Have you ever wondered when is the best time to book the air ticket for your travels?
Skyscanner – a global travel search site – recently analysed three years of booking data and found that on average, you can snag the cheapest flight tickets if you purchase 26 weeks ahead of your travel date.
How far in advance are flight prices typically at their lowest? Check out the interactive inforgraphic at Skyscanner.
And do you know that the best time to book airtickets to Thailand is 8 weeks before your departure date?
Skyscanner’s Best Time to Book analysis revealed that on average, the cheapest flight tickets from Singapore are available 26 weeks in advance of travel dates.
However, three years of booking data has also shown that price patterns can vary by type of airline and between short and long haul travel, and is very much destination dependent.
| Top 5 destinations by search analysis | Average return flight price | Best time to book (weeks before departure) |
|---|---|---|
| Indonesia | SGD203 | 16 weeks |
| Thailand | SGD247 | 8 weeks |
| Malaysia | SGD155 | 9 weeks |
| Philippines | SGD257 | 5 weeks |
| Australia | SGD558 | 22 weeks |
Travellers who book at the optimum time can expect savings of 15% for flights to Thailand and as much as 29% for flights to Australia.
Skyscanner’s analysis also found that the cheapest period to travel is in week 10, with the cheapest month being March as well.
To assist Singapore travellers with their travel planning, Skyscanner’s Best Time to Book interactive infographic provides key travel data including average fares for the top 5 most searched destinations from Singapore.
When should you book? Skyscanner’s inforgraphic lets you check out the best time to book interactively for different types of flights.
Skyscanner offers price alerts on all routes to enable flights to be monitored by email. The Skyscanner app offers widgets for Android, Live Tiles for Windows Phone and “watch” functionality for iOS, all of which allow customers to track the latest price changes on a chosen route.
Four simple rules to bear in mind in order to snag the best prices:
- Book smart: Avoiding peak season travel and flying during less popular hours of the day can really help to lower costs.
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“There is no golden rule or set date when all flights are at their cheapest. However our hope is that by sharing our knowledge and providing customers with the tools to do their own research, they will feel confident in making an informed decision when it comes to booking flights,” Foo concluded.
Be flexible: Costs to different destinations can vary significantly depending on the airlines operating that route. If you are planning your next trip but are open to destinations, running a search to ‘everywhere’ can help find the countries that offer the best value flights at any time.
- Compare and contrast: Using a travel comparison site like Skyscanner allows you to compare the widest range of airlines and online travel agents, so you’ll be able to see where you can get the best deal.
- Track prices: Skyscanner’s analysis has found that keeping an eye on the flight prices a few months in advance of travel, is the best way to find a good value flight. Using a flight tracker price alert service, either by email or via the app can help monitor when prices drop on a chosen route.
Tags: flights, infographic, promotions, Skyscanner, tickets, travel