HOW TO BOOK THE BEST FLIGHT - African Campus
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HOW TO BOOK THE BEST FLIGHT
How to book the best flights
Travelling to remote locations in order to pursue your dream career can be a very expensive
and time consuming exercise.. It is for this reason we have done the research for you, to help
you be able to find the best and most economical flights.
What follows is the best practices when booking a flight as well as a list of
online resources that you can use to plan your trip effectively and more
important – save money while doing it!
When joining one of our programs here are a few things to keep in mind:
1. Mossel Bay based programs; your final destination is George Airport (GRJ)
2. Durban based programs; your final destination is King Shaka Airport (DUR)
3. Mozambique based programs; your final destination is Inhambane Airport
(INH)
4. Airport transfers on the 1st of the month are included in your program fee
5. We can arrange for transfers and accommodation should you wish to arrive
early or depart later than the 1st of the month
Now on to booking your flights!
Travel like a pro – The complete guide to stress free air travel
03
1. What is the best day to shop?
There are two schools of thought for this with differencing results. Some claim Saturdays and
Sundays are best due to airplanes catering for “hard to woo” leisure travellers. Others claim that
shopping on Tuesday or Wednesday can be the best, as many airlines try to match Monday
specials.
2. What is the best time of day to shop?
Early morning is the time you will see the most deals. Although some airlines release discounted
tickets through the day.
3. How long before the flight date should you buy?
This differs for domestic and international flights. Keep in mind that travelling to Oceans Campus
will include both. Research suggests that the sweet spot for domestic flights is around 49 days in
advance, whilst for international flights it is 81 days.
4. What is the bet day to fly
The best days of the week to fly for cheap are Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. This is
because there is typically a lower volume of travellers and thus planes are trying to fill seats.
5. Best time of day to fly?
The first flight of the morning is usually the cheapest. The next cheapest flight time are during or
after lunch or around dinner time.
6. Checking flight fullness
Start to buy a ticket, and then investigate the “choose your seat” option. This will tell you how
many others have booked. If there are plenty of empties, then the price may drop further.
7. Flying during day or night
Travel like a pro – The complete guide to stress free air travel
The red eye flights are the absolute cheapest; but they are only offered on limited routes
8. Remember it’s a gamble
When in doubt, booking earlier is safer. If you wait, fares could go up or down, and usually fares
go up more than they go down. Only bide your time if your flight isn’t too full and you know the
price is a lot higher than it should be
04
FLYING THROUGH SECURITY CHECKS
9. Great tip – use the 24hr rule
After you book, check the following morning to see if the price of your airfare fell.
If it did, give the airline a call to cancel your flight and often you can rebook
without penalty.
Travel like a pro – The complete guide to stress free air travel
10. Follow airlines on social media
Some Airlines promote one-hour sales on Facebook or Twitter only, so follow an
airline for the best deals. Remember these are blast deals, take them immediately
or they will go
11.Fly multiple airlines
Sometimes it’s worth it to mix and match. Most airlines now sell one-way flight are
reasonable prices, meaning one might be cheaper for the outbound flight while
the other works better for the return
12. Become a frequent flyer
Coy up to your airline of choice. Become an elite member of the airline’s frequent
flier program or use a credit card that’s tied to the aireline to get great benefits. In
05 South Africa, Star Alliance, works with the national carrier SAA.
HOW TO SURVIVE TRANSIT!
13. Rack up free miles & rewards
E-Rewards give player tickets they can cash in for miles, while other sites like e-miles let
people cash in free miles for airfare and hotel perks.
14. Search on airline sites
This is an often overlooked option, but airline can host private sales, reserving the cream
of the crop for their very own websites. Even without discounts, these fare can be bargain
bin-low. Also, buying direct from an airline site allows for more flexibility in exchanges
15. Search Multiple site
Relying on only one site to give you the low-down for low cost airfare is silly. Check the
biggest online ticket sellers like Expedia, Travelocity and Orbitz. Other options include,
Kayak, Airfare, Watchdog, Yapta and Hipmunk.
16. Be flexible
Try adding a couple days to your trip on either side, before or after peak travel day to
enjoy a lower fare.
17. Check flexibility, return policies, and exchange fees
Frequently students book their flights, then once in South Africa find other opportunities
or want to extend their stay. Before booking your flight, check these policies so you can
have flexibility for changes in the future.
18. Do your home work
Do your homework before booking any flight, and make sure you’ve got the right tools to
set yourself up for the best fares.
Travel like a pro – The complete guide to stress free air travel
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