Travel enthusiasts may find it beneficial to pay attention to the timing of booking flights, as per a travel expert’s advice. Jamie Fraser, who owns Wild Packs, suggests that the optimal time to secure affordable flights is precisely at 2:48 am, which could be advantageous for night owls and insomniacs. According to Fraser, conducting searches in the evening between 8 pm and 2 am can also yield savings of about 5% compared to peak morning hours.
Fraser explains that airlines often increase prices in response to high demand for specific routes and dates. Consequently, booking during times when fewer people are actively searching, such as early morning hours, can lead to better deals as airline pricing systems reset overnight. Fraser emphasizes that setting an alarm for 2 am could potentially result in significant savings, but if that’s not feasible, booking between 8 pm and 10 pm remains a viable alternative to avoid the morning rush.
While this strategy has worked in the past due to manual fare updates by airlines and travel sites overnight, the evolving systems in place today make it more challenging to predict savings accurately. Nonetheless, travelers can still benefit from Fraser’s tips, including setting up price alerts rather than constantly monitoring fares and staying flexible with travel plans by exploring various airlines, dates, and nearby airports.
For those using platforms like Skyscanner, selecting the ‘nearby airports’ option or choosing ‘everywhere’ as a destination for flexible travel preferences can lead to cost-effective travel choices. Additionally, keeping an eye out for airline deals, flash sales, or promotions like kids fly for free offers can present limited-time opportunities for budget-friendly travel experiences.