TIME SAVER
I’m a travel expert – here’s the exact days you should book your flights… and why last-minute trips aren’t cheapest
You should book for flights this holiday almost a year before it starts
A TRAVEL expert has revealed the exact days you should book your flights on and why last-minute trips aren't the cheapest.
Being smart about buying your flights could save you hundreds and let you spend more cash on enjoying your dream break.
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Gavin Lapidus, travel agent and director of multi-centre holiday specialists eShores, has shared the tip just as people are thinking about their summer break.
Lapidus says Monday to Wednesday is the best time of the week to board a cheap flight.
If you’re flexible with your dates, always double-check departure days, as flying a day sooner or later could save you up to 20 per cent.
The travel expert has shared a number of tips around saving cash when booking your holiday.
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One is buying luggage at the right time, as that price fluctuates also.
Ryanair, for example, offers the option to buy a priority ticket that includes a cabin bag and a 10kg luggage you can bring with you on the aircraft.
The prices for this package varies between £6 to £24 depending on timing and the amount of people that already purchased this option.
Plotting your annual leave around bank holidays can help you enjoy longer holidays without having to take extra days off.
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Around the May bank holiday, if you book the Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday off after the bank holiday, this will give you a week off work by only using four of your holiday days.
Lapidus says holidaymakers should always book as far in advance as possible.
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Price is dependent on how many seats are left on a flight – demand may be high, so prices can spike closer to the date of travel and you can end up paying more.
This means you should book early for holidays, like Christmas, where you can guarantee that demand will be high.
Lapidus says that in some cases, you could pay three times more booking for Christmas in December than if you did it earlier in the year.
He says to book for Christmas you should begin looking in January or February.
The days before and after a seasonal holiday are also the most expensive days to travel, so if you can be flexible with your travel dates or extend your trip, that can cut costs.
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TIME TO FLY: Always use a flight comparison site, such as fly-scanner.com or kayak.co.uk, which will search for the cheapest operator on your chosen route.
Airlines release tickets up to a year in advance and, generally, the earlier you book, the cheaper flights are.
This is especially true if you’re planning to fly during peak periods, such as summer holidays.
FLEXIBLE WINS: You’ll be able to find the best deals if you can be flexible on destination or with dates of travel.
Flying midweek is usually the cheapest, while Fridays and Sundays tend to be the most expensive.
If you have set dates in mind, try Skyscanner’s “Everywhere” search tool, which will show the cheapest destinations available at those times.
PACKAGE UP: You can usually save cash by opting for an all-inclusive deal over booking flights and hotels separately, according to research by consumer group Which?.
However, it does depend on the destination so it’s worth doing your research.
Spain was found to be cheaper as an all-inclusive, but you would be better off doing a DIY holiday in Portugal’s Algarve.
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