Airline companies normally publish their flight schedules with prices for more than six months in advance. Therefore, if you’ve got your heart set on a specific travel destination you should take advantage of early bird booking. Keep an eye on airline websites and third-party travel websites. They usually have special discounts or incentives for those travelers who book plane tickets online.
The early bird gets the best flight rates
The first thing to take advantage of early bird booking discounts is to plan your trip way in advance. If you know when you want to leave, then the odds to find cheap flights just got higher. As I said, most airlines publish flights for up to six months in advance. However, there are others that make them available even eight months ahead. The sooner you book your flights, the higher your chances to get cheap plane tickets.
This method is aimed at those who know when and where they will be traveling. The reason is that discounted plane tickets are usually non-refundable. Some airline companies only offer ticket exchanges as an option. Others don’t allow any alterations in case your travel plans change. Therefore always read the airline’s refund policy prior to booking and make sure you understand all that airline travel lingo.
Early bird booking advantages
When you book your flights early, not only do you get the lowest fares, but you also get the best airplane seats. You can choose between window or aisle seats, closer to the front or the back of the plane.
When you book a flight at the last minute, it’s more difficult to get the desired seating or even the best route. Some routes are more affordable than others. That is why only through early bird booking can you get them before other budget travelers.
Keep in mind that most airline companies have a small number of seats to offer with early bird booking discount. However, if you are choosing an unpopular route or flight, the airline can make a larger number of discount seats available just before their early bird booking deadline expires.
When to book your next summer vacation
Whether you are planning a long summer vacation or weekend getaways in the high season, the best time to start planning for them is in spring. Many cheap airfare deals appear on the internet at that time of the year. And it’s not just that! If you plan your trip in advance, you can get early bird booking discounts on lots of vacation packages that also include accommodation and various tours and activities.
Though not the best choice if you wish to protect the environment, sometimes you can find cheap flights close to home, as well. That means that instead of driving to your destination, you can save time that you can then spend visiting and exploring. Or just resting. It is a holiday, after all!
Early bird booking exceptions
Although you may get the best flight deals with early bird booking, there are some exceptions. On Christmas and other holidays where there is a high demand, airline companies increase the costs of plane tickets. Not just that, but those flights fill up months in advance, anyway, so there’s no point for airlines to offer any discounts. (However, if you choose to travel on the actual holidays, like on Christmas day or New Years’ Eve, you can find cheap flights.)
Mirela Letailleur is a Romanian travel blogger living in the South of France. She writes on The Travel Bunny travel blog about affordable travel in Europe, creator of unique free travel guides, local travel expert. Problem solver. Wannabe coffee guru.
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