How to get the best deal on overseas flights
Experts share five tips on scoring the most cost-effective air tickets for your next holiday.
For about a year, airlines and travel agents have promised airfares are getting cheaper, pointing to more capacity on international routes and greater competition as factors helping to lower high prices. Yet finding affordable fares remains a lot like a treasure hunt, with travellers too often left frustrated when promised sale tickets appear unattainable or are in limited supply.
Adding to the complexity are hidden charges for things such as seat selection and luggage, even for some business-class fares. The exchange rate can also pose hurdles, with some airline websites charging in US dollars or British Sterling. Meanwhile, internet cookies can mean prices rise with each search.
There is no foolproof method for bagging a bargain, but experts have a range of suggestions to help travellers take off with more money to spend at their destination.
Where to go
Flight Centre global leisure chief executive James Kavanagh says a good starting point is choosing destinations served by multiple airlines, because they almost certainly have the most competitive fares. From Australia, Denpasar in Bali is one of the best served, with eight airlines flying to the Indonesian island, including low-cost carriers Jetstar, Indonesia AirAsia and Citilink Indonesia.
Other destinations where travellers are spoiled for choice include the US, with the three big American airlines set to add capacity on Australian routes by year’s end. Out of Sydney, five airlines are flying to South Korea, and three to Vietnam, while options to China and Japan from all major airports have increased greatly in the past year.
Kavanagh also recommends looking for new route announcements, because they are typically accompanied by great sale fares to stimulate demand.
“Airlines base their pricing models on algorithms that work to seat availability, and as seats get snapped up, the price of the remaining spots will increase,” he says. “So as a general rule, the further in advance you can book the better. The exception is when an airline launches a sale period, so make sure you’re signed up to their e-newsletters or you have a travel agent on hand to pick up the phone and let you know when this happens.”
When to book
Kavanagh’s advice is to book international flights 11 months in advance, and where possible travel in shoulder seasons rather than in peak periods.
“Everyone seems to have Europe on their mind at the moment and our data tells us the sweet spot is to book 11 months ahead,” he says. “International destinations that are closer, such as New Zealand and Indonesia, can be booked with a slightly shorter lead time.”
Expedia group travel expert Sarah King takes a different view, recommending a 14-week lead-in time for domestic flight bookings, and at least a month for the best-priced international fares.
“Travellers who booked their domestic flights at least 14 weeks before departure saved 20 per cent on average compared to those who waited until the last minute,” says King.
“International fares tend to be rather stable in the six months prior to travel. However, for optimal availability, selection and savings, book at least a month out.”
When to travel
Webjet data shows most international bookings this year are being locked in about three months ahead, or 84 days, down from 87 days last year.
In terms of the best day to book, King says Sunday is a good time to lock in plans but not so good for departures. “Sundays are the priciest days on average to start a trip but flying out on a Friday could save up to 23 per cent,” she says.
Student Universe brand manager Will Jones recommends booking flights on a Tuesday or Wednesday, and says travellers should also consider flying mid-week.
“For various reasons, these are the days the least amount of people tend to book flights and airline pricing, which is extremely dynamic, responds to algorithms accordingly,” says Jones. “When it comes to the day of the flight itself, you’ll certainly pay less if you can travel outside of weekends and holiday seasons because these are the times demand is highest, meaning prices are too.”
Virgin Australia, Qantas and Jetstar recommend travelling outside of peak periods as well, and advise consumers to look for sales to save money.
A Webjet spokeswoman says the start of the month is the busiest time for travel, while Skyscanner travel expert Jarrod Kris suggests exploring red-eye flights or early-morning services for the cheapest deals.
“The other side of things is looking at stopovers and one-way bookings,” says Kris. “There are a lot of travellers who are fixated on the idea of booking return flights with the same carrier but that’s not necessarily the cheapest way.”
How to book
Kris says Skyscanner’s search function allows would-be travellers to explore several options, including stopovers at a specific airport, and booking a one-way ticket with one carrier and the return fare with another.
Kavanagh agrees that direct flights can be more expensive in return for convenience, with considerable savings to be had for passengers with time to spare for stopovers. “It’s also a great way to see multiple destinations on your travels. Why not stop over in Dubai for a couple of nights on your way to London or seek out Singapore en route to Paris?” he says.
Other useful tips to save money include bundling flights, hotels and tours into one package, with sites such as Expedia and My Holidays offering good deals, along with Flight Centre, Travel Associates and TripADeal.
Virgin Australia offers a dedicated “book-early fares” page to help travellers on their way at the lowest price, and Jetstar recommends joining its “club” for a $65 fee to gain access to exclusive member fares and discounts on baggage and seat selection.
Packing light is a common tip for more affordable travel, along with collecting frequent flyer points for redemption on airline seats, and considering less popular destinations and airports.
Webjet points out that flying into Manchester rather than Heathrow can wipe an average $125 off a fare, and choosing Milan over Rome can save $786. “If you’re heading on a trip to Europe, you should consider your port of choice carefully,” says a Webjet spokeswoman. “The most expensive (return economy flights from Sydney) include Barcelona for $5229, Copenhagen for $5610 and Paris for $5785, while cheaper alternatives include Dublin for $4566, Milan, $4120, and Athens $4546.
Website versus travel agent
Kris recommends Skyscanner’s “everywhere” search and “price alerts” function to explore the various deals on offer from airlines and online travel agencies.
“There are a lot of variables around booking beyond price, of course,” says Kris, citing factors such as the number of people travelling together, holiday periods and dates. “Skyscanner’s purpose and unique point is the fact there is the ability to search across multiple days and airports to give a lot of flexibility to the traveller and ultimately help get them their best price and save a bit in the long run.”
Expedia also offers a price-tracking feature and King says the site has a lot of flexibility for travellers to investigate different airlines.
Kavanagh, however, insists using a travel agent remains the simplest way to save not only money but precious time.
“A travel agent can do all the thinking for you and have access to insider rates and intelligence you simply can’t get by going it alone,” he says.
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