“When should I book my air?” As a travel agency, we are asked that question all the time. With airline algorithms constantly optimizing prices day-to-day, airline failures, global events suddenly raising oil prices and causing ticket prices to skyrocket, the booking of the plane ticket part of a trip can feel really overwhelming. While there is no single answer to solve all these stressors, if you equip yourself with a little knowledge, it will help you get the best value and experience from your flights.
Know Your Choices
Almost all the major airlines have divided their seating into a complex array of basic, main cabin economy, premium, plus, business and first, it’s confusing. And while the airlines claim to give you choices and make sure you aren’t paying for something you don’t want, the reality is that it often does the opposite. Each one of these categories is a little different and can carry some hidden costs or language that might make you end up paying more out of pocket down the road.
First there are cabin types, usually these are something along the lines of “Main Cabin/Economy”, “Premium/Plus” and “First/Business.” These are going to tell you where in the plane you sit from back to front, as well as the general level of service, you’ll get onboard and, to some extent, the service and amenities you are afforded in the airport and at the check-in counter.
How to save money on airfare is a complex question that the airlines work to make ever harder to answer.
Then there are the fare types. “Basic” typically means no seat selection, no frequent flyer points, added bag fees, and little to no refunds. Paying a little more for something like “Classic” or “Flexible” are going to give you some better options, but not necessarily everything! There may still be hidden fees for things like bags or seat selection.
The main thing you’ll want to do when planning is look through that airline’s chart for what is and isn’t covered under each category and make sure that you are getting everything you need!
Research and Track Prices
Google Flights and similar price trackers will follow and report on specific flight pricing, alerting you to price changes, and give you an idea of the historic costs of that flight. It’s a useful tool if you are hoping to see the price drop.
Of course, you’ll need to double check the pricing on the airline’s website yourself, as sometimes air consolidator and reseller sites will post something lower, but we recommend that you avoid these third-party sellers as it sometimes causes difficulties with the flight you choose.
While it can be nice to have airline loyalty points, the airlines have continued to make these programs less appealing. I wrote an article on that just a few months ago and the link is in the description below. The number one way to make sure you are saving money is to buy whichever carrier is offering the best deal, and at a rate that will let you rebook or reprice, even if only for credit, in case the price drops. Make sure to watch out for change and cancellation fees in your airfare category.
But When Should I Book?!
Statistical analysis of airfare prices have yielded some tips, tricks, and generalities to getting the best pricing. For example, recent studies say Friday is the best day of the week to make a booking. Additionally, flights leaving on a Tuesday tend to have the cheapest rates. Of course, a big event like a World Cup or Taylor Swift concert can always raise prices.
Of course, the reality is that every guide, theory, and purchasing advice construct are being thrown out, as demand-based algorithms have taken over the pricing. If someone buys two business-class seats on a plane, the price can shoot up as it sees demand for that flight is now higher. The only way to see when the price drops is to constantly check or use a price tracker. Once you chose a set of flights you can ask Google Flights or other trackers to send you an email when the price changes.
For our personal travel we always book using a fare that allows no cost change or cancellation for e-credits. Then when the tracker tells us the fare has dropped, we go back to the site and put in for a change. Then we pile up the e-credits for our next flight. If you are willing to pay more at the outset, some airlines will issue refunds rather e-credits.
Once you’ve decided on a flight and booked it, we suggest you relax at that point because you’ve done what you need to save money on airfare.
Ultimately though, the best time to book is when the flight is at a price that you are willing to pay. Once you’ve done your due diligence and made sure you have the right fare type, seat category, and airline for your trip, if you see it at a price, you’re willing to book at, go ahead and book.
If you have it at a rate where you can rebook for credit, feel free to keep watching, but otherwise, close all those tabs, stop all those trackers, and just feel comfortable knowing that you’re booked and you don’t have to think about it anymore. That is until the airline changes your flight times and gives you thirty minutes to run across the airport for your second leg.
Points, Extras, and Tricks
Airline points used to be a big deal. And for some people, they still are, but the reality is that if you aren’t taking a flight every week or flying in very expensive seats, you aren’t going to get a lot out of any one program anymore. Frequent Flier numbers are more useful now for keeping track of your flight information, so you don’t have to fill it in each time.
Don’t get me wrong, the loyalty programs are worth signing up for still. With Delta, it gives you free access to the in-flight Wi-Fi for example. Just don’t expect too much out of the programs beyond the basics of what they provide.
Airline status is not something that you should put much thought into when trying to save money on airfare.
If you live in a hub where most of your flights are from one airline, you can look at the credit cards offered by that airline. They usually include some good perks but just make sure that you aren’t paying for something you won’t use. There are often no-fee versions of the cards that will still get you some of the perks.
While we strongly recommend travel protection for any trip, do not buy it from the airline. You can get better coverage for less. Instead, ask for quotes from reputable third-party insurers. Travel insurance comes in a variety of forms, and if you are planning a trip with multiple parts, it can be very valuable to cover the entirety of it, rather than just pieces.
What You Need To Do
Air travel has always been complicated, and that has not improved in the slightest in the last decade. If you’re an infrequent flier, new to travel, or just don’t want to devote the amount of time it takes to understand each airline’s unique ecosystem, you might be missing out on perks or paying more than you want to for a ticket. To help you out, here’s a quick airline-agnostic list of basic principles to follow when booking:
- Make sure you’re booking a changeable rate that will let you rebook, even if only for credit, should the price drop.
- Check for hidden fees like checked bag fees or seat selection fees.
- Join the loyalty program, but don’t be loyal. Book with whoever has the best fares.
- Keep flight price trackers on the flights to check if the price drops.
- Book your flight as soon as it’s at a price you are OK booking.
- Know your rights as a passenger.
Yes, I said Rights. The US Department of Transportation has passenger rights listed on its website, it is important to understand those rights. In general, you will have fewer rights when the delay or cancellation is not controllable by the airline, like severe weather. Controllable delays, which are things within the airline’s power to influence, include maintenance or crew problems, aircraft cleaning, baggage loading, fueling, etc. By knowing your rights, you’ll be in a much better position to advocate for yourself and your family in the event of problems.
