Jetting off to exotic locations can often come with a hefty price tag, but with some insider tips from a seasoned travel expert, more affordable flights could be within your grasp.
For those savvy travellers who prefer their flights to cost less than an airport lunch, the day you choose to fly can significantly impact the price of your ticket.
By being strategic about when you take to the skies and carefully choosing your destination, you could find yourself enjoying a foreign getaway for less in 2024.
Top travel tour operator Ski Vertigo chatted with a pilot who revealed that Sunday evening is one of the best times to secure flights for substantial savings, proving that snagging a bargain flight is a fantastic way to kickstart the week.
The pilot further highlighted five compelling reasons why booking a flight departing on a Sunday could result in significant savings for UK travellers.
The expert explains that there are five reasons why Sunday evening is an excellent time to book. Waiting until Sunday could save you money for a variety of reasons, these include:
1. Fewer business travellers
Business travellers typically hit the skies on weekdays, particularly on Monday mornings and Friday afternoons, to align with their hectic schedules.
By Sunday evening, most have already finalised their plans for the upcoming week, meaning demand decreases and so do prices. This trend is observed worldwide, so if you’re aiming to bag a great deal on flights, Sunday evenings are your golden opportunity.
2. Weekend price adjustments
Airlines often adjust their fares over the weekend, responding to the previous week’s booking trends. By Sunday evening, they’re eager to modify prices to fill any remaining seats for the upcoming week.
This results in lower prices as airlines aim to ensure maximum flight occupancy. For UK travellers, this can mean fantastic savings when these changes take effect.
3. Last minute deals
To avoid empty seats, airlines tend to offer last-minute deals over the weekend. By Sunday night, they might release these discounted fares to ensure that as many seats as possible are filled before the new week starts.
This can be especially advantageous for travellers who book flights at this time, as airlines strive to stimulate sales with attractive pricing.
4. Optimal booking window
It’s widely recognised that booking flights several weeks in advance leads to better prices, and this rule applies worldwide.
For UK travellers, booking flights on a Sunday evening within the optimal booking window of 30-45 days before departure can result in significant savings.
This timeframe allows travellers to take advantage of the best available fares before prices start to rise as the departure date approaches.
5. Less competition from fellow travellers
Travellers looking to secure a deal on their next holiday should aim to book on Sunday evening.
This is when the flurry of early weekend and work-hour bookings has typically subsided, leading to less competition for available flights.
As a result, airlines, facing less booking activity, are more likely to offer better deals to attract the remaining pool of travellers.
A pilot, who spoke to Ski Vertigo, shed some light on this phenomenon. They said: “Booking flights on Sunday evenings is not just about catching lower prices; it’s also a strategic move to navigate airline pricing algorithms.
“Airlines typically reset their booking systems on Sundays, often leading to fare adjustments based on the week’s demand and occupancy trends.
“This reset can result in fare drops as airlines aim to balance seat availability with competitive pricing.”