Travel giant Expedia has released data showing the best day of the week and time of day to book flight tickets so that you can get the best value for money possible on your next Business Class trip.
With lie-flat beds and ‘headphone-free’ technology appearing in business-class cabins around the world, there’s never been a better time to book your next pointy-end flight. However, these flights rarely come cheap, so knowing exactly when to book your flights to get the best possible bang for your buck can be the difference between feeling ripped off or flying high.
That’s where travel giant Expedia comes into play. This week, they released new data showing that air travel causes massive stress for 55% of American flyers, with many ranking it higher in stress levels than filing their taxes or visiting the dentist. Thankfully, they also released their best data-driven booking hacks to make this process quicker, easier, and better value.
WATCH: Cathay Pacific Announces ‘Aria’ Business Class Upgrade.
Their report is designed to offer guidance for passengers looking to book economy, premium economy, and even first-class seats in addition to Business Class, so if you’re looking for a more economical travel option, you needn’t click out just yet. However, we know that Business Class is the weapon of choice for our readers here at DMARGE, so here are the top tips we’ve identified for big Business savings…
How Far In Advance To Book Your Business Class Ticket
The important thing to consider is how far in advance to book your Business Class flights. While the sometimes reactive and impromptu nature of business trips can sometimes make it hard to plan in advance, you probably won’t be surprised to hear that booking 28 days prior to departure for domestic travel can result in savings of 24% compared to last-minute trips.
If you’re travelling overseas, this time frame grows. You should be booking 60 days in advance of your departure but — crucially — no more than 4 months ahead to get optimal savings, which are usually around the 10% mark.
What Day Of The Week To Book Your Business Class Ticket
When it comes to picking the right day of the week to book for cheaper tickets, timings make fairly intuitive sense. Sunday is the cheapest day of the week to fly and offers savings of up to 13% on the weekly average. With most people looking to kick off their holidays on a Monday and most business people reluctant to travel over a weekend, this adds up.
In contrast, the most expensive day to fly is Friday, likely because there is a surge of people either trying to get home from their holidays or business trips ahead of the weekend, offering ample laundry and recovery time ahead of Monday, as well as people looking to get away for long weekends. This demand means a surge in ticket prices.
What Time Of Day To Book Your Business Class Ticket
Finally, if you’re looking to really get granular with your business class booking, then you need to be aware that flying before 3pm can massively reduce the impact of delays and cancellations. In fact, flights after this time have a 50% higher cancellation rate.
While the tickets for these earlier flights won’t necessarily be cheaper, you’ll definitely be saving yourself from enduring wasted hours in the airport time and, therefore, wasted time that could have been spent making money, saving money, or spending quality time with friends, family, or colleagues.
The Bottom Line
Taking a wider view, there’s pretty good news across the board. Ticket prices have remained pretty flat compared with 2022 and cancellation rates for US flights have improved significantly, with only 1.7% of flights being cancelled compared to a whopping 4.7% last year.
So, even if you don’t have the luxury of picking a flight that falls explicitly within Expedia’s guidelines, you’re still much more likely to enjoy a better Business Class experience this year compared to last.