When Is the Best Time to Purchase an Airline Ticket?

If you have already entered the cyberspace world of purchasing your airline tickets on the Internet, then you know the frustration of seeing large differences in pricing. The amounts vary not only from airline to airline, but from day to day on the same airline, and sometimes even 10 minutes later!

How can you protect yourself against these differing prices? How can you get the best deal?

Call the airlines. Yes, pick up the phone and talk to a live human being. Don’t tell them when you will be traveling or what time you will be traveling. Just ask them to tell you the lowest fare available for that destination. They will probably try to avoid giving you this information, but be persistent. This gives you a ballpark figure to work with.

Then you can start doing your research on the Internet, too. One way to stay on top of airline specials is to sign up for the airlines’ e-mail newsletters. Many have specials that are not available to the general public. Sign up with all the airlines. Sign for all of their frequent mileage programs, too. When you have a lot of information about fares, etc., then the airlines can’t snow you with supposedly cheap fares.

If you are not having to make last minute reservations, and can hold off purchasing your ticket until a Wednesday, you will probably get the best deal.

Peter Greenberg, the NBC “Today” show Travel Editor, has stated that Wednesday is a great day to purchase a cheap airline ticket. There are several reasons for this.

Monday isn´t the best day because this is when many airlines announce their sales. If you can hold off buying a ticket a bit longer, you will probably save money by waiting.

This is because Tuesday is when other carriers match the sale or try to beat it. This is a good day to continue researching the specials that airlines have posted.

So Wednesday is the day to snap up the deals you´ve discovered. This is the prime time so to speak to purchase an airline ticket.

If you wait until Thursday, you will likely find that most of the cheap seats are no longer available.

One of the worst times to buy is on Friday evenings when a lot of airlines up their prices.

So, definitely, unless it is an emergency, don´t buy a ticket on a Saturday!

More Resources

COPYRIGHT ©1997-2004 SHERI GOESER STRITOF.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR PART WITHOUT PERMISSION PROHIBITED

PRIVACY POLICY | | LITTLETHINGSCOUNT.COM | HOME | BIO