Buying air tickets can be overwhelming and stressful, especially when you’re investing your money and time in a long-awaited holiday, a work trip, or a family vacation. Booking air tickets can be a daunting task, making anyone feel anxious and worried. Whether you are a frequent flyer or booking your first flight, everyone makes mistakes while booking, often without even realising it. Knowing about these common mistakes and how to avoid them can save you money and time and alleviate the stress of booking in the airline industry.

In this guide, we will explain the various common mistakes made by people booking air tickets and how you, as a traveller in the UK, can avoid these mistakes and ensure you get the best deals for your flying experience.

1. Not Comparing Prices Across Multiple Platforms

One of the biggest mistakes people make when booking air tickets is not comparing prices across multiple flight booking platforms. In a world increasingly focused on convenience and ease through digital applications and platforms, most people will likely stick to one particular online booking platform or their preferred airline booking site. This may seem like a good idea for saving time, but it can also cost you. We all know that airline prices can change depending on the booking platform due to promotions, membership benefits, or platform-specific charges.

How to Avoid This Mistake:

• Utilise flight comparison websites like Skyscanner, Google Flights, and Kayak to compare prices across different airlines and travel agents.

• Don’t forget to check each airline’s website as well because airlines often offer discounts or deals that are only available on their sites.

• Be sure to factor in any fees or extras, such as check-in baggage charges or seat selection. These can increase costs and sometimes make one option less effective than another.

2. Booking at the Wrong Time

Timing is important when purchasing air tickets. Many travellers tend to book a flight too early or too late and, therefore, pay more than necessary. Booking a flight too far in advance may not produce the best price, and booking a last-minute flight can be quite expensive.

How to Avoid wrong time booking:

Book in advance, but not too early: Ideally, research suggests the best timeframe for airfare is about 6-8 weeks before departure.

Do not book /her flights during peak travel times (Christmas, Easter, school holidays) as flights are often considerably more expensive.

You can also consider booking flights on mid-week days (Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday) as they are often cheaper than weekend options. The cost difference is even more pronounced when travelling during non-peak times.

3. Ignoring Alternative Airports

Another commonly overlooked mistake is flying into or out of a secondary airport near your destination. Large cities often have more than one airport, and flying into or out of a secondary airport can frequently save you a significant amount of money. For example, if you are flying from London, think about flying to Gatwick or Stansted as an alternative to the more expensive Heathrow.

How to Avoid This Mistake:

• Explore secondary airports near your destination that are well-connected. If you are travelling to London, look at the options to Luton and London City Airport as alternative options.
• If flying into a secondary airport, you need to conduct some cost research regarding the most cost-effective method of travelling from the airport to your ultimate destination. In some cases, it may be more cost-effective to fly to a secondary airport, even considering the transfer cost to the final destination.

4. Overlooking Baggage Fees

Although airfares may appear inexpensive when just looking at the ends, you must also consider any baggage fees. Seeing that many low-cost carriers are marketed as offering great fares makes things even more troublesome; however, low-cost carriers often charge high fees for checked luggage and carry-on bags. If you weren’t forewarned about the baggage fees at the time of purchasing your ticket, you might end up spending far more in total with the low-cost carrier than had you booked with a mainstream airline would have cost.

How to Avoid This Mistake:

• Review the baggage policy when booking a flight, including details on carry-on and checked baggage.
• Some budget airlines have baggage fees that are dependent on how much weight you are taking and how many bags you have, so take this into account when booking your trip.
• Consider the option of travelling only with hand luggage to eliminate any baggage fee.

5. Not Paying Attention to Flight Times and Layovers

When booking a flight, the search for a good deal can be exciting! However, it is also important to check flight times and layovers. It is possible to book a flight that offers the best value for your money. Still, upon booking, it has a 4- or 5-hour layover (e.g., a 14-hour journey with a 5-hour over for 9 hours of flight times and layovers can present problems as well where your time in your destination is valuable, along with long layover times and red-eye flights (flights that leave late and land early) can impact your travel experience altogether.

How to Avoid This Mistake:

Look for a reasonable layover time: Allow enough time for your connecting flight, especially if you need to change terminals or may face delays for baggage clearance, customs, etc.

• Choose flights with layover times that are sensible for connecting flights. (ideally, you should aim for 1.5 to 2 hours for international connections here).
• Avoid choosing overly long layover times and flights that are either early or late. They may be the cheapest in fare; however, they can significantly impact your comfort and travel experience.

 

 

Flight Options from UK Cities to Thailand

6. Not Considering Travel Insurance

Many travellers do not consider travel insurance when booking. The cost of insurance may seem like an extra expense that is not necessary for your trip, but if you need to change your travel plans unexpectedly or if your bags are lost or delayed, having insurance could save you a bundle of money and stress.

How to Avoid This Mistake:

• Before you buy, always select travel insurance that covers you for trip cancellations, delays, medical emergencies, and lost luggage. Some airlines offer insurance when you check out, but some people choose to look at third-party travel insurance providers for more coverage options.
• Consider booking a comprehensive package that includes your flight, accommodations, and insurance. This would help assure you that you have peace of mind in the future.

7. Booking Non-refundable Tickets

While non-refundable tickets are often a better value when booking, you risk non-changeable tickets that would make it harder to move your travel plans; if you think that it is even a remote possibility that your travel plans can change, you could lose all or many of your dollars if you buy a non-refundable ticket and then need to cancel or move this ticket.

How to Avoid This Mistake:

• When booking flights, avoid purchasing non-refundable tickets if you are uncertain about your travel dates. Always look for flexible, refundable, or changes-allowed tickets when available.
• If you purchase a non-refundable ticket, be aware of the airline’s change or cancellation policies to understand any fees or procedures you may need to follow if you need to make changes to your booking.

8. Not Using Rewards or Loyalty Points

If you frequently fly and/or have a credit card that earns you travel rewards, you may be throwing away some money if you don’t redeem your points or miles for air tickets. Loyalty programs and credit cards enable you to reduce the cost of your flight or earn free upgrades.

How to Avoid This Mistake:

• Always check to see if you have enough miles or points for free flights or upgrades before you book.
• If you do not belong to an airline loyalty program or do not have a credit card with travel rewards, sign up for some airline loyalty programs and get a credit card with travel rewards so you can save money over some time.

9. Failing to Double-Check Flight Details Before Confirming

At times, when it comes to obtaining a great deal, the thrill of making a booking can distract you from other important details about the flight. This type of error can cause unexpected annoyances, such as incorrect dates, incorrect airports, or missed connections.

How to Avoid This Mistake:

• As a habit, review your flight information before concluding your booking process.  Check your travel dates, airports, and the spelling of your name.
• Check your booking confirmation carefully for any discrepancies upon receipt.

Jet Set Go!

Booking air tickets can be complicated, but you can simplify the process and avoid mistakes by knowing what to do before booking tickets. By comparing prices, checking for baggage fees, timing your booking properly, and being cautious of non-refundable tickets, you can certainly book air tickets like a pro. 

For UK locals, using the right booking platforms, considering alternative airports, and buying travel insurance can make a significant difference in achieving a less stressful travel experience. Staying away from common mistakes will not only save you time and money but also provide you with a journey with one fewer thing to worry about.