On Travel: Flight search tips

(Originally published Jan. 30, 2010)
Yesterday I continued to work on the new writing project I’ve mentioned in earlier blog posts. Like I said before, the project will involve some travel. I’m not sure when that travel will take place, but I do know where I’ll be going. Yesterday I spent more than two hours figuring out possible flights (at least a few of them will be necessary) and timelines. It was fun. And it made me think of some things I’ve learned.
First of all, flights are almost always cheapest on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. People travel for business on Mondays and Fridays, and for pleasure on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. So that leaves the middle of the week for airlines to attract extra customers by offering lower rates.
Tickets are also cheaper in the winter than any other time of year, unless the place you’re going has a big tourist attraction during the winter. For example, flights to South Africa seem to be most expensive during the weeks when the FIFA World Cup is going on. But the prices go down in late July, the country’s winter. Although getting there from SeaTac is extremely expensive no matter when you go.
I could fly pretty cheaply to Europe next month, but expensively in June or July, even though buying tickets long ahead of time is usually cheaper than buying at the last minute. Summer seems to always be the exception; it’s expensive no matter what. Spring is next in line for cost, followed by fall, for most destinations.
No matter when and where you’re going, it’s also a good idea to be flexible on dates in the beginning. And keep checking prices often, because sometimes deals sneak in there quietly.
All these things are probably common sense for most travelers. So let me close by recommending a few Web sites. I like to use Fly.com, but have also found some good deals on CheapTickets.com and Kayak.com. CheapTickets also has an email newsletter I receive, and sometimes there will be interesting tidbits in there. Finally, Travelzoo.com has a couple good newsletters worth checking out. Just remember that the more sites you compare, the better off you are.