Panicked deal seekers have been asking me how to get bargain airfares during spring break.
Sorry, but they’ve missed their cheap flights.
Planning is always the key to saving the most, no matter what you’re shopping for. The time to nab hot deals on spring jaunts was a couple months ago.
That’s because airfare costs increase during times when kids are out of school, says AAA. The break for Palm Beach County public schools ended on March 24. Broward and Miami-Dade county public schools go on break April 10-14.
“We normally see airfares rise during spring break, slip lower in April and May, then shoot back up in the summer,” said Vicky Evans, of Travel Sales Development for AAA, in a news release. “Having knowledge of some basic principles when booking your flight can go a long way in helping you get the most for your money.”
AAA said prices are highest during peak travel periods over holidays, which are spring (February-April), summer (Memorial Day and Labor Day)m Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s. The Tampa Bay-based auto club group offers travel planning services, which can help save you money, too.
CheapAir.com analyzed fares on nearly 3 million flights last year and claims you can save the most by booking exactly 54 days before you fly.
That means now’s a great time to sniff out deals for summer vacations. Here’s a few tips and tricks to try.
1. Search in the wee hours. Shop for cheap flights between midnight and 5 a.m. on Mondays and Tuesdays, AAA said. Unpaid bookings are released after midnight which ups your chances of finding a seat.
2. Clear your cache. If you check fares on a particular carrier’s website, details of your web browsing history are stored on your computer and can be used against you in a quest to secure the lowest price. The validity of this tip is hotly debated online, but a great blog I follow, JohnnyJet.com, showed how this trick saved nearly 200 bucks on a recent flight. It can’t hurt and will only help. Learn how to clear your cache, or cookies, at RefreshYourCache.com.
3. Search in secret. Another trick is to search for deals (not just airfares!) in private, or incognito, browsing mode. This means you won’t have to clear your cache, but be sure to open a new browsing window for each search session you conduct. How to Geek has a good tutorial for all browsers.
4. Book early. The more ope seats, the cheaper the fare. “Air carriers want to fill every seat on the plane. They base their rates on supply and demand. Prices will be higher on flights with few available seats,” said AAA.
5. Fly mid-week. Friday through Monday are the heavies traffic days. Be flexible and book flights for departure on Tuesdays and Wednesdays to save the most, AAA said.
6. Early birds save more. Fly early in the morning or late at night during off-peak times, which are shunned by most travelers.
7. Check multiple search engines and websites. Google.com/Flights, JetRadar.com, SkyScanner.com and AirFareWatchdog.com are excellent helpers.
8. Get price alerts. Sign up for email alerts and newsletters from your favorite airline, but especially budget carriers such as Spirit.com, JetBlue.com, Allegiantair.com, FlyFrontier.com and Southwest.com.
9. Use rewards credit cards: Earn points for free airfare, get free checked bags other perks. Boost point earnings by using reward credit cards to pay for large purchases and auto-pay recurring household expenses such as cellphone and electric bills. ThePointsGuy.com is a good place to start to find deals.
10. Keep looking. You can cancel a flight within 24 hours after making a payment without a penalty, so keep searching to see if a lower fare pops up.
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