A travel expert has disclosed that the timing of flight bookings can be as crucial as the travel date itself, suggesting that early risers or night owls might snag significant bargains by targeting specific hours.
The Optimal Booking Window
Jamie Fraser, owner of Wild Packs, asserts that the cheapest time to book flights is precisely 2:48am. This insight could benefit insomniacs and those willing to adjust their sleep schedules. Additionally, he notes that evening searches between 8pm and 10pm can yield fares approximately 5% lower than during peak morning periods.
How Demand Influences Pricing
Airlines frequently increase prices in response to high demand for particular routes. Fraser explains, "Most people search for flights first thing in the morning while they’re having coffee, but that’s exactly when everyone else is doing the same thing." He highlights that this surge in activity triggers pricing systems to raise costs rapidly, leading many travellers to overpay unnecessarily.
The early hours, around 2:48am, are ideal because fewer people are searching, and airline pricing algorithms often reset overnight, creating opportunities for reduced fares. For those reluctant to wake at such an hour, Fraser recommends late evening bookings as a viable alternative, still offering savings compared to busy daytime slots.
Does This Strategy Still Work?
In the early days of online travel booking, airlines manually updated fares overnight, allowing savvy consumers to capitalise on midnight deals. However, modern systems have evolved, making the process more complex and somewhat reliant on luck. Despite this, targeting low-traffic times remains a potentially effective method for cost-cutting.
Additional Money-Saving Tips
Beyond timing, Fraser advocates for setting up price alerts instead of repeatedly checking fares, which can streamline the search process. Flexibility is key; travellers should consider alternative airlines, dates, or nearby airports to find better deals.
Utilising platforms like Skyscanner and selecting the 'nearby airports' option can reveal cheaper alternatives within a short driving distance. For those open to various destinations, choosing 'everywhere' as a search parameter displays the most affordable options based on selected dates.
Subscribing to airline newsletters is also advisable to catch limited-time offers such as flash sales or promotions like kids flying free, which require quick action due to their restricted availability.
