Does booking a flight 47 days in advance on a Tuesday at precisely 1 p.m. Eastern significantly reduce the fare? I have no idea. I’ve never had the luxury of doing so. Furthermore, I’ve never heard someone say, “I just saved $200 by booking my flight precisely 47 days in advance on a Tuesday afternoon!”
Unless airlines are colluding to actually reduce fare prices at arbitrary times, this oft-quoted tip is not only unlikely, it’s impractical. But that doesn’t mean practical tips don’t exist to save you time and money when traveling by plane.
Here are five that have produced proven and repeatable results.
1. Book Two, One-way Flights
Humans usually book round-trip flights because it’s easier. But spending an additional 30 to 60 more seconds to compare roundtrips with two, one-way flights can yield significant savings—on the same carrier even. Booking different airlines each way saves even more. You won’t get a single itinerary or as many loyalty miles for doing so. But you can save a lot of dough and let automated check-in emails handle the rest.
2. Book Non-U.S. Airlines
I’m all for “buying American” when competitive. But I also believe the rising tide of globalization has lifted all boats, including American ones. If you feel the same, consider booking a non-U.S. carrier for domestic and especially international flights. Doing so can save hundreds. And sometimes you get better in-flight service, such as free Wi-Fi and those oh-so-refreshing hot towelettes.
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