As the peak summer travel season draws to a close, it's time to celebrate National Cheap Flights Day.
But don't let this misleading name fool you and rush to book your next trip.
“There’s no specific day when flights will be cheapest,” says Katy Nastro, travel expert at On the waytold CNBC Make. “That’s just not the case.”
Instead, Nastro says the best time to book air travel will always be related to when you plan to fly. This period when the best fares tend to be found is called the Goldilocks Window.A
It gets its name from the fact that it’s not too far from your travel date, but not too close either. For domestic travel, the Goldilocks period is between one and three months before your flight, while for international flights, it’s between two and eight months before your trip.
But finding a cheap flight isn't just about timing. Here are three expert-approved tips for National Cheap Flights Day.
1. Practice, practice, practice
If you know you want to take a trip this year but aren't ready to buy your tickets yet, don't let that stop you from checking out flight deals. Doing this regularly in the weeks or months leading up to booking can help you get your bearings and figure out how much you're willing to pay.
Nastro recommends using search sites like Google Flights, Skyscanner and Momondo to compare prices.
“It doesn’t matter where you do your research, as long as you get a good sample of these flights in a number of different regions,” she says. “That will give you a better understanding of what these flight prices look like each week and each month.”
Gemma Jamieson, Skyscanner's senior global PR manager, says spending time on your research can help you save money in the long run.
“Airlines are very smart about pricing and competition. They monitor data, they monitor traveler behavior, and they identify areas where they can be extremely competitive,” she says. “By doing a little extra comparison shopping, going a little deeper, and doing research a little longer than usual, you could save a lot of money.”
2. Don't drag your feet
The biggest mistake you can make when looking for cheap flights is waiting until the last second and hoping that the price of the flight you want will drop. This is especially true if you start thinking about holiday travel.
“Airfares tend to go up, especially during peak travel times,” Nastro says. “The holidays are the time to avoid booking last minute.”
She wants to dispel the misconception that airlines will add flights at the last minute just because an existing airline is sold out.
“That’s not really how it works,” Nastro said. “There’s not an unlimited supply of backup flights that they can just add to the schedule.”
3. Flexibility will save you money
If you don't have a specific destination or dates to travel, you are in the best position to find the cheapest airfare possible.
“If you can, keep an open mind to save money,” Jamieson says. “People who have kept an open mind in the past have helped to make places like Croatia a bit of a summer holiday destination in Europe.”
Likewise, Nastro says that “flexibility will be your best friend when looking for a truly affordable flight.”
If you know where and when you need to fly, your best bet is to be flexible about which airlines you fly. By limiting yourself to only the airlines you have points or status on, you may be missing out on not only better fares, but also more convenient flight times.
“You’re missing out on great fares if you limit yourself to one or two specific carriers,” she says. “I understand that people have preferences, but if your focus is on finding affordable flights, broadening your scope can really help you achieve that.”
Jamieson recommends exploring not only round-trip options, but also one-way flights each way to see if there are other airlines offering better fares.
“Explore your options,” Jamieson advises. “Break down your trip a little bit so you’re not necessarily flying the same airline going in as you are flying in.”
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