Airfare deals: Not pie in sky
If you plan on flying in the new year, here are some shopping tips:
1 When to buy
When shopping for domestic flights, check prices on Tuesday afternoons. Most U.S. carriers release sales Tuesday mornings, and competitors quickly drop fares to match the better deals (so they don’t wind up on page 10 of your airfare query).
2 When to fly
Weekdays are still generally cheaper times to fly than weekends. In the U.S. specifically, the cheapest days are typically Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday.
3 Where to fly
Good deals to Boston and Denver are hovering, along with, increasingly, nice prices to Chicago, Seattle and Washington, D.C. As for Europe, incredible deals available throughout the fall are likely to continue into winter. Lately we’ve seen prices fall for London, and Dublin, Paris and Scandinavia remain good values.
4 Non-stop vs. connecting flights
Adding a stop might save you money — and it might be enough to endure the extra-long flying day. Examples: Boston to Seattle: $247 non-stop, $234 one-stop San Francisco to Raleigh/Durham: $553 non-stop, $362 one-stop The savings on Boston-Seattle might not be worth it to you, but I’ll bet you’ll think twice about the direct flight to Raleigh.
5 Compare, compare, compare
Stifle the impulse to go to your favorite airline site to purchase tickets without comparison shopping. Example: Let’s say you want to fly from New York to London and figure your favorite U.S. legacy carrier will get you there for the best price. Airline price: $554 round-trip Comparison price: $486 Obviously, the legacy carrier did not have the cheapest flight, but wait: The comparison site also showed a cheaper flight from the same legacy carrier ($521).