Expedia has released their Travel Hacks Report for the 2023 travel year.
As we get closer to the holidays and the start of a new year, many people who travel have already changed their plans and goals. But if we’ve learned anything from 2022, it’s that traveling isn’t always so easy, since flight prices, delays, and cancellations can be hard to predict. Expedia’s 2023 Air Travel Hacks Report, which has data-backed tips to save travelers time and money, is a big help.
What’s the bottom line? Plan well by signing up for price alerts. When it comes to hacking air travel, timing is the most important thing.
When To Book According To The Report
- On average, you can save up to 15% if you book on a Sunday. When booking on Sunday instead of Friday, travelers tend to save about 5% on domestic flights and 15% on international flights, on average. Sunday has been the best day to book for the past four years – travelers saved an average of 5% more in 2022 than they did in 2021.
- When you book domestic flights at least a month in advance, you can save 10% on average. The best time to buy a domestic flight ticket is between 28 and 35 days before departure, which is about a month before the trip. Travelers who booked during that time period saved 10% on average compared to those who waited until the last minute (0 – 2 weeks out).
- Booking domestic flights earlier than 113 days out has been more expensive in the past, but it could help you get your preferred flights if you like to plan ahead. Domestic flights have been more expensive 3.5 to 6 months before departure, so try not to book too early.
- If you book your international flight 6 months ahead of time, you can save about 10%. People who book their international trips about six months ahead of time save 10% on average compared to those who wait until two months out or less.
Price Tracking and Predictions on the Expedia app can help book with confidence.
Last-minute flight deals are available, so it’s a good idea to sign up for price alerts on the Expedia app and get notified when prices are expected to be the lowest. This takes the guesswork out of deciding when to book. Expedia’s Price Tracking and Predictions feature uses machine learning to find patterns in historical data to predict price changes. It takes into account time of year, route details, trip length, and other factors to help travelers find the best time to book.
Tips To Avoid Flight Disruptions
- Leave before 3 p.m. to reduce the chance of being canceled. If you want your trip to go smoothly, you should try to get an early flight. Based on data from the start of the year until now, flights that leave after 3pm have a 50% higher chance of being canceled than flights that leave earlier in the day.
- Off-season travel. Data shows that avoiding peak travel times can be good for you in more ways than just saving money. In the past, flight delays were about 40 minutes shorter in March and April than they were in the busy summer months. As summer came to an end, wait times started to get shorter again, which made fall a good time to fly.
Overall, airlines have been steadily getting better. The number of cancellations has gone down from more than 7% at the beginning of the year to around 3% in August. The trend is likely to keep going in a good direction for travelers, so there should be a lot less trouble with flights in 2023.
Best Day To Travel
On average, you can save up to 15% if you leave on a Wednesday.
In general, travelers who started their trip on a Wednesday instead of a Sunday or Monday saved about 15% on domestic flights. People who took international flights on a Wednesday instead of a Sunday or Saturday at the weekend saved an average of 10%.
Bottom Line
Much of this advice is common knowledge for seasoned travelers. Still, there are a few good new tips and reminders.
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