Booking Airline - newbie

[Nana2Callie]

We usually drive, but are flying this year in May. So I have a couple of booking questions...
1. Is there a day of the week that is better for booking the best price?
2. How many weeks out should we book?

I've been watching flights, but are still really high - hoping they will be less later.

 

[rigs32]

May is a popular time, so the week you are traveling may make a world of difference.

Some say Tues and Wed can be cheaper.

Often 4-6 weeks out prices will drop if seats aren't sold. But if you're flying during a popular time (like Memorial Day weekend), the prices are just going to increase.

 

[georgina]

My DH likes to check the website kayak to see what the trend is for a route - if the price seems to be going up or down. He did that just last night for our trip to Ireland in May, and it advised we buy then rather than wait.

 

[nacho113]

We usually drive, but are flying this year in May. So I have a couple of booking questions...
1. Is there a day of the week that is better for booking the best price?
2. How many weeks out should we book?

I've been watching flights, but are still really high - hoping they will be less later.

We've used Kayak to get an idea when the best time to buy is (they have a price forecast tool that is fairly accurate, but not infallible.)

Certain airlines adjust there pricing on certain days and this varies from company to company based on software predictions and algorithms of flight loads etc.
In normal people speak, this means that they adjust prices up or down in order to sell out the flight shortly before departure date and make the most money possible for the seats.

Another way to save money on flights is to fly mid-week if your schedule allows.
Most people want to maximize vacation time so leaving on a Friday evening after work (or Saturday morning) and returning Sunday evening (or Monday evening on a long weekend). These flights will usually command a premium price, whereas a flight leaving on Mon or Tues and returning on a Thurs or Fri morning can be considerably cheaper due to lower demand.

 

[seattledisfan]

The best advice I have received about flight booking is to set a price you're happy with and sign up for a price alert service, like Kayak as others have mentioned or my personal favorite Hopper, which is an app for your phone. When the price for your flight is at or below your set point, buy it and don't look back. I've found that sometimes I can get great prices months out, and sometimes it's only a few weeks out. I don't buy into any of the algorithms like 6 weeks out on Tuesday at 9 pm is the best time to buy a ticket.

 

[sam_gordon]

seattledisfan has it right (as does everyone else). There is no "rule" on when to book other than book when you're satisfied (note: that doesn't mean happy) with the cost. Unless you're on an airline that will give you credit back, don't look again.

Start looking DAILY, and multiple times (and different times) a day. I know other people like them, but I don't trust the airfare predictor websites.

You say the flight costs now are "really high", but if you normally drive, how do you know if that cost is high, normal, or low?

 

[Nana2Callie]

High compared to what we paid last year - which is the first time we've flown. So we only have that one year as a reference.