Frugal Fliers

MSN Travel had a good article, Two Words for a Frugal Flier: Patience. Wednesday. I am not a particularly frugal flier in that I am spoiled by my home town airport and think that a layover is about the worst thing one could endure while travelling. I am also rather loyal to United Airlines. And I don’t like the risk of waiting for fares to drop. So I suck at this particular game. But I found two good tips that will work even for me:

“The best time to shop is late Monday or early Tuesday, some fare experts say. Airlines often start fare sales on Sunday night or Monday morning, said Rick Seaney of FareCompare.com. Those sales alone are fine if they include the flight you want. But other carriers generally match the fare sale by Monday evening or Tuesday morning, giving you more choices.”

OK. I can be flexible about when I shop for a flight!

“Wednesdays are generally the cheapest day to fly. Tuesdays and Saturdays are also good days to fly because demand is low and the airlines are trying to fill seats.”

I think I knew that already, but it is good to keep in mind.

I think the point here is that we as consumers should gauge the value of our own convenience. Ugh. I just realized my mother must be credited with teaching me that.