Do you think that the plane is the most expensive form of transport? Not at all. If you follow promotional offers, are subscribed to the newsletter from airline ticket websites and know how to use a search engine, then traveling by airliner will not be a luxury for you. We will understand how to buy tickets profitably in today's article.
Pricing policy
Do you know that you can get by plane from point A to point B, for example, for 3,000 rubles, and for 10,000 rubles? Indeed, the difference in the price of tickets is simply enormous. The cost depends on many factors: the number of transfers, booking time, destination, demand.
During the season, cheap tickets tend to disappear from sale, giving way to more expensive ones. An important role is also played by the demand for directions. Tickets to cities that are popular with tourists are always an order of magnitude higher than to cities that are less in demand.
Good time for booking
Some people think that the sooner they buy tickets, the better. For example, you know for sure that next year you are going on vacation on June 17, and therefore you think: “Why don’t I book tickets for the year today”. Alas, this way you will not be able to save money, although tickets do go on sale 330 days before departure. The fact is that airlines begin to set tariffs depending on the current situation (demand, economic situation, etc.) 60 days before the departure of the flight. In a larger time interval, last year's prices are taken as the basis.
Peter Greenberg travels a lot around the world, and therefore knows a lot about booking. He claims that tickets need to be purchased no earlier than 45 days before departure. But the CheapAir company specialists, having studied the cost of tickets for different periods, derived a different formula. They said the cheapest deals were found 54 days before the flight was sent.
Day and time of ticket purchase
So, we have approximately decided when to start looking for tickets (that is, 45-54 days before departure). Now let's pay attention to the day of the week. It turns out that on weekends you can find only expensive options. But on Wednesday, you have a unique opportunity to book tickets at least thirty percent cheaper. This week, airlines offer customers discounts and promotional offers.
Another nuance: if you look at the ticket price on the same Wednesday, but in the afternoon, you will see one price, and if at night - then another, lower. Indeed, experts argue that it is most beneficial to make a reservation at one in the morning local time (this is important!).
But that is not all. Greenberg reveals another secret to saving. Some airlines put up for sale cheap tickets from Sunday evening to Monday evening, giving customers a day to redeem. If you saw such a special offer, be sure to make a reservation by phone, and not on the Internet.
Airline Booking Sites
Momondo, Aviasales, Skyscanner, Trip to Dream - all these services help you choose tickets from different airlines at budget prices. Customers have the opportunity to compare the cost of flights from different carriers, as well as find out about the availability of tickets. These are really convenient services, but there is one caveat. There is no one site that would make only profitable offers.
Many people make the mistake of choosing a "favorite" for themselves: if today you saw a budget option on one service, you should not trust only him. Carry out continuous monitoring of sites and compare prices at once on several portals.Be sure to subscribe to the newsletter, because it is by e-mail that you can receive advantageous offers.
Yes, and one more thing: be sure to clear your browser history after searching for airline tickets. Otherwise, marketing tricks will be applied to you. For example, there will be notifications about the availability of several tickets in the direction you are interested in (supposedly, hurry up, otherwise you will be left without a ticket). In fact, this information is not true.
Erroneous tariffs
Yes, and sometimes large sites failures on the sites of large corporations, so do not be surprised if you see a business class ticket from Moscow to Sri Lanka for seven thousand rubles. By the way, this is exactly what happened with one person and he shared the good news on the Pirates.ru website. Airlines do not immediately notice "typos", and therefore customers have a unique opportunity to fly abroad for nothing.
Very often, erroneous fares appear on non-closed flights. For example, you fly from St. Petersburg to Bangkok, and return to Moscow. Such an option in slang is called "open mouth." It is when calculating the cost of such flights that airlines often make mistakes.
However, when purchasing tickets at erroneous fares, you must be aware that you are buying them at your own risk. Some companies have the right to cancel them if they find a mistake. Or request a surcharge from you. Before booking, be sure to read the rules of the carrier. If such an item is spelled out, then be prepared for the fact that difficulties may arise. If such a situation is not spelled out in the airline rules, then you can safely take tickets at erroneous fares.