Think you know the perfect time of day or day of the week to get the best deal on an airline ticket?
The experts at Consumer Reports say that many tricks and tips of the past won’t help you get a cheaper flight.
Airline ticket researcher Octavio Blanco says there isn't one single way to get the best price for a flight, and there is even misleading information that could cost you money. He says the number one myth is that Tuesday is the best day to book airline tickets.
“This myth started when airlines used to load fares at the beginning of the week. But now airlines are much more sophisticated in the way that they price tickets, changing the price 24 hours a day, seven days a week and for consumers that means they can find a deal any day of the week" said Blanco.
One way to try and find a deal is to follow an airline's social media account and set up alerts so that you'll be notified immediately when a sale become available.
The next most common myth is that booking earlier is always better. Blanco says that's not the case.
“Airlines don't start actively managing inventory until five to three months before departure, so if you buy your ticket too earlier, you'll probably pay more than what you would if you'd waited to buy in that period," said Blanco.
According to Blanco, another myth is that round-trip flights are always cheaper than two one-way fares.
“On-line booking sites have gotten really good at finding travelers money saving one-way flight combinations."
Some websites can find so-called hacker fares, where a flight search will look for two one-way tickets that collectively make a round-trip flight. You might have to use different airlines for departing and arriving, but you also may also get the cheapest possible flight.
