So you want to save money when you book a plane ticket? Well, you won’t if your airline has anything to say about it.from passengers in 2024, up 7.5 percent from last year, according to an estimate by the International Air Transport Association.And now more than ever, it’s a cat-and-mouse game, which I discovered when I tried to buy a ticket from São Paulo to Rio de Janeiro last week.It’s a one-hour flight and typically costs somewhere between $40 and $60 one way.
And let’s be honest: Lately, it feels like they have you over a barrel. Airfares have already started to rise as the summer travel season comes into focus. The airlines are using powerful AIs and algorithms to squeeze more money from you. How do you fight back?If you haven’t booked an airline ticket in a while, here are a few strategies that will help you find a lower price:, a tour operator.
I watched the pattern repeat itself every day. Fares were highest in the morning and lower in the evening. And at night and in the early morning, they sometimes went down into the green zone, which Google Flights classifies as “cheapest.”When I spotted a low fare, I felt like I was fishing. I got a hit on a $120 fare, but when I went to book, it wasn’t available. The next morning, the price had risen again to $230. The next evening, fares didn’t fall at all.