Turns Out That The Advice To Book Flights On A Tuesday Is Outdated (But Here's How To Save)
We've all heard it, "Tuesday is the best day to book flights!" Where this idea came from, we just don't know. One thing we do know for certain, however, is that it's simply not true. The common "Tuesday trick" is a myth, but, we're here to provide some tried and true hacks to score affordable flights to destinations all around the globe on any day of the week. Some of these hacks include strategy, like booking on big shopping days like Black Friday or Cyber Monday. Some of these hacks require flexibility, like opting out of Europe in the summer and swapping it for destinations in South America due to seasonality. And some of these hacks simply require luck, like jumping on the opportunity for mistake fares, a real dream for every budget traveler.
If you're sick of anticipating every Tuesday to book your ticket, only to be let down once you discover the prices are not indeed cheaper, use this handy guide to ensuring your strategy is ready to get the best airfare deals.
How to actually score cheap flights
Regardless of day of the week, there are many travel hacks that can be used to score the best flight deals out there. One of the most successful tactics is utilizing sites like Skyscanner, WayAway, and Google Flights. The key is being flexible in both destination and dates. Skyscanner, for example, offers an "Everywhere" explore option. Simply go on Skyscanner's website or app, for origin airport type in your home airport, and for destination, type in "Everywhere." Add in your dates, and for the best success, use their "Whole Month" option (if you don't have flexibility in when you can travel, you can skip that last step and just type in the date of travel). Click search, and Skyscanner will provide you a list of flights in chronological order from cheapest to most expensive. You will be surprised to see just how affordable flying can be with this method.
Another tactic for saving some coin on flights is by flying to destinations in off-season. Sure, Greece and Italy sound beautiful and dreamy in the summertime, but tickets roundtrip during that time are going to be amplified. Try visiting Europe in March or October instead, better known as "shoulder-season," meaning it's not completely off-season, but it's not quite high-season yet. For destinations in South America, their summer is the northern hemisphere's winter, and vice versa, so traveling to hotspots like Brazil or Argentina in January is naturally going to cost more.
Take advantage of budget airlines
All the flight hacks in the world won't guarantee affordable flights if you're not also willing to be flexible with airlines. With that being said, when it comes to budget airlines, it's crucial to look for hidden fees (i.e., baggage, online check-in, in-air food and drink purchase). Budget airlines, such as RyanAir, WizzAir, Spirit Airlines, and more, are notorious for nickel and diming every little thing they can get away with, so it's not always worth it to use these airlines. However, if you're a light traveler who doesn't care about top amenities when flying, using a budget airline is an obvious way to flight hack, because the prices are almost always going to come at a better rate than major airlines such as Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Lufthansa, British Airways, and more, even with those pesky little fees.
If you are against using budget airlines and want to stick with one you prefer, being a part of an airline alliance is a great way to get better flight deals, and even upgrades. By being loyal to one airline, you can rack up points and miles with programs like Delta SkyMiles and United MileagePlus, and use them to book flights.