Holidaymakers looking for cheap air travel should depart on a Friday – and book their flights 112-132 days in advance, according to a report.
Sunday is the cheapest day to book flights, but the most expensive day to travel – while travelling on a Friday is 26% cheaper.
Passengers anxious about delays or cancellations should also look to travel between 9am and 3pm, or in January – when travel disruptions are at their lowest.
And booking too far in advance doesn't always pay off – as securing a flight six months ahead of time will cost you just as much as leaving it to the last minute.
The handy travel tips are part of Expedia's 2024 Air Travel Hack Report – compiled from billions of data points from the Airline Reporting Corporation’s (ARC) global airline sales database, in order to save travellers time and money, and reduce anxiety surrounding air travel.
The travel technology company also commissioned a poll of 2,000 air travellers, which revealed the top 20 flight-related stresses – with flight delays or cancellations topping the list. This was followed by long lines or crowds in the airport, and getting stuck in traffic on the way there.
It also emerged that almost three-quarters (74%) are afraid of forgetting their passport before a flight, and 49% are terrified they will leave credit cards and money at home as well.
To get some peace, bookstores are deemed the calmest areas of an airport, for 36% – followed by Duty Free shops (32%), restaurants (31%), and even the toilets (21%), according to the OnePoll.com figures.
It also emerged that, when travelling, one in three would be willing to pay extra to choose their own seat, while 30% would part with more cash in exchange for more leg room.
And a quarter are happy to pay for a direct flight, rather than one that has a connection – while 21% will pay for lounge access.
Melanie Fish, spokeswoman for Expedia Group, said: “No way should people rather do their taxes than go on a trip, so thank goodness a lot of the things causing travel-related stress are getting better.
“Fewer flights are being cancelled, and technology is helping with tools in the Expedia app, like Price Tracking, that make the whole booking and flying journey smoother.”
TOP 20 STRESSES OF AIR TRAVEL:
- Flight delays or cancellations
- Long lines/crowds
- Getting stuck in traffic on the way to the airport
- The size of the queue at security
- Lost luggage
- Security checks
- Border and passport checks/customs clearance
- Tight connecting flights
- Sitting in a confined spot for an extended period
- Baggage collection
- Misplacing your passport
- Missing boarding
- Illness
- Overweight luggage
- Forgetting to pack something
- Not being able to sit together with your travel partners
- Sitting next to a stranger on the plane
- Full overhead baggage storage
- Boarding or exiting the plane
- Having the incorrect boarding pass
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