The summer holidays are coming and you have already noticed that the prices of plane tickets are increasing. So if you plan to leave with this mode of transport, follow the advice of Fanny Guinochet.
franceinfo: Paying cheaper plane tickets, is it possible? How to do it ?
The increase in plane tickets is indeed significant: 13% more in March over one year, between mainland France and Martinique or Guadeloupe, but it is 7% over one year, on most tickets from others destinations. This is because of soaring kerosene prices, but also ecological taxes, or even the war in Ukraine, which is disrupting journeys and air traffic.
In this context, the first piece of advice is to book in advance, as always, but even more so now. Because the rise will continue in the weeks to come. So for example, for this summer, take your ticket now, even if the companies have abandoned the 100% refundable that they had put in place with the Covid, they are still a little more flexible than before, on the conditions modifications or reimbursement, in case you change your mind.
And if we are flexible on the dates, is that better?
Yes, it helps! On public holidays, in the middle of August, it is obviously more expensive than in October. At airports too, sometimes it’s cheaper if you start from a little further away, from a secondary airport. Check.
Classic, but it’s worth it, log on to the price comparators to see the cheapest prices. We can cite Cdiscount Voyages, lastminute, the flight exchange, Opodo. But then it’s worth switching to the company’s site and seeing if there’s a difference. It depends on the flights and the companies, but sometimes it’s worth going through the comparator, because they negotiate large volumes, and sometimes not, it’s better to go directly through the company directly, because you avoid the intermediary, the commission that the comparator takes on the way.
But beware, be aware that airlines scan your navigation data. They use them to inflate the note. So if you do the same search several times, in a very short period of time, the prices are likely to inflate. For that, either you use another computer, or you erase the history, you empty the cookies.
Is there a time when it’s best to book?
Avoid the weekend or the evening, because it is the time when there are more people looking to book, more requests, and prices tend to increase. Thursday is obviously a good day to take your ticket, for plane filling stories. And when you go, avoid Saturday, it’s usually the most expensive day. Tuesday is visibly more advantageous.