'I'm a travel expert - never wait for a last-minute deal when booking a flight'
Flight price hikes have been happening for some time now, leaving many travellers tormented and unable to book some much-needed fun in the sun. However handy travel tips from those-in-the-know have revealed some surprising tricks and tips you can utilise to bag yourself a bargain – saving money for that cocktail on a lounger at your favourite holiday hot spot, too, as a result.
Gavin Lapidus, Travel Agent and Director of multi-centre holiday specialists, eShores, has revealed the best ways to save money on flights: “Monday to Wednesday is the best time to board a cheap flight,” he says, “while moving your travel back or forward a day can cut costs by 20%.” Want to know more? Then his top travel tips below could help transport you to a sunnier clime more cost effectively than you thought:
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Buy luggage at the right time
It’s well-known that flight prices fluctuate, but did you know luggage prices do too? Ryanair, for example, offers the option to buy a priority ticket that includes a cabin bag and 10kg luggage you can bring on board, however prices for this package varies between £6-£24, depending on timing and the amount of people who’ve already purchased this option. It can work out cheaper to buy the 10kg bag when you first book your flight, however on less popular flights, with more space on the plane, puchasing the priority package at check-in will be significantly cheaper than the one you were initially offered (on the side of £10), so always consider how busy your flight is likely to be.
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Fly early to mid-week
To take advantage of the best deals, choose your days wisely. It's often cheaper to fly in the middle of the week, with recent Google data showing that flights departing Monday-Wednesday are cheaper than weekends (varying on the destination), so if you’re flexible with dates, double-check departure days, as flying a day sooner or later could save you up to 20%. January is often a more affordable month to book due to lower demand, so booking your next holiday in the New Year is an excellent time to catch a deal.
Don’t rely on last-minute deals
Always book as far in advance as possible. While there are occasionally good ‘last-minute’ deals on flights and holidays, it’s very dependent on how many seats are left on a flight – there may be none, or demand may be high, so prices can spike closer to the date of travel and you can end up paying more. Last-minute deals can be great for booking cheap, impromptu trips, but relying on them for a planned holiday is a huge risk that no travel agent would recommend.
Book summer holidays 10 months in advance
If you’re looking to take a summer trip during peak school holidays, book as early as possible. For long-haul flights, 10-11 months in advance is when you’ll find the cheapest deals, while 8-10 months in advance is best for European trips. If you miss this cut-off, you can often find cheap fares for long-haul in January and February when demand is lower. Generally, it’s always recommended to book holidays at least a season or two in advance. So, for summer, start looking at flights in winter or early spring, as that is when the best deals will pop up.
Be savvy when booking for peak times
February half-term and Easter are particularly busy booking times, when prices more than double their usual cost due to low availability. Summer is also busier with prices starting to rise. December is the last month to get a good deal on these peak dates, as prices will spike even further from January. If you’re not planning a holiday with children, then try to avoid travelling during the school holidays to get cheaper deals.
Book soon for next Christmas
Christmas is the busiest two weeks of the year for travel and prices are hiked, especially closer to the time. You could pay three times more for a Christmas booking in December than if you secured it earlier in the year. To get the cheapest prices flights need to be booked as soon as they come on sale. So, for Christmas 2024, you should ideally be booking in January or February. From October onwards, prices will be at their highest. The days before and after a seasonal holiday are also the most expensive days to travel, so if you can be flexible with your travel dates, or extend your trip, that can also cut costs.
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