Have you tried booking a flight online recently? I’ve seen flight prices jump up $200 dollars in under 10 minutes, but also discovered a week after buying tickets that they had dropped by $400. So when is the best time to book a flight?
There seem to be so many competing websites screaming that they have the lowest prices and best deals, but finding honest information on when to book and save money is like trying to find a needle in a haystack.
However, after scrupulously analysing data collected over the past two years, travel search engine KAYAK have compiled what might just be the new bible of flight booking. They’ve created a list of our favourite destinations, the month for when it’s cheapest to travel there, how much could potentially be saved (up to 42 per cent) and how far out from the flight the booking should be made. They found that the best time to save when booking a flight – cue night owls cheering – is 3am on a Thursday morning!
Best time to book for top 10 international destinations
Rank |
Top searched international destination |
Best time to book (months in advance) |
Potential savings (%) |
Cheapest month to travel |
1 |
Bali, Indonesia |
3.5 months in advance |
Up to 15% |
November |
2 |
London, UK |
4.5 months in advance |
Up to 12% |
November |
3 |
Los Angeles, USA |
2 months in advance |
Up to 10% |
November |
4 |
Auckland, New Zealand |
1 month in advance |
Up to 21% |
May |
5 |
Singapore |
3.5 months in advance |
Up to 42% |
August |
6 |
Bangkok, Thailand |
1 month in advance |
Up to 15% |
October |
7 |
New Delhi, India |
2 months in advance |
Up to 17% |
August |
8 |
Tokyo, Japan |
3.5 months in advance |
Up to 14% |
November |
9 |
Phuket, Thailand |
4.5 months in advance |
Up to 35% |
August |
10 |
Manila, The Philippines |
3 months in advance |
Up to 18% |
November |
Seriously, if you’re considering a trip sometime soon, check out KAYAK’s findings, as they may reap huge savings and offer some much-needed honest direction.
Read more at www.travelweekly.com.au
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