Airline tickets – are there ways to save money?

airlineIt can be exciting to fly. There is of course the adrenaline rush of leaving the ground, and the excitement to get to a new destination across the country in a very short time. One thing tends to ground most of us when we are thinking about flying, and that is price.  Flying can be extremely expensive. If you are savvy and patient you can shop deal sites and save a lot of money. I am not sure about you, but saving money for my family is a BIG deal.

When to buy your tickets

Tuesdays have often been linked to the best airline ticket deals. This leaves most of us scratching our heads, but the answer is simple. Deals are often announced Monday evenings and by Tuesday other airlines tend to try to meet or beat the prices. It is all about market and competition in the airline industry. If you wait until Wednesday you may be taking a chance but you may even find a better deal. The reason is some don’t sell all of their tickets so there could be a few seats left to fill and it is better for the airline to take less money than to have an empty seat. If that does not make your head spin then you might not want to listen to the next opinion. Some airlines have historically given better rates on the weekends to attract leisure non-business travelers. This rule will only hold true for business destinations. Places that mostly attract leisure travelers will normally not vary much in price regardless of the day.

When to fly

The day of your flight also matters. Recent researches show that Tuesday is still the cheapest day to fly while Sunday and Friday (for obvious reasons) remain the most expensive. Likewise, focus your attention on the time of departure. Overnight flights are less expensive; also, you can search for dinner-time flights as they are the least popular and occasionally you can cut your costs.

Other information

Never forget that buying tickets beforehand can save you a lot of money. Domestic flights are cheaper six weeks before your departure (prices usually start to grow six weeks before the flight and reach their peak a few days before departure). If looking for international trips, consider starting 90 to 60 days before the flight. It is a good idea to sign up for email low-fare alerts. Airlines can unexpectedly offer random discounts that you will want to be sure to take advantage of if offered.

Besides email alerts, you can use different sites to search for the cheapest flights. A nice example of a helpful web service is cheapfirstclass.com.  They offer the ability to browse for the most appropriate offers on your desired destinations. In addition, cheapfirstclass.com will help you find first and business class tickets. This is just one example of a site that can give you good rate options. You just want to be sure you use one that is reputable.

Photo By: Pixaboy

Do you buy airline tickets often?

Have you ever shopped your tickets on a airline ticket deal site?

 


Posted

in

by