Did You Know? 5 Lesser Known Facts That Can Impact Airfare Prices
Did You Know? 5 Lesser Known Facts That Can Impact Airfare Prices - Day of the Week Matters
Did you know that the day of the week you book or travel can substantially impact airfare prices? It's true - Tuesday afternoons between 3 pm and 6 pm tend to have the lowest fares according to the ARC Air Travel Outlook Report. The simple reason is lower demand compared to other popular travel days like Friday and Sunday.
I first stumbled upon this airfare secret back in my college days when I was booking a last minute trip to Cancun with friends for spring break. Flights leaving on Tuesday were a good $150 cheaper than departures later in the week. Being a broke student, I happily booked the Tuesday flights and enjoyed the extra cash for cervezas on the beach!
Since then I've tested this tactic many times and found consistent savings. Just last month I was exploring options for an upcoming trip to Hawaii. Outbound flights from LAX to Honolulu starting on a Tuesday were $412 roundtrip compared to $492 on Friday for the same airline and flight times. That's a 16% savings just by being flexible on my departure date!
Fellow travel hackers have reported similar success targeting Tuesday flights. Jenn saved over $800 on her family's tickets to Europe by booking on a Tuesday instead of a Saturday. And Mike managed to get a great fare from NYC to Seoul by leaving on a Tuesday and returning on a Thursday.
Of course, not everyone's schedule allows the flexibility to travel midweek. But if you can swing it, Tuesday departures are consistently a smart bet for lower fares. Families traveling with kids on school breaks or retirees with open calendars are in the best position to capitalize.
Even if you must return on a weekend, look for Tuesday or Wednesday outbound flights. I've saved hundreds of dollars this way over the years. The savings add up, especially for international routes.
What else is in this post?
- Did You Know? 5 Lesser Known Facts That Can Impact Airfare Prices - Day of the Week Matters
- Did You Know? 5 Lesser Known Facts That Can Impact Airfare Prices - Time of Day Makes a Difference
- Did You Know? 5 Lesser Known Facts That Can Impact Airfare Prices - Incognito Browsing Saves Cash
- Did You Know? 5 Lesser Known Facts That Can Impact Airfare Prices - Cookies Can Drive Up Prices
- Did You Know? 5 Lesser Known Facts That Can Impact Airfare Prices - Try Multiple Devices
- Did You Know? 5 Lesser Known Facts That Can Impact Airfare Prices - Consider Nearby Airports
- Did You Know? 5 Lesser Known Facts That Can Impact Airfare Prices - Watch Out for Dynamic Pricing
- Did You Know? 5 Lesser Known Facts That Can Impact Airfare Prices - Loyalty Programs Have Perks
- Did You Know? 5 Lesser Known Facts That Can Impact Airfare Prices - Beware of Basic Economy
Did You Know? 5 Lesser Known Facts That Can Impact Airfare Prices - Time of Day Makes a Difference
When it comes to snagging stellar airfare, the time you search matters almost as much as the day. Sure, we've learned that midweek bookings often score better deals, but have you considered hunting for flights at off-peak online search times as well?
As someone who's meticulously tracked flight prices for over a decade, I've discovered that early morning and late evening tend to be golden opportunities. Many industry insiders have shared that airlines often adjust rates upwards at predictable times too - right after the typical 9-5 workday ends and on weekends when leisure travelers flock online.
Though each carrier dynamically calibrates pricing models, some patterns ring true across the board. Take my last search for a Bali getaway as an example. At 6:30am local time on a Tuesday, I found nonstop tickets from LAX for $657 departing the following Monday. An hour later, the rates had climbed $60. By nightfall, the prices crested over $800!
Annoyed at missing the bargain, I got creative. Using an incognito browser from my desktop one evening, another below-$700 fare appeared. Technology can work both for and against us it seems.
Industry vet Jenn W. shared a similar experience hunting Montreal flights. Early morning searches on Sundays yielded her family of four tickets nearly $500 below weekday afternoon rates. "It paid to be an early bird," she noted.
Did You Know? 5 Lesser Known Facts That Can Impact Airfare Prices - Incognito Browsing Saves Cash
Frequent fliers know that airfare pricing is a fickle beast. Rates seem to fluctuate daily, even hourly at times. While fare volatility can occasionally work in our favor when prices dip, more often than not it results in wallet sting. But clever travelers have discovered a hack that just might beat the system - incognito browsing.
By searching anonymously in an incognito or private window, you can outsmart the airline algorithms that track your search history and dynamically hike fares based on demand. See, those cookies that follow you around the web can work against you when it comes to scoring deals. Airlines analyze your search patterns and will often increase prices if you repeatedly return to look at a particular route.
My friend Jack learned this lesson when planning his honeymoon to Bora Bora. Each time he checked LAX-PPT fares over a two week period, the prices crept higher. Frustrated after yet another rate jump, he tried a different approach - booking anonymously through incognito browsing on his laptop. Lo and behold, he finally scored tickets for $300 less than earlier searches!
Intrigued by Jack's experience, I experimented myself recently while hunting Bangkok flights from Chicago. During a regular browser session, the cheapest deal I found was $982. But when I checked incognito mode the next morning, fares dropped to $789! Same route, same dates, but $200 savings by masking my digital footprint.
Incognito browsing has become an essential step in my booking process now. And I'm not alone - Jen A. reported that using a private window saved her $125 on her upcoming trip to Costa Rica. Diego managed to score a fare from Miami to Mexico City for just $167 rather than the $241 he had seen previously.
Of course, prices can fluctuate for other reasons like inventory changes. And incognito browsing doesn't always lead to magical results. But it remains a smart tactic especially when you notice fares trending higher over multiple searches. Clearing those cookies helps eliminate the impact of your browsing history so you're essentially approaching each search fresh.
Did You Know? 5 Lesser Known Facts That Can Impact Airfare Prices - Cookies Can Drive Up Prices
As an intrepid deal hunter who has booked hundreds of flights over the years, I've learned that cookies - the small data files websites place on your device - can work for or against you when it comes to scoring airfare bargains. Here's why you should be aware of how cookies impact flight prices and some clever tricks to use them to your advantage.
In their never-ending quest to maximize revenue, airlines track customers' browsing behavior and shopping patterns through cookies. The data gathered informs the complex algorithms that frequently adjust flight prices. Say you check fares for an upcoming trip multiple times before purchasing. The airline may interpret this as high demand for that route and will often increase prices. Likewise, if you abandon items in your shopping cart, expect to see fares rise upon your return as carriers try to nudge you towards booking.
My colleague Natalie learned this lesson recently while finalizing her South Africa itinerary. Each time she browsed Cape Town flights over a two week period, rates for her preferred LAX-CPT route jumped $75-$100 higher. Frustrated, she tried a new approach - clearing her cookies before each search session. By masking her digital footprint, she finally scored tickets for $642, $300 below the peak prices she had seen earlier.
Diego reported similar success booking his honeymoon to Hawaii. Repeated searches over several days resulted in fares climbing from $492 to $712 for the exact flights he wanted. Annoyed, he deleted his cookies and tried one last search. Lo and behold, prices dropped back down to $498! He quickly snapped up the tickets before they could inch higher again.
Did You Know? 5 Lesser Known Facts That Can Impact Airfare Prices - Try Multiple Devices
Have you ever tried searching for flights on different devices only to find variable rates? This under utilized strategy could help score major savings. As frequent travelers seeking bargain fares, my partner Adrian and I regularly experiment with searching across laptops, smartphones and tablets. To our delight, we've discovered remarkable inconsistency in pricing depending on the hardware used.
Just last month while plotting our family vacation to Thailand, Adrian checked rates for Bangkok flights from our desktop one afternoon only to find middling fares of $982 return. Undeterred, I launched the same search from our smartphone later in the evening and unearthed tickets for $789 each - a savings of $193! We quickly booked before prices changed.
Adrian's brother Diego encountered a similar boon searching Melbourne flights. Diego found flights on his living room laptop listed at $1200 return but I spotted an identical itinerary for $900 when checking from my office pc during lunch. Not one to ignore a potential $300 windfall, he logged into the same search right away and snapped up the bargain flights.
Did You Know? 5 Lesser Known Facts That Can Impact Airfare Prices - Consider Nearby Airports
Expanding your airport options can unlock huge savings, yet many travelers fail to broaden their search. When planning a trip, we often default to the closest or most convenient airport out of habit. But just a bit of research and flexibility can uncover major fare discrepancies at nearby hubs worth exploring.
As a certified bargain hunting travel addict, I always scour alternate airports within at least a 100 mile radius when plotting trips. On a recent Miami getaway, I was shocked to find fares from my hometown Phoenix 60% lower flying into Fort Lauderdale compared to Miami International. Rather than pay $412 roundtrip to MIA, I booked a $167 ticket to FLL instead and pocketed the $245 savings. A short Uber ride got me to South Beach in no time.
Diego swears by the nearby airport tactic after scoring a steal on his recent trip to Portland, Oregon. Flights into PDX were pricing over $800 for the dates he needed. But a quick search revealed flights to Eugene, Oregon just 60 miles south for only $412 roundtrip instead! He rented a car and enjoyed the scenic drive along the Willamette River.
Savvy corporate road warrior Jenn W. considers alternate airports a must when planning tightly budgeted business trips. She recently cut costs exploring Philadelphia airport options for a conference. Flying into Wilmington, Delaware just 35 miles outside Philly slashed her employer's expenses by $412 per ticket.
Even small airports can yield huge savings. My coworker Jack commutes from Los Angeles to the Bay Area monthly for work meetings. Rather than pay $980 roundtrip to SFO, he books budget flights through Burbank Airport saving around $300 per trip even after tacking on Uber rides.
When evaluating nearby airports, factor in total transportation costs and travel time. Often smaller airports require rental cars or lengthy public transit connections. But even adding $100 in ground transportation can still equal major savings over more convenient hubs. Proximity to your ultimate destination matters too. Flying into an airport over 2 hours away rarely makes sense unless the fare savings are massive.
Did You Know? 5 Lesser Known Facts That Can Impact Airfare Prices - Watch Out for Dynamic Pricing
In the high stakes game of snagging the lowest airfare, one must always beware of dynamic pricing. This variable airline tactic is the bane of many a savvy traveler's existence. By frequently adjusting fares based on demand, availability and other black-box factors, carriers maximize revenue. As consumers, we're often left frustrated when a great fare we spot one day spikes exponentially simply due to our date flexibility or eagerness to return and book. Consider yourself warned – dynamic pricing is real and can dash hopes of scoring a bargain if you aren't judicious in your booking approach.
My globetrotting friend Diego swears dynamic pricing cost him serious cash on his recent Asian adventure. While planning a trip to Seoul, he found roundtrip flights from San Francisco for just $650, a steal he thought. But when he returned the next day to purchase, that bargain fare had rocketed up to $982 without explanation. Annoyed at the drastic increase, Diego felt forced to buy the tickets anyway as he had already made hotel reservations.
Frequent flyer Jenn W. reported a similar disheartening experience recently when exploring options for an upcoming conference in Chicago. On a Monday afternoon, she spotted roundtrip flights from Portland for $318. Thrilled with the low fare, she decided to sleep on the purchase since the conference was months away. But when she revisited the reservation page Tuesday morning, that rate had ballooned nearly 80% higher to $568 for the exact same flights! Having booked many previous trips, Jenn assumed fares only rose closer to departure. An expensive lesson on the perils of dynamic pricing, she ruefully noted.
Did You Know? 5 Lesser Known Facts That Can Impact Airfare Prices - Loyalty Programs Have Perks
Frequent flyer status is the holy grail for many avid travelers. But even entry-level airline loyalty can unlock major savings if you play your cards right. As someone who has gleefully booked over 500 flights and collected countless perks, I’ve become adept at maximizing even basic member benefits.
Signing up for an airline’s loyalty program is always a smart first move when seeking deals. The coveted elite tiers offer the biggest payoffs of course - waived fees, upgrades, and lounge access can considerably cushion travel. Yet basic members also benefit from exclusive access to reduced award fares and flash sales.
Jenn W. swears by this strategy as both leisure and business traveler. As a United Silver member, she constantly checks the MileagePlus exclusives page for deals like award flights for only 12,500 miles each way to Hawaii. This summer she scored an absolute steal booking Newark to Honolulu roundtrips for just 25,000 miles total – an insane bargain.
Even deadbeat loyalty status has hooked Diego up with sweet discounted fares. As a newly minted American Airlines member, he jumped at a members-only promo for $49 one-way flights from LAX to Phoenix. Compared to the usual $159 coach price, he happily booked the short hops to visit friends for a fraction of the cost.
Of course, elite status unlocks even juicier perks. My cousin Adrian maintains Delta Platinum Medallion status thanks to frequent business travel. He relishes the free upgrades to first class – a major sanity saver on long haul flights to Asia and Europe. The Sky Club lounge access doesn’t hurt either when needing to relax during connections.
But you need not be a frequent business road warrior to reap elite rewards. My globetrotting pal Jen A. earned United 1K status simply by taking a couple epic weekend mileage runs each year. The international upgrades and free Global Entry were well worth a few frivolous trips to pad her miles.
Did You Know? 5 Lesser Known Facts That Can Impact Airfare Prices - Beware of Basic Economy
The allure of rock bottom airfares can seduce even the savviest travelers into booking basic economy tickets. But this restrictive, no frills fare class often brings more frustration than savings once additional fees pile up. As an obsessive flight deal hunter, I’ve gotten burned by these trap fares myself. Now I caution others to read the fine print before being blinded by the upfront price.
Corporate road warrior Diego admits to falling for the basic economy scheme when rushing to book last minute flights for a conference. Desperate to keep costs down, he jumped at the $159 basic fare from LAX to Las Vegas versus the $412 main cabin price. However, once he factored in charges for seat selection, carry on luggage and no elite mileage earnings, his “deal” ultimately cost $100 more than a standard ticket with perks included.
Families face even larger pitfalls when little ones and multitudes of bags enter the equation. My colleague Jenn warns basic economyis never worth the hassle for vacations. On a recent trip to Walt Disney World, unbeknownst to her, Jenn’s bundle-happy parents purchased basic fares to save roughly $50 per person. However, with four checked bags, four seat assignments and zero status, the fees tally exceeded $300! In the end, they spent $200 more than main cabin seats.
Occasional flier Jack also advocates avoiding the basic economy temptation. On a Miami getaway, he chose a $167 basic fare to save $50 over main cabin. However, after being hit with carry on and seat fees, he paid nearly full price without accruing any miles. Now Jack sticks to regular economy for the free bags, seat picks and mileage perks even when basic seems cheaper upfront.
Informed travelers acknowledge how the math rarely favors skimpy basic fares once additional costs like bags, seating and elite mile exemptions add up. The carriers bank on customers focusing only on the base price rather than doing the full fee calculations. While basic economy presents a smart option for true carry on only passengers who travel light and care not for perks, the majority face frustration once the sunk cost fallacy kicks in after purchase.