiday prices are much more affordable. There are some great destinations to travel to in late summer and autumn, too - the Southwest United States, for example, is still basking in sunlight, while the Canary Islands will be offering a pleasant touch of warmth right throughout the winter. Now is a great time to travel - if you can find a good deal, that is! So how can you get the very best airline prices for your trip?

The ‘Window’

Two popular flight price comparison websites recently teamed up to monitor fluctuating airline prices, to determine when was the optimal time to book a getaway. They discovered that there was a ‘window’ - between 29 days and 104 days before departure - that in most cases tended to offer the most affordable rates. The businesses concluded that the average traveller would pay around £21 more per ticket for booking too early, and £47 per ticket for booking too late. According to the research, 54 days before departure is considered the ideal time to book a ticket.

Of course, the best time to book also depends on your chosen holiday destination. For long haul trips, you’ll typically get the best rates by booking a little earlier than usual. So if you’re thinking of jetting off to the United States - for Florida’s theme parks, New York’s shopping, or Utah’s national parks - booking 21 weeks before departure is said to deliver the best prices. And if you’re craving a sunny beach getaway in Cyprus? You’ll often find the best rates just 4 weeks before departure, so be prepared!

Booking the Best Deal

The Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC) claims that flight prices are often cheaper if you sit down at your computer and book over the weekend. Saturdays and Sundays are usually the best times to book a holiday, when families are out having fun and bookings are slow. Fridays, on the other hand, when workers are tired and fed up, is when many people will begin researching sunny holidays, so it’s not surprising that those who book on a Friday often pay the higher rates. Remember - when it comes to travel, it pays to be savvy. If you’re determined to get a great deal, it’s well worth tracking flight prices using online travel agents, comparison sites, and digital directories.