It’s the start of the new year and many of us are already planning our next vacation. Topmost on everyone’s mind is to decide the destination, book tickets and get the hotels done. And this is where, most of us flounder. We keep postponing the bookings till the last minute. This is when the flight prices go up and all havoc breaks lose.
So, what can be done when we are in the middle of the nth hour. Is there a better way to be more organised?
Here are ways to book your flight in the most economical and smart manner.
Right month –
Booking in the right month is critical. As per data from leading travel sites, January is a good month to book in 2019. However, this isn’t a benchmark. A good lead time is 6-8 weeks before travel. Also, the timing in the day. Travel gurus suggest early morning as the best time to book cost effective flights. Skyscanner says that travellers can still find good deals by simply avoiding booking between 7 and 10 p.m.
Flexibility –
Be flexible with your travel dates and times. Airlines always hike their prices during major holidays – they follow the holiday calendar as much as you do. Try to be flexible with your dates.
Better still, try and plan off seasons locations and plan a departure date in the middle of the week and take either early morning or late-night flights out of a city. It always works wonders on your pocket.
Budget airlines –
Gone are the days of the traditional big branded airlines. Cheaper and more budget friendly options are available and with larger accessibility and connectivity.
Take stop overs –
Most travel sites advice that people should take connecting flights rather than flying one long haul flight. It may cost more. Route flexibility is important. Look for alternatives, smaller locations connecting you to your final destination, timings etc. Sites like the Google flights provide you with holistic options that will help take such decisions.
Special deals –
Being on airline mailing list isn’t always bad! Lot of times, they advertise special deals, time clocked packages that are a steal. Watch out for them. Additionally, they offer frequent flier bonuses and class upgrades.
Search one ticket at a time –
By far, one of the best ways to save money. Don’t search for or buy multiple tickets in a single purchase. Airlines always show the highest ticket price in a group of tickets. Therefore, always search for tickets as a single person. One can always do seat bookings together later on.