Travel

Callalily

(14,890 posts) Mon Feb 4, 2013, 07:41 AM Feb 2013

Best day of the week to book a flight?

I've read so many conflicting information on this topic. Many say to book on Tuesday into Wednesday morning, other information tells me it doesn't matter. Also read not to book more than 81 days before your trip, but if traveling on specific days, one runs the risk of unavailability.

It's such a racket!

4 replies

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Best day of the week to book a flight? (Original Post) Callalily Feb 2013 OP

I once heard a travel agent say that she thought the airlines set fares with a dartboard Lydia Leftcoast Feb 2013 #1

I'm thinking the same thing . . . about the dartboard. Callalily Feb 2013 #4

supposedly, if you book on Orbitz ginnyinWI Feb 2013 #2

Yes, I've heard this too Callalily Feb 2013 #3

Lydia Leftcoast

(48,217 posts)

1. I once heard a travel agent say that she thought the airlines set fares with a dartboard

Reply to Callalily (Original post)

Mon Feb 4, 2013, 11:30 AM

Feb 2013

She said that when I was able to fly roundtrip from Portland to Minneapolis for $198 after weeks of seeing only $550 fares. The price dropped by more than half overnight.

It's a gamble. You just have to keep checking back, because the fares depend on how easily they're able to fill up the planes at the higher prices. However, if a flight is TOO empty, they'll cancel it at the last minute and pack the passengers onto other flights.

Right now, I'm trying to fly to Hawaii for a convention in June, and I'm seeing very high prices. I'll have to keep checking every week.

(As for the taunt that airlines have slashed services because customers care only about price, only an idiot would pay more than they had to for flying under today's cramped, stressful conditions.)