Best day of the week to book cheap flights and hotel rooms
There’s a quick way to cut hundreds of dollars on airline tickets and hotel prices – it’s just a matter of which day of the week to book.
Data that captures airfare and hotel rate fluctuations over the course of a week has narrowed down the best day to book in order to get the cheapest prices.
Expedia has looked at past price data for flights and accommodation to determine which day of the week the prices are historically lowest.
According to data on average ticket prices, booking domestic flights on Sunday can help travelers save up to 25% on airline tickets, compared to booking on Friday, when prices tend to be low. higher.
The most ideal departure day for a domestic flight is a Thursday, when travelers can save almost 20% compared to a Sunday departure.
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Even though international travel remains out of reach for the moment, Expedia has also found the best days to book international flights: book on a Sunday to save up to 15% and leave on a Tuesday or Thursday to save almost 20 percent. . hundred.
Expedia found that air fares in 2020 hit their lowest point in April, when Australia entered COVID-19 lockdowns. Prices started to recover in June and the average ticket price remains around 20-30% lower year over year.
Hotels are where we always pay a little more, however.
Expedia found that prices rose between March and April during the early foreclosure restrictions. “But as borders and restrictions loosened, prices started to normalize as appetite for travel increased,” Expedia said.
“Looking ahead, as demand continues to grow and with limited supply, prices may remain higher than last year.”
Still, there are savings to be had if you know the best day to book.
For national holidays, the lowest average daily rate for accommodation is on Monday, saving up to 15% compared to Saturday, which is usually more expensive.
Tips for saving are part of Expedia’s 2021 Travel Report, which examines the best tips for saving for travel in the coming year, where Australians are likely to vacation and what behaviors will shape how we travel nationally and hopefully internationally. year.
He revealed that the top destinations for 2021 were an optimistic mix of Australians and international favorites, with Gold Coast leading the way, followed by Bali, Sydney, the north coast of New South Wales and the Sunshine Coast of Queensland.
Fiji, Oahu in Hawaii, the Whitsundays, Melbourne and Byron Bay round out the top 10.
With ongoing state border changes requiring flexibility from travelers and businesses, refundable bookings are up 10% from 2019 and are also up to 20% cheaper than refundable bookings in 2019. 2019.
A recent Expedia traveler survey found health and safety to be top concerns, prompting the company to introduce an “improved cleaning” filter on property searches on its site.
Expedia Australian director Alex Ozdowski said health and safety considerations and changing circumstances have made travel even more stressful for Australians.
“2020 has certainly been a trying year for Australian tourism (but) it wasn’t long before resilient Australians began to explore their backyards, making domestic tourism and vacations the only escape route for our people. travelers, ”he said.
“We want to want to relieve the stress of planning in these uncertain times and equip travelers with the relevant information and tools they need to feel confident about traveling again.
“We continue to encourage our travelers to opt for flexibility in their booking and to take into account our savings tips to achieve the ideal travel result. ”