Flights are unbelievably expensive, with many airliners offering their highest airfares in years.
Rising jet fuel prices, staff shortages due to pandemic disruptions and a lack of new aircraft are creating a perfect storm of problems for passengers.
But there are hidden ways that you can keep the cost of your summer travel down, according to experts at Expedia.
It pays to know what day of the week is best to fly along with how far in advance to purchase a ticket, too.
The best time to book a domestic flight is at least a month before. Expedia said the sweet spot for affordable flights falls between 28 and 35 days before departure.
And US domestic flights are cheaper if you travel on a Wednesday.
Airfares this summer are the highest they have been in more than five years (stock image)
But beware – if you book too far in advance, you might pay more.
Avoid buying a ticket three to six months before your departure date. This is one case where being too prepared can cost you.
Based on average round-trip ticket prices for flights from January through August 2022, you can save up to 15 percent when you book on a Sunday.
Expedia says domestic flights booked on a Sunday average savings of 5 percent, and international flights can save 15 percent. So, Sunday is the best travel booking day of the week.
What about international flights?
While it pays to wait to buy tickets for domestic flights, you can save an average of 10 percent if you book an international flight at least six months in advance.
What’s the best way to avoid cancellations? Expedia suggests finding flights that are early in the day.
Flights that leave after 3pm have the best chance of being canceled at almost 50 percent higher.
The bottom line: Want to save the most money while minimizing your chance of delays? Book your flight on a Sunday and make sure it takes off before 3 p.m. on a Wednesday. Safe travels.
More smart tools
You now know the best day of the week, but that isn’t the only tool that you can use to get a great deal.
Try the search engine Skyscanner. It gathers info from all the major travel sites.
Its flight price tracking feature scopes prices over time and sends alerts when prices change.
Google Flights is similar. Search for flights and set up price alerts for specific routes and travel dates.
Google even offers guaranteed rates on some flights. If the price goes up, they’ll pay you back the difference. Look for this when you’re booking.
If you want a little help from AI, get the Hopper App. It offers price predictions for flights, hotels and car rentals using AI algorithms.
You’ll get accurate predictions about when prices are about to rise and fall. This is perfect if your trip is a way out.
Keeping digital copies of your important documents takes (some of) the stress out of travel. Use these tricks to do it.
How to find flights with the most legroom
Google Flights is terrific for figuring out the best and cheapest way to get from point A to point B.
But wouldn’t it be great to also know if you’re going to be scrunched in a little seat the whole time?
You can with the Chrome browser extension called Legroom for Google Flights.
When using Google Flights, you’ll also see how much legroom there is per seat by the selected flight.
Don’t use Chrome? Go to SeatGuru.com. Enter your airline and flight number, and you’ll see a map of the best seats with the most legroom.
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