Ways to Save on Your Summer Holiday Flights

Thinking of jetting off somewhere warm this summer? Before you get hot under the collar at the sky-high price of flights, look at some of the tricks that can cut the cost of your plane ticket.

The long and the short of it.

The best time to book a short-haul flight is 70 days – about two and a half months – before you want to fly.  But if you’re travelling long-haul, you’ll get the best deal if you can hold your nerve and leave it until as near your departure date as possible. Definitely no more than 47 days in advance.

Make Sunday your fun-day.

Book and, if possible, travel on a Sunday. Most people book their trips on a Friday or a Saturday, so airlines and hotels jack up the prices accordingly. You can save anything up to 30% by waiting. Tuesdays are a sweet spot too.

Ditch certain dates.

Never attempt to book a flight out for any of the first five Fridays of the school summer holidays. In some cases, the cost can double. Although return on a Friday and you’ll get a good rate. The beginning of winter is also a no-no.

Clear your cookies.

Wipe your browsing history before booking a flight. It’s been proven that the cost of a plane ticket increases when a certain route has been visited more than once. Sneaky!

Change your search engine.

For the same reason, try to use different browsers when searching flight details.

 Fly from a different airport.

We all opt for the nearest airport to mark the start of our holiday. But, travelling to one further afield can mean massive savings – sometimes up to 50%. You’ve got to factor in the cost and inconvenience of getting there, and back when you land, but it’s worth weighing up to see how many more jugs of Sangria it could buy.

Consider split-ticketing.

This is big news on rail travel, but few people think the same applies to airlines. Sometimes a flight that connects in a destination you want to go to is cheaper than flying directly to it.

Revel in the red-eye.

No-one wants to travel in the wee small hours of the morning, but if you really want to cut costs, schedule a red-eye flight. These tend to be heavily discounted due to the inconvenient time they take off and land.

Hunt down the hidden charges.

Be sure to read the small print. The first price you see might not be the price you pay. There are lots of taxes and fees that can be added on, including baggage charges. Ensure the amount you’re quoted is the final price.

Now you’ve got all the tips for bagging a bargain flight, just make sure you don’t forget your passport!