From when to book tickets to where to go: Quick hacks to make your travel easy
If you want to travel international, the ideal time to book tickets is 24 weeks prior to the intended date of departure.
Do you want to travel but do not know how to go about it? Do the extensive research, planning and bookings scare you? Don’t worry, for we bring to you quick hacks that will greatly help you in realising your travel dreams.
Skyscanner, the leading global search engine, revealed the top destinations for Indians to look out for in 2017. It had picked Amsterdam, Bali, Kuala Lumpur, Budapest and Madrid last year. But now with data from about 50 million users, it also shares the best time for you to book your travel to these destinations.
The data from Skyscanner shows that booking 24 weeks prior to departure is the ideal time to book tickets.
Bookings for Bali and Kuala Lumpur are best secured 25 weeks prior to departure, however the website notes that both destinations receive the most bookings two weeks prior to departure where flight prices witness a surge of 16% and 11%, respectively, compared to the average fare from across India.
Travellers who have their sights set on Europe can avail 17% saving on fares to Amsterdam when they book 24 weeks in advance.
People planning to visit Budapest can book 12, 20 or 23 weeks prior to departure and still save 13% on the flight tickets. However, to explore Madrid, Skyscanner recommends the best time to book is 15 weeks in advance.
Commenting on the analysis, Reshmi Roy, Growth Manager, Skyscanner India said, “Knowing the best time to book flights is key to getting a good deal, so it’s surprising that nearly three-quarters of Indian Travellers don’t know when the best time to book travel is and 69% are way off in their estimations, guessing the best deals on flights can be found less than 12 weeks before departure. Furthermore, the majority of travellers are overspending by leaving booking until the last minute.”
The data also tells that September and December are the best months to travel these trending destinations, overall.
Although February is the ideal month to visit Amsterdam and Budapest as travellers can save 8% and 9%, respectively, on tickets.
Skyscanner recommends April for a visit to Bali, where they can save up to 10% on flight prices and September as the perfect month to book for Kuala Lumpur where travellers can save a whopping 18% on average fares.
A European favourite, Madrid will be best enjoyed in November where one can avail 17% less than the average fare.
Skyscanner notes that Madrid races ahead in terms of popularity with 164% searches more than the average.
Coming close on its heels is Budapest with 150% searches in popularity followed by Amsterdam, Kuala Lumpur and Bali which receive 88%, 55% and 47% searches in popularity.
The survey also revealed that 72% of Indian travellers do not know the best time to book travel for their holidays.
While a meaty 31% of respondents correctly assume booking more than 12 weeks in advance is the best time book flights. Additionally, 11% feel that booking last minute is the key to getting a good deal, Skyscanner’s data analysis shows booking 24 weeks prior to departure is the ideal time to book tickets.
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