For most world residents, flying is often the largest part of your travel budget. For many countries, domestic flights can be costly, and can mean that visiting and exploring your own country is out of your reach unless you are up for a very long, expensive, and gruelling road trip. Often enough, you can find flights to overseas destinations for cheaper, especially when looking for a weekend away in Europe. Flights, however, don’t always have to be expensive. You can save a lot of money by knowing when the best time to book flights is; for instance, six weeks is the sweet-spot for booking the cheapest flight worldwide according to Opodo.
Keep an eye out for deals
There are so many tips and tricks that you can use to help you save money on your airfare. Budget airlines are becoming increasingly popular and allow young travelers and those with strict budgets to travel more freely. You can choose airlines that skip all the bells and whistles in exchange for a cheaper flight, which is ideal for short-haul or domestic flights. When booking for such flights, make sure you try and book flights six weeks before flying or, if you miss this mark, wait for two weeks before departure and keep checking for the best prices. By doing so, you can find the best deals.
What are the cheapest days and months?
The cost of airfare itself fluctuates massively, meaning that if you know the best times to book and the best times to fly you can save a lot of money no matter where you want to go. The best times to book for short haul flights, for instance, is on Wednesdays in January – perfect cure for the winter blues – and, again, these flights should be books during the six week sweet spot.
If you’re flying domestic, then book in October and on a Sunday; for long-haul flights, any Tuesday in September is ideal for you. Keep an eye on the deals available to you, and although it may be tempting to book way ahead of time, wait for the six week mark or the two week one. If prices begin to increase, simply wait for them to drop. Always avoid booking the week before departure. Booking even a week before your trip can see prices soar.
Opodo’s infographic details the price fluctuations on the 0-180 days before flight and how 31-60 days before flying is the cheapest with domestic, short-haul and long-haul travel. While the fluctuations in price may not be so promising in week two, the bargains are still there, and most notably in 8 to 14 days or 57 to 63 days before travel. If you’re a backpacker, these dates are prime to you and your travel habits, so make sure you have alarms on your smartphones, telling you when it’s the best time to pack your bags, throw them over your shoulder and move onto your next destination and adventure.
