Booking flights online

pummice

Hi anyone have any tips or hacks for booking flights online to minimise prices. Book midweek? Clear out cookies? other?

endofrainbow

booking midweek and clearing cookies are urban legends.

Always book with the airline, at a price your're happy with and don't be tempted to go back and check. Fares are sold in 'buckets' and when a fare bucket is sold out, the next available bucket is more expensive.

There is no air fare fairy.

mondeoman72

momondo, skyscanner and google flights are good comparison sights

Caranica

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120294643#Comment_120294643

Beware this can lead to you being passed from pillar to post in the event of a problem

Padre_Pio

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120294660#Comment_120294660

Or they'll lead you down the merry path with a cheap fare, then bump it up when you get to pay.

endofrainbow

or cobble together an itinerary on separate tickets (self connect etc) which provide no protection in case of irrops.

Del2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120293932#Comment_120293932

 Fares are sold in 'buckets' and when a fare bucket is sold out, the next available bucket is more expensive.

Not always the case. Last year a group of us where looking to go away and on the Ryanaiar website it had 3 seats left at this price so I booked, when the another person went to check later the new batch where cheaper than what I booked at.

Trampas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120303669#Comment_120303669

When was later? Hours, weeks?

Del2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120308030#Comment_120308030

A few minutes after I'd booked. I'd got the last seat when I booked the other 2 had gone.

JoChervil

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120293932#Comment_120293932

Not true. I fly very often and flights are going up and down. When the next "buckets" doesn't sell well (probably in a proper frame of time), they will reverse to a cheaper price. But you can't really predict it.

endofrainbow

It also depends on how many seats you want - you might get the last at a particular fare but if you wanted 2, those seats might have different prices. This usually applies to Legacy airlines and not LCC or charter flights.

gossamerfabric

don't book at the end of a month as Ryanair know you just got paid.

airhint.com will give advice and regular email updates as to when to buy a particular flight.

zell12

possible..

https://www.euronews.com/travel/2023/08/12/what-is-skiplagging-the-cheap-flight-hack-that-airlines-are-cracking-down-on

beachhead

Booking 8/10 weeks out for a long haul can be cheaper.As one poster said be happy with the price you pay at.Some airlines trend prices over a 2 week period-up/down by a few euro then lob on e50,keep price up for another 2 weeks which seems the normal cycle then shoot up as your travel date approaches- 4/5 weeks out.I am monitoring flights in January(end of).One airline has varied by e40 in the 6 weeks,the others by e150-350.This week all with e100 of each other.To me that means no demand yet.Pay the price you're happy with and leave sites alone.Skyscanner the best.Googleflights the worst.Others 50/50 but they forget the extras which are included by other sites.Like baggage is 23kg not 25 or 30kg.Seat fee is excluded and charge more than the airline or even when free with the airline direct

coylemj

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122492360#Comment_122492360

Within the month, your credit card cutoff (billing) date is far more significant than when you get paid.

extrafluff

Hopefully this helps. I saw an article on Toms Guide about using Gemini - Googles AI system - to search for flights. I haven't tried it myself as I've no plans for holidays any time soon but may save people some money.

https://www.tomsguide.com/ai/how-to-use-google-gemini-to-find-cheap-flight-prices