Travel expert shares plane booking tip that can actually save you money

Often, we look to social media for tips and tricks. However, with more than 234 million TikTok posts tagged ‘travel tips’ and 53 million for ‘travel deals’, determining who to trust can be overwhelming.

To help you get the best deal and know which hacks are worth the hype, booking insider George Hastings, Managing Director and Co-Founder at Ocean Holidays, has shared her insights on viral TikTok booking tips, revealing if they’re truth or myth!

If you’ve heard that flying to smaller airports can save you cash, you’d be right. And it’s one that’s worth exploring.

George explains: “This money saving tip is definitely worth exploring, wherever you’re travelling to. While it does tend to mean longer travel to your final destination, opting for a smaller airport can save you a good chunk off your flight cost.

“For example, if you’re travelling to Orlando, explore flights to Tampa instead. This could save you around £80-£100 per person and if you’re already planning on renting a car, this can certainly be worth it.

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“It’s always worth exploring your new arrival destination if you can as they’ll likely be great destinations in their own right and who knows, maybe that afternoon before heading to your final destination could end up being your favourite part of the whole trip!”

So what other travel tips are there?

Myth: Booking last minute flights (within six weeks of departure) will get you the best deal

George says that this is a “common misconception” with many people thinking the plane is already due to go and airlines want to get rid of empty seats.

He explains: “In reality though, booking at the last minute will very rarely save you money. Especially when travelling at peak times like the Easter or summer holiday. Flights around this time will only get more expensive as you get closer to the period. To ensure you get the best prices , aim to book between 250-330 days before departure.

“This is especially true for long haul flights, for example booking a trip to Florida at the last minute will see you paying approximately 40 percent more than if you book it within that 80 day window.

“If you do manage to find cheap flights, this will likely be for short-haul flights and won’t be the same for your hotel, which will likely go up in price as you come closer to departing. This means that the overall cost of the holiday would be more expensive than if you booked in advance.”

Myth: Booking flights for a Tuesday, Wednesday or Saturday will get you a cheaper deal

George says: “This one is somewhat true… Saturdays are not the best day to find a deal because as you’d expect, a lot of people travel on this day. However, it is correct that Tuesdays and Wednesdays are good days for securing deals.

“This is because hotels usually have better offers midweek and flights are typically cheapest on a Tuesday or Wednesday across the majority of airlines, simply due to demand.”

Truth: Flying in direct will save you hundreds of pounds

Mastering the art of layovers can not only afford you some additional sightseeing opportunities but also save you up to 40 percent on your flight costs.

George says: “This hack is absolutely worth the hype. Many people will opt for convenience above all else, and if travelling is particularly taxing on you or someone you’re travelling with, that can sometimes be the best option.

“But if you’re willing to add 4+ hours to your trip, you can save hundreds of pounds. In fact, it could save you up to 40% off your overall trip cost.

“Flying indirect can also get you a stopover for free because airlines are routed via certain gateways. For example, Delta Airlines is routed via JFK, so if you are travelling to Orlando but fancy a couple of nights in New York, this is already included in your indirect flight price so you can just add on the cost of your accommodation.”

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Myth: The time of day you fly can make the price cheaper

George advises: “There’s plenty of reasons to opt for a morning flight over an evening flight or vice versa. For example, if you’re travelling to a different time zone, the time you fly could impact how much you feel the jet lag. Flying from east to west is generally easier when it comes to jet lag and of course if you’re doing a long-haul flight, you might want to land in the PM, so you can head to bed and avoid the battle to stay awake for 12 more hours.

“When it comes to the price of the flight however, the time of day you fly isn’t important for longer flights, but for shorter flights this can be a good way to save a bit extra on your ticket.”