How to Travel Cheaper and When is the Best Time to Buy Plane Tickets

So, let’s calculate the approximate expenses for a month-long vacation: $300 for a hotel, another $200 for shopping… Let’s see how much a ticket costs. Wow, $1,000? That’s twice as expensive?! It’s probably easier not to go at all! In such a case, the thought inevitably crosses your mind: “Can I save money anywhere on this trip?”

But don’t jump to negative conclusions — you absolutely can save money! You won’t even need to consult tarot cards or wait for the planets to align. In this article, we will lift the veil of mystery and tell you when to buy the cheapest plane tickets.

Airline Sales

The simplest and most obvious way is to wait for airlines to lower prices on tickets themselves. This happens during “Black Friday” (November 24–28), “Cyber Monday” (January 30 — February 2), or during the New Year holidays (January 1–9). All you need to do is stay informed.

By the way, almost all airlines have loyalty programs. You’ll need to spend about ten minutes of your time registering, but look how many benefits you can get:

• bonus points. Otherwise known as “miles”. The concept is simple: the more often you fly, the more you earn. In the future, points can be spent to get a nice discount;
• fast check-in. You can choose your preferred seat in advance and check in at a separate counter. This means no queues before departure.
• priority baggage claim. This service allows you to retrieve your luggage and be among the first to head home. Especially relevant after a long flight.

By the way, sometimes loyalty program members are allowed to take an additional piece of hand luggage. Then excess baggage isn’t so scary. And about what you can take with you on a plane, we’ve explained in detail in our blog. This is useful for those flying for the first time or unsure about the contents of their hand luggage.

• other discounts. For example, for your birthday or the airline’s anniversary. A 20% discount sounds tempting, don’t you think?

In short, don’t forget about the loyalty program. Perhaps one day it will cheer up both you and your wallet.

Smart Routes Instead of Direct Flights

“What exactly are these smart routes you speak of?” you might rightly ask. It’s hard to explain in just a few words, but we’ll try.

A smart route (or “intelligent route”) is a route to a chosen destination that is composed of several airline tickets. It sounds complicated, so let’s explain with an example: you’re flying to Rome, but you can’t get there on a direct flight; a layover is required. This means you’ll have two separate tickets. Thanks to our smart search algorithm, you won’t have to worry about connecting flights — everything will be done automatically for you. In some cases, the price will be noticeably pleasing, but the flight will be a bit longer.

In general, if time doesn’t scare you, and you really want to save money — we offer smart routes instead of direct flights. Yes, you might have to fly longer, and you’ll need to occupy yourself during layovers… However, saving money is saving money.

Tickets with Layovers at Hub Airports

You can also create a route to your desired destination yourself. Our advice: don’t buy one ticket. In some cases, this can be much more expensive. For example, a multi-city ticket with a single airline might cost $180, while booking the individual legs separately could be $150.

However, there are a couple of downsides. For example, if the first flight is delayed, the subsequent one might be missed. Unfortunately, there will be no compensation. But not all is lost. In our blog, we explained what to do if your flight is delayed. So don’t despair, but do consider this possibility.

Best Months for Purchase

Do you often fly to your dacha in May? Or decide to treat yourself to a spontaneous trip during the New Year holidays? Unfortunately, everyone wants to take a short vacation closer to summer or at the end of the year. Hence the queues at the airport and difficulties with purchasing — the price in such a situation depends not only on the destination but also on the flight period. However, even here you’ll find a couple of tips on when plane tickets are cheaper.

Look for tickets in advance. Yes, yes, it sounds obvious, but there’s a nuance: prices are inflated at the start of sales, and buying that coveted ticket two or three weeks beforehand is definitely a bad idea; it will be expensive. The best option is to buy it two to three months before traveling.

There’s also the option of “last-minute tickets” — these are tickets that are sold 24–48 hours before departure and, as a rule, are cheaper. However, this option isn’t suitable for everyone, as there’s a risk of not making it in time and being left without a ticket at all. That makes for a rather poor vacation.

Best Days of the Week to Buy

You might be surprised, but the day of the week also affects the price. Closer to the weekend, prices are generally higher: everyone wants to relax, and someone wants to profit from it. The best day of the week to buy plane tickets is Thursday.

As for the time of day, it doesn’t affect the ticket price at all. It doesn’t matter if you buy it during the day or at night — the price won’t change.

Summary

Finally, for your convenience, here are all the tips on when to buy cheaper plane tickets:

• monitor airline sales;
• register for a loyalty program;
• include baggage in the ticket immediately;
• choose smart routes instead of direct flights;
• choose tickets with layovers at convenient hub airports;
• buy a ticket two to three months in advance;
• plan your vacation so that travel dates fall during the low season;
• shift your travel dates by two weeks if they fall during a popular time;
• plan your trip in advance;
• don’t forget to check the price chart.

That’s all. Save our article as a reminder for future travels. We wish you a pleasant flight and a great vacation at the most favorable prices!