Travel experts at Expedia reveal three hidden ways to save hundreds on flights

Flights are incredibly expensive, with many airlines offering their highest airfares in years.

Rising jet fuel prices, staff shortages due to pandemic disruptions and a lack of new planes create a perfect storm of problems for passengers.

But there are hidden ways you can keep the cost of your summer vacation down, according to Expedia experts.

It pays to know which day of the week is best to fly on and how far in advance to buy a ticket.

The best time to book a domestic flight is at least a month before. Expedia said the sweet spot for affordable flights is between 28 and 35 days before departure.

And US domestic flights are cheaper if you travel on a Wednesday.

But beware: if you book too far in advance, you may end up paying more.

Avoid buying a ticket three to six months before your departure date. This is one case where being too prepared can cost you.

Based on average return ticket prices for flights from January to August 2022, you can save up to 15 percent if you book on a Sunday.

Expedia says domestic flights booked on Sunday save an average of 5 percent, and international flights can save 15 percent. Sunday is therefore the best travel booking day of the week.

What about international flights?

While it pays to wait to buy tickets for domestic flights, you can save an average of 10 percent if you book an international flight at least six months in advance.

What’s the best way to avoid cancellations? Expedia suggests looking for flights that are early in the day.

Flights departing after 3 p.m. are most likely to be canceled, almost 50 percent higher.

The bottom line: Do you want to save the most money while minimizing the chance of delay? Book your flight on Sunday and make sure it departs before 3 p.m. on Wednesday. Safe travels.

More smart tools

You now know the best day of the week, but that’s not the only tool you can use to get a good deal.

Try the Skyscanner search engine. It collects information from all major travel sites.

The flight price tracking feature monitors prices over time and sends alerts when prices change.

Google Flights is similar. Search for flights and set price alerts for specific routes and travel dates.

Google even offers guaranteed fares on some flights. If the price goes up, they will refund you the difference. Please note this when booking.

If you want a little help from AI, download the Hopper app. It offers price predictions for flights, hotels and car rentals using AI algorithms.

You get accurate predictions about when prices are about to rise and fall. This is perfect if your travel is a way out.

Keeping digital copies of your important documents takes some of the stress out of travelling. Use these tricks to do it.

How to find flights with the most legroom

Google Flights is great for finding the best and cheapest way to get from point A to point B.

But wouldn’t it be great to also know if you’re going to sit in a chair all the time?

You can with the Chrome browser extension Legroom for Google Flights.

When using Google Flights, you will also see how much legroom there is per seat on the selected flight.

Not using Chrome? Go to SeatGuru.com. Enter your airline and flight number and you will see a map with the best seats with the most legroom.

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