Expedia's 2024 Air Travel Hacks Report is out, providing tips to save travelers time and money on flights, including when to book, how to avoid cancellations and the best day to depart on your trip.
A survey of 1,000 Canadian flyers found 39 percent reported air travel to be stressful and more daunting than a flooded inbox or sleeping through an alarm.
Almost half (43 percent) of air travelers find the process of securing a good flight deal especially stressful, and 17 percent even checked back on ticket prices after booking to see if they could have saved more.
The report shows that booking airfare on a Sunday saves up to 24 percent. Travelers who book on Sundays instead of Fridays tend to save, on average, around 17 percent on domestic flights and 24 percent on international flights.
Meanwhile, travelers who booked 25 days prior to departure saved 33 percent on average compared to those who waited until the last minute. For international airfare, it is ideal to avoid booking too early, as prices are comparatively high 106 days out. However, prices also tend to increase 20 days prior to departure.
For optimal availability, selection and savings, book 30-37 days out.
For actual travel dates, departing on a Thursday can save up to 13 percent. Avoid departing on Sundays, which are the priciest days, on average, to start a trip. For timing, depart before 3 p.m. to reduce the chance of cancellations.
Roughly 24 percent of Canadian air travelers try to avoid morning flights because getting up early on the day of travel gives them additional stress. However, year-to-date flight status data reveals flights that departures after 3 p.m. have an 18 percent higher chance, on average, of being canceled than those that depart earlier in the day.
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