Yahoo Finance Revealed: the cheapest time to book a flight
You’re thinking about booking your next trip, and you obviously want to keep costs to a minimum – so when should you really be thinking about booking your flight to get the cheapest price possible?
According to Skyscanner, booking long-haul flights 22 weeks in advance is the optimum time to lock in a deal, although this will differ according to the destination.
For example, travellers flying from Sydney to Hong Kong should think about booking 23 weeks in advance for savings of up to 12 per cent ($135), while a getaway to Auckland can be booked 12 weeks in advance for savings of 5 per cent ($25), the travel comparison site said.
And for domestic flights?
Skyscanner’s data reveal that, on average, flights to domestic destinations are best booked 21 weeks in advance to secure the best prices.
For example, 13 per cent (approximately $70) can be saved on flights from Sydney to Perth if booked 23 weeks ahead of travelling.
In comparison, waiting until a week before travelling will tend to result in travellers paying a huge chunk of extra cash on flights to domestic destinations – in some cases up to 30 per cent more!
When is the best day to book?
The actual day that you book your tickets won’t have much affect on the price – but Tuesdays and Sundays could fetch a slight discount.
Instead, it’s the day your flight departs which is directly related to the cost – flying out towards the end of the week (on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays) is likely to be the cheapest. But whatever, you do, avoid travelling on a Sunday.
