It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the rising cost of fuel is translating to pricier airfares.
Back in August, Qantas confirmed it would increase domestic airfares by 10%, while international fares would jump 20%. “It’s fair to say that we’ve seen a dramatic rise in fuel,” Qantas CEO Alan Joyce told reporters at the time.
“For this year, we’re forecasting that we will be 60% higher in fuel costs than we were back in 2019 before COVID. […] We will still offer value for people but it is a cost we have to pass on; it’s a cost we can’t digest given what we have gone through.”
Meanwhile, in September, Virgin Australia chief Jayne Hrdlicka said that Virgin’s fuel bill had doubled to almost $500 million in the year to June 30. That, along with staffing cost increases of nearly 40%, were central to the need for the airline to lift prices, she said.
“It is inevitable with inflation and with the constraints on capacity right now that prices are high and will be going higher for a while,” she said.
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With all that in mind, it’s worth paying attention to any airline travel hacks you come across. Fortunately, Expedia has rounded up some of the best of them with its 2023 Air Travel Hacks Report, which leveraged insights from its air ticketing database, to pinpoint six hacks and recommendations.
Book Flights on a Sunday
Travellers who booked on Sundays instead of Fridays tended to save, on average, 20% on both domestic and international flights.
Book Well in Advance
The report found that travellers who booked at least three months before domestic flights and six months before international flights saved an average of 25%. Specifically, travellers who booked during this period saved on average 30% for domestic flights and 25% for international flights compared to those who waited until the last minute (0 – 30 days out for domestic, 0 – 90 days for international).
Choose a Midday Flight to Reduce Risk of Cancellations
A midday flight means less chance of cancellations. Based on year-to-date flight status data, flights that depart between 3pm – 9pm have a 30% higher chance of being delayed, on average, than those that depart at midday (9am – 3pm).
Travel at the End of the Week
Starting your trip at the end of the week can lead to you saving up to 20%. Expedia’s data found that travellers who started a trip on a Saturday, versus on a Monday saved up to 20% on domestic flights. For international flights, travellers who departed on a Friday instead of a Sunday saved 10% on average.
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