When to buy a cheaper plane ticket? 3 Techniques to Know.
When to buy your plane ticket?
This is the question everyone asks when they want to go on vacation.
And the answer is not that obvious.
There are actually 3 different techniques you can adopt.
These techniques all have advantages and disadvantages.
Check them out below and choose the one that suits you best:
1. Buy your ticket 6 to 9 months in advance
Advantages : you are guaranteed to have a plane ticket at a price close to the cheapest possible.
Disadvantages: not easy to plan a trip 6 months in advance! The chances of having to cancel your plane ticket are quite high.
From 6 to 9 months in advance, the prices are at their lowest. Why ? Because airlines play on the probability that something will prevent you from flying 9 months later.
It could be an illness, an accident, a personal event like a wedding or death, or a professional event like a replacement that you absolutely must do or a conference that you cannot miss.
In short, in any case, this life event will force you to cancel your ticket. As a result, the company has a good chance of being able to sell your seat a second time! Now you understand why the prices are lower when you buy them months in advance.
Note that most companies put their plane tickets on sale 1 year in advance, but not later.
For others, like most low cost companies (such as EasyJet), you cannot buy your ticket more than 6 months before departure.
So if you do it too early, you won't be able to compare the price with low cost airlines! Which is still a shame. It is therefore best to find out if the route in question is served by low cost companies. If so, you'd better wait a bit.
Anyway, unless you are leaving during the school vacation period, there is no real advantage to buying your ticket more than 6 months in advance.
2. Buy your plane ticket 50 to 70 days in advance
Advantages : this is the cheapest period if you cannot do it 6 months in advance. There is also much less chance of having to cancel your ticket.
Disadvantages: the prices are very fluctuating. To find the best price, it is necessary to check the prices every day early in the morning.
Serious studies have succeeded in showing that it is really during this period that the price of plane tickets is the lowest. We talk about it here in this tip.
Be aware that during this period, price variations are significant, including between ticket comparators. So don't hesitate to compare the best comparators! We give you here the list of the best comparators.
Some comparators like Kayak or Algofly also allow you to see the history of price changes. This makes it possible to see if we are on a price peak or in a trough at the instant "t".
3. Buy less than 5 days before departure
Advantages : it could be the jackpot ...
Disadvantages: ... but also a big disappointment. And do not look for miracles during school holidays (both for school holidays in France and for those in the country of arrival).
Note that the best deals are not necessarily on sites that claim to specialize in ticket sales at the last moment. So take a look at the comparators, but also on the sites of regular and low cost airlines.
To hit the jackpot, bet on a purchase on the penultimate day. In any case, if you want to find a good price, you have to know how to be flexible on the destination.
2 more tips
- Remember to buy your ticket during the week and more particularly on Tuesday early in the morning. As a rule, plane tickets are cheaper on Tuesdays, then Wednesdays and finally Thursdays. You can expect price increases the rest of the week.
- Be on the lookout for big price drops. Sometimes prices drop for no apparent reason. It could be due to a cancellation of a group but also a new plane chartered for that date, etc.
In any case, if you want to take advantage of this drop, it is important to create a price alert on flight comparators. It is best to create an alert 3 to 4 months before your departure date.
Your turn...
And you, what is your technique for buying the cheapest ticket possible? Share your techniques in the comments.
Do you like this trick ? Share it with your friends on Facebook.
Also to discover:
The BEST Time to Buy Your Airline Ticket.
6 Tips For Choosing The Best Seat On The Plane.
