Flight comparison sites have certainly helped travel! |
Major travel comparison sites, such as Expedia and Orbitz, have made it much easier for us common folk to become world-savvy travelers. No longer are we dependent on travel agents to compare flight ticket prices between multiple airlines—we can do it ourselves with two taps of a mouse! In fact, the last time I used a travel agent was seven years ago, in order to map out a route to Molde. If I were to make that same trip today, there’s no doubt I could pull it off without a third party, just by spending a litle more time in front the computer screen.
Yes, the Internet has made it vastly convenient for us to get our own flight tickets. But did you know that there are actually certain days of the month that are the best times to book those tickets?
Let’s back up a minute and establish when you plan to travel. We can generally agree that there are peak seasons for certain destinations, and visiting off-peak takes at least a couple of hundred off expenses. We can also concede that booking tickets at least five months in advance can yield a lower price. I remember once checking airline quotes for a potential summer trip to Toronto, and finding to my satisfaction that booking in early December was a mere third of the cost of booking in February.
I know someone in charge of arranging convention flights every year, who would always wait until the very last minute before purchasing tickets, in the hopes that prices would go down the closer it got to the date. This almost never happens! Don’t rely on “special promotions” suddenly popping up three weeks before your travel date. Remember, any promotions that airlines have usually apply to dates that suit them, not necessarily you. Unless your schedule is extremely flexible, it is recommended that you book months in advance if you want to get a cheaper deal.
This ties in to the best times of the month to book your flights. Every time there is a month “turnaround”—for example, the old month January turning into the new month February—airlines adjust their price quotes accordingly. Often, but not always, the prices are increased the closer it gets to your intended travel date.
With that in mind, avoid purchasing tickets at the beginning of the month. During this time, prices are being adjusted, and quotes are ever-fluctuating. You will especially notice this if you browse flight comparison sites during the first week of the month: the quotes go up and down like a rollercoaster, and when you do click to purchase, most times you’ll get a message saying: “This seat is no longer available. Please go back and make a new selection.”
If you’re willing to spend hours on the computer and take a chance, then certainly go ahead. You may be lucky enough to score a seat. But if sitting in front of the screen and scrolling through flight quotes for hours is not your cup of tea, steer away from the beginning of the month.
Flight quotes often stabilize by the middle of the month, at the very latest. This is a great time for you to start comparing prices and narrowing down your airline selection. The best time to buy? The later half of the month, usually around the 22nd-28th range.
You can put off making your purchase to the very end of the month, of course, but do this carefully and with a grain of salt. Keep in mind that while some airlines may have their lowest quotes during this time, others may have already reviewed their available seatings based on the preceding weeks, and thus make a jumpstart on adjusting their prices.
Tip: Double-check with the winning airline’s original website. Flight comparison sites have been giving airlines a run for their money. It has gotten to the point that the airlines themselves—for example, Northwest Airlines—sometimes offer lower quotes or discounts if you buy your ticket directly from their website.
So, after comparing flight quotes between multiple airlines at the comparison site, and deciding on the one the best fits your schedule and budget, it is worth visiting that airline’s website before you go ahead and buy. Double-check to see what that same offer is on its site, taking into account any additional fees or taxes. You may very well find the total lower than the one previously quoted on the comparison site.
Hopefully, with this guideline and a bit of savvy navigation, the next time you shop for flights will be a hassle-free breeze!
| « It’s a Privilege to Pee | Packing Essentials #1: Keep Spritzin' » |
|