The ‘magic number’ you need to know before booking a flight to save money – and it always works
- A little-known travel hack has been shared
- Timing is essential when booking flights
A lesser-known travel hack has been unveiled to help thousands of travelers score the best deal before booking a flight.
It is essential to know the ‘magic number’ of days before a flight opens to guarantee the cheapest price.
According to CheapAir’s annual study, the price of a flight changes every 4.5 days on average, and each change costs an average of $33 up or down.
The number varies by airline, but can usually be checked simply by visiting the website. Airlines often release seats between 330 and 362 days in advance.
Qantas releases its award flights 353 days before departure for those who want to book with frequent flyer points, while Singapore Airlines releases dates 355 days early.
It is essential to know the ‘magic number’ of days before a flight opens to guarantee the cheapest price (stock image)
As with Virgin Australia, customers can book and choose seats at the time of booking 336 days before departure.
Singapore Airlines also has one ‘Secure my flight’ page where customers can reserve the desired route before deciding to purchase a ticket, which is subject to a $20 non-refundable fee.
The handy feature freezes a booking without you having to worry if the fare rises.
If your flight qualifies, a “Secure My Fare” button will appear after you select your flight and fare type, according to the website.
Travelers must book domestic flights at least 21 weeks in advance and international flights 22 weeks in advance.
It comes after one woman listed the best ways to save money while traveling — including packing snacks, a water bottle and booking flights in advance.
Téa Angelos, from Brisbane, Australia, shared the helpful tips in a series of two videos with thousands on TikTok.
The 25-year-old founder of education company Smart Women Society recommends booking flights at least six weeks in advance, taking advantage of cashback services, and signing up for travel alerts to get the best deals.
When booking flights, it is best to sign up for airline email lists to take advantage of deals and sales.
Wednesday is usually the cheapest day of the week to fly and it’s best to use services like Webjet to compare fares when booking.
Instead of buying overpriced food at the airport, Téa makes sure to always pack snacks, food and a filled water bottle in her carry-on.
She also avoids spending money on checked baggage to save both time and money at the airport.
Hotel and accommodation prices can also be compared using multiple platforms.
“Check the hotel’s website as they sometimes offer special offers/discounts,” Téa wrote.
When traveling abroad, travel cards often have little to no fees compared to credit cards, which often charge currency exchange fees.