{"id":35418,"date":"2022-10-19T09:26:12","date_gmt":"2022-10-19T09:26:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.expedia.co.uk\/stories\/?p=35418"},"modified":"2022-10-19T09:56:22","modified_gmt":"2022-10-19T09:56:22","slug":"2023-flight-hacks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.expedia.co.uk\/stories\/2023-flight-hacks\/","title":{"rendered":"Expedia\u2019s 2023 Air Travel Hacks Report: What day UK travellers should book on to save on airfare and how to avoid flight delays"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As we head into the holidays and a brand-new year, many have already expanded their travel plans and aspirations. But if we\u2019ve learned anything from 2022, traveling isn\u2019t always so simple, as travellers encounter unpredictable flight prices, delays and cancellations. Thankfully, Expedia has released its 2023 Air Travel Hacks Report, providing industry tips to help save travellers time and money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The main takeaway? Plan wisely by taking advantage of price alerts as timing is KEY when it comes to hacking air travel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Air travel is on the runway to recovery<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Average ticket prices began to surpass 2019 levels around April this year, driven by the rebound in demand and lowering of travel restrictions. After peaking during the summer months, airfare prices dropped again for autumn and are expected to rise again for the busy holiday period.1<\/a><\/sup> While overall capacity (airplane seats available for a given route) has been increasing over the course of the year, it still sits below 2019 levels as airlines work to fully restore operations to pre-pandemic levels.2<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

From when to book to maximising loyalty perks, here\u2019s Expedia\u2019s guide to hacking travel in 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When to book<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Book on a Sunday to save up to 20%<\/b>3<\/a><\/sup>
Travellers who book on Sundays instead of Fridays tend to save, on average, around 20% on domestic flights and 10% on international flights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Book at least 2 months before domestic flights to save 30%<\/b>4<\/a><\/sup>
The sweet spot for snagging the best price on domestic flights falls between 70-100 days before departure (so about 14 weeks in advance of travel). Travellers that booked during that period tended to save 30% on average compared to those who waited until the last minute (0 \u2013 3 weeks before travel).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Book almost 4 months before international flights to save 20%<\/b>4<\/a><\/sup>
Travellers who booked around six months in advance of international travel tended to save 20% compared to those who waited until two months or less to book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How to avoid flight disruptions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Depart before 11am to reduce the chance of cancellations<\/b>5<\/a><\/sup>
Travellers who want the best chance for smooth travel should aim for early flights. Based on year-to-date flight-status data, flights that depart before 11am are 11% less likely to be impacted by flight cancellations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Travel off-peak<\/b>6<\/a><\/sup>
Data shows that avoiding the peak travel periods can have more benefits than just cost-savings. Historically, March is the most reliable month to travel, with the shortest average length of delays, compared to July with the highest (184 minutes on average).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When to travel<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Depart on a Saturday to save up to 20%<\/b>7<\/a> <\/sup>on domestic flights and on a Friday to save 15%<\/b> on international flights<\/strong>
In general, travellers who started a domestic trip on a Saturday, versus the beginning of the week, saved 20% on flights. For international flights, travellers who departed on a Friday saved 15%, the same as our 2022 findings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to save on your trip<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When it just isn\u2019t possible to follow every travel hack, there are still a few easy ways to save on your next trip. <\/p>\n\n\n\n