Air travel is one of the most efficient modes of transportation, which is gradually emerging as the first choice of travellers. Some of the reasons behind it are application of latest technologies and changes in managerial strategies. This has helped in reducing the cost significantly, which in turn has attracted a number of new fliers. Cheap flight tickets can be easily availed for different destinations as competition in the market has increased, leading to price regulations and price based differentiation. Travellers can either reserve seats with airlines at affordable prices online with the help of various travel portals or opt for customer care services. However, a thorough research before making such reservations can save a great deal of money, especially if they are planning a leisure vacation.
Days of Booking
Before booking online tickets, it is advised that people search for deals and offers rolled by various airlines on all or some specified routes. Most carriers offer cheap flights to Dehradun, Delhi, Mumbai and other popular routes during lean seasons to attract maximum number of travellers. Hence, expert travellers repeatedly suggest on booking tickets in off-seasons. Apart from this, the day of travelling also plays a great role in deciding the cost. It has been observed if reservation is made during weekdays, the cost is comparatively lower than those made for Saturdays or Sundays. So, those who are planning a getaway or a leisure trip can shuffle between a few dates and days to ensure the cheapest flight fares. However, people who have to attend an emergency meeting or business do not have this luxury. They can simply check prices with low-cost carriers (LCCs) operating on that specified route. However, it is advised that travellers initiate this search months before the travel date as booking in advance often proves to be the cheapest deal.
Advance Booking
The first and foremost question that arises with advance booking is how many days before the travel date should it be done. After a number of calculation, researches and observations, it has been found that reservations prior to 90 or 100 days are the best. There are several reasons for this; some are based on simple mathematics and some on the management. As per experts, carriers often plan the operations three months in advance and to ensure minimum load factor on different routes, they offer a few seats at a cheap price. Most of the seats are vacant during this time period; hence reserving seats on such dates not only ensures cheap ticket, but also gives a chance to reserve the preferred spot in the aircraft.
Round Trips
In addition to this, those who are certain about the departure and return dates can opt for round trip tickets, which are cheaper. Booking tickets individually for a specific destination and then making reservations for returning separately can be costly. As per experts, carriers operate a direct flight for several popular tourist destinations, which are scheduled to come back to the departure city on the same or other day. On such flights, the cost of operation is lower, which results in a cheaper price.
Martin Wynn
