WHAT AFFECTS THE COST OF YOUR FLIGHT?
Have you ever wondered what causes the price of flights to change? There are some guidelines which may help you estimate the best time to book your ticket based on available data and travelers’ experience. It is ultimately the airlines that have control over the prices, however, with our secret tips you can save yourself a great amount of money. Here are 9 parameters that affect the cost of flights.
Not too early, not too late
If you book your flight too early (several months in advance) or too late (right before departure), the price will be high. Why? Either way you probably have a strong reason to travel on that particular date so you will have to pay a lot of money for it. The best time to book a flight is about 2 months before departure.
Avoid the peak season
Generally speaking, airlines have two flight schedules: summer (April – October) and winter (November – March). The number of flights during winter schedule is reduced because the demand is lower, however, that’s when you get a cheap deal. Summer is busier but the prices are also higher.
Early bird gets the worm?
According to the data, early morning flights are cheaper than later in the day since many travelers don’t want to wake up in the middle of the night to make their way to the airport. Similarly, late night flights tend to have reduced rates.
Best day of the week to book your flight
Supposedly Tuesday. It looks like most airlines drop their prices on Monday nights, making Tuesday morning the best time to book. Also, travelling midweek can be considerably cheaper than travelling on Fridays, Mondays or weekends.
Location matters
Prices are higher to/from destinations where airlines do not fly that often. You can also expect to pay extra if there are only a few airlines operating that particular route. If your final destination is popular and the competition is high, you are likely to pay less.
Choose your carrier carefully
Sure you can save money by booking your flight with a low-cost carrier but think twice. Do you need to check in a bag? Do you want to choose a particular seat? Would you like to have a meal on board? All these extras are usually payable and you may end up spending more than if you booked with a regular carrier in the first place.
Fuel costs & fees
Prices of flights fluctuate because of many factors. One of them is the fuel cost that is constantly changing. Some countries also introduce various ecological taxes, airport charges or extra fees for crossing a certain territory.
Direct or indirect?
Flights with one or more layovers tend to be cheaper because arguably they are less comfortable. The more direct your long haul flight is, the more you are likely to pay.
Error fare
We are all just humans and humans make mistakes. From time to time, you can come across an incredibly cheap deal because somebody messed up a currency rate or forgot to put one zero. You have to be quick though because it’s only a matter of time when these incorrectly priced tickets will be taken down.