Helpful Strategies
According to Byers, for example, it makes a big difference on which day you fly: “On average, flights departing on a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday were twelve percent cheaper than those departing on a weekend”. If you leave out international flights, you can even save up to 20 percent. Byers refers to a study that examined flight data over five years from August 1, 2017 to August 1, 2022.
Even those who book their trip early can save money. For example, flights within the US were cheapest when booked 21 to 60 days in advance. Flight tickets were cheapest 44 days before departure. This does not apply to every route, but it makes sense to plan and book a flight well in advance.
In addition, you can save an average of 20 percent if you choose a flight with a stopover instead of a direct flight. However, travelers also run the risk of an interruption, for example because the connecting flight is delayed or canceled altogether.
Booking date irrelevant
According to Byers, however, a misconception is the widespread assumption that the day of the week on which a flight is booked is relevant for the price to be paid. Since many airlines publish their weekly price lists on Monday nights, it’s often rumored that you can buy cheap tickets on Tuesdays. But Google Flights data shows that flights booked on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday were, on average, just 1.9 percent cheaper than airline tickets bought on a weekend.
“If you’re traveling in a couple of weeks, don’t wait until next Tuesday — book your flight now instead, because the price could go up,” advises James Byers.
Editorial office finanzen.net
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