Cost-effective travelAirfare is often one of the biggest costs of the entire journey, especially if it is intercontinental. So when should flights be booked? A year in advance? The day before departure? At night? During the weekend? Here is a series of tricks of the trade that will help you find out when it’s best to book flights to take advantage of the companies’ best offers and take them at the lowest price.

When to book flights online

Here are the 7 simplest tips on when to book flights:

1. Advance. It seems obvious but it is good to remember: to save money it is better to book your ticket well in advance and fly in low season. Depending on the sites and statistics you can find online the most varied advice but in general it is better not to get close to the time of departure to book your flight and maybe do so 5 weeks in advance in the case of domestic tickets, about 3 months in advance for European flights and maybe 6 months in advance to travel to other continents.
2. Notice. Another important trick is to subscribe to the mailing list to be notified when the ticket we are looking for drops in price as a result of some special offer.
3. Tuesday booking. Most companies offer offers on Mondays and usually, the next day competitors adjust and update their price lists with discounts.
4. Monday booking. As an alternative to the historic trick of “Thursday booking”, some sites say that recent statistics would show that you can get better prices by booking on Monday. The first days of the week remain, however, recognized as the best days for booking.
5. Book a flight on Tuesday or Thursday. These days are usually uncomfortable for those who travel for business, who want to use the entire week, but also for those who go on holiday, who will probably try to take advantage of the weekend before the next one to their holidays. In reality, a great time to travel instead in an intelligent way and find cheap tickets and half-empty planes.
6. Wake up early… or go to bed late. Flights that depart at uncomfortable times like very early in the morning or late in the evening can be cheaper.
7. After the holidays. Among the months of the year, it is best to book tickets in the periods immediately following the high season and then in January/February or September/October.

When to book low-cost flights

Even for low-cost flights are worth the tricks the employees and in particular:

1. Find out what’s new. When airlines launch new routes or classes of travel, they offer reduced fares at the beginning to make their new schedule known. This is even more true for low-cost airlines. Take advantage of the new route launches to get cheap tickets.
2. Much earlier. For low-cost flights, booking in advance and, of course, during the low season is even more important.
3. Registration. Also here you can subscribe to some sites to receive notices of special offers to choose a perfect timing.

And if you have decided to fly low cost remember to check the airports of destination and their links and the clauses relating to baggage.