The 8 most common mistakes people make before booking a flight

Pénzcentrum.hu collected 8 common mistakes we make while booking flights to go on a holiday, and shows some tricks on how to get the best for our money.

We’re loyal to a certain airline
While buying your plane ticket it may be true that being loyal to a certain airline is really worth it sometimes; but if another company offers cheaper flights, then maybe it’s time to change. There are many websites on the internet comparing flight prices, so be sure to choose the best offer.

We decide in seconds
It’s an eternal rule that you shouldn’t accept the first offer; it’s best to look around on the internet and compare different offers, because the cheapest one is not always the best one: the plane might land at a distant airport, the transfer to the city is not included in the price, the number and size of the luggage can be smaller, etc. Always compare the offers, and choose the one that suits you best.

We booked on the wrong day
It may sound strange, but the day of your booking matters a lot. Avoid booking on Monday, Friday, and Saturday, because prices tend to be higher on these days. Usually Tuesday and Thursday have the cheapest offers.

We forget to check all the airports
When travelling to a metropolis like London, New York City, or Washington D.C., it’s better to check all the airports instead of just one, and book a flight based on where your hotel is or which part of the city you’d like to explore to save some money on public transport.

We’re not flexible enough
If there are no direct flights to the chosen destination but we have to transfer at least once, it might be worth a try to look for direct flights from nearby cities (if your going to Budapest than these are Vienna, Prague, and Bratislava), because it is sometimes cheaper than a transfer.

We choose the wrong day to travel
The day of the departure is just as important as the day of the booking. When having a short trip, it’s better to depart on Thursday and come back on Monday, because it’s usually cheaper than going on Friday and coming back on Saturday.

We ignore the extra costs
Low budget airlines often offer incredibly cheap flights because passengers have to pay an extra for everything else. It’s best to compare the prices and see what’s included (luggage, transfer fee, taxes, etc.) to decide if it’s really worth booking the cheapest flight.

We book too early or too soon
Contrary to the myth, it’s not always the best option to book the flight a long time before the holiday, because some companies may lower the price some time before departing to sell all the extra tickets. But be careful not to book too late, because prices tend to go up when only a few seats are left.

Copy editor: bm

Source: penzcentrum.hu