{"id":7799,"date":"2022-10-19T11:00:18","date_gmt":"2022-10-19T11:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/expedia.blog.ca.local\/2023-flight-hacks\/"},"modified":"2022-10-19T11:00:18","modified_gmt":"2022-10-19T11:00:18","slug":"2023-flight-hacks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.expedia.ca\/stories\/2023-flight-hacks\/","title":{"rendered":"Expedia\u2019s 2023 Air Travel Hacks Report: Canadian travelers should book on this day to save on airfare and avoid flight delays"},"content":{"rendered":"

As we head into the holidays and a brand-new year, many travelers have already expanded their travel plans and aspirations. But if we\u2019ve learned anything from 2022, traveling isn\u2019t always so simple, as travelers encounter unpredictable flight prices, delays and cancellations. Thankfully, Expedia has released its 2023 Air Travel Hacks Report, providing six proven tips to help save travelers time and money.<\/p>\n

The main takeaway? Timing is KEY when it comes to hacking air travel.<\/p>\n

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Air travel is on the runway to recovery<\/h2>\n

Average ticket prices began to surpass 2019 levels around May and June this year, driven by the rebound in demand and lowering of travel restrictions. After peaking during the summer months, airfare prices dropped again for fall and are expected to rise again for the busy holiday period.1<\/sup> While overall capacity (airplane seats available for a given route) has been increasing over the course of the year, it still sits below 2019 levels as airlines work to fully restore operations to pre-pandemic levels.2<\/sup><\/p>\n

From when to book, to maximizing loyalty perks, here\u2019s Expedia\u2019s guide to hacking travel in 2023:<\/p>\n

When to book<\/h2>\n

Book on a Sunday to save up to 15%<\/strong>3
\n<\/sup>Travelers who book on Sundays instead of Fridays tend to save, on average, around 15% on domestic flights and 10% on international flights.<\/p>\n

Book at least two months before domestic flights to save 40%<\/strong>4
\n<\/sup>The sweet spot for snagging the best price on domestic flights falls around 71 days before departure (so about 2 months in advance of travel). Travelers who booked during that period saved nearly 40% on average compared to those who waited until a month prior to departure.<\/p>\n

For those who prefer to plan further in advance, avoid booking any earlier than 100 days out. Domestic airfares can actually be more expensive in the 4 to 5.5-months prior to departure.<\/p>\n

Book 3 months before international flights to save 10%<\/strong>4
\n<\/sup>Travelers who booked around 3 months in advance of international travel saved 10% compared to those who waited until 2 months out or less to book.<\/p>\n

Last-minute flight deals are increasingly rare, so it\u2019s smart to opt into price alerts on the Expedia app and get notified when fares are expected to be at their lowest. Expedia\u2019s price-tracking and predictions feature uses machine learning to identify patterns in historical data to forecast price changes, factoring in time of year, route details, trip length and more to give travelers the most accurate predictions possible.<\/p>\n

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How to avoid flight disruptions<\/h2>\n

Depart before 3pm to reduce chance of cancellations<\/strong>5
\n<\/sup>Travelers who want the best chance for smooth travel should aim for early flights. Based on year-to-date flight-status data, flights that depart after 3pm have the highest chance of being cancelled \u2013 a 40% higher chance, on average, than those that depart earlier in the day.<\/p>\n

Travel off-peak<\/strong>6
\n<\/sup>Data shows that avoiding the peak travel periods can have more benefits than just cost-savings. On average, flight delays were shorter during February and May compared to the busy summer months, dropping by about 40 minutes. As summer wound down, delays began to shorten again, making fall an appealing time for air travel.<\/p>\n

Overall, airlines have steadily improved their services, with total cancellations dropping from more than 10% early in the year to around 4% in August. This trend is expected to continue in a positive direction for travelers, meaning 2023 should see a significantly reduced risk of flight disruptions.<\/p>\n

When to travel<\/h2>\n

Depart on a Friday to save up to 20%<\/strong>7
\n<\/sup>In general, travelers who started a trip on a Friday, versus the beginning of the week (a Sunday or a Monday), saved 20% on domestic flights. For international flights, travelers who departed on a Thursday instead of the beginning of the week (a Sunday or a Monday) saved 5%.<\/p>\n

How to save on every trip<\/h2>\n

When it just isn\u2019t possible to follow every travel hack, there are still a few easy ways to knock hundreds of dollars off your trip.<\/p>\n