Expedia and Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC) reveal handy
travel hacks including when to book and how to save money on
travel
TORONTO, Oct. 12, 2021 /CNW/ -- Today Expedia®
released its seventh annual report in partnership with Airlines
Reporting Corporation (ARC) revealing travel hacks, including
the best time to book airfare, when to travel and other tips to
help travellers navigate booking a vacation in 2022.
After 18 months Canadian travellers are beginning to re-emerge,
ready to explore the world and the life-changing experiences travel
can bring once again. With one in four Canadians seeking savings
tips and 45 per cent indicating they are willing to be flexible
with their travel plans to save money*, Expedia and ARC are teaming
up to share the ultimate travel hacks guide.
Airfare booking hacks for 2022
Based on data from ARC, average ticket prices (ATPs) in early
2021 were still higher than previous years; however, come April
there was a decrease. ATPs for both international and domestic
flights have since steadily increased but are still on average
around 25 per cent lower compared to 2019.1
Optimal Booking Window2
- Domestic flight prices usually start to increase 35 days before
departure, while prices for international flights start to increase
28 days before. The sweet spot to book a domestic flight is between
28 – 49 days in advance, while international flights should be
booked three to four months in advance for the lowest prices.
Ideal day of the week to book3
- The ideal day to book a flight is Sunday, not Friday. For
domestic flights this can save travellers around 15 per cent and
for international flights the savings are almost 10 per cent.
Ideal day of the week to travel4
- The ideal day to start a domestic trip is Friday not Monday,
where travellers can save around 25 per cent.
- For international flights, start the trip on a Saturday, not on
a Tuesday to save almost 10 per cent.
Best month to travel5
Travellers planning
their 2022 trips can also unlock huge savings by being flexible and
choosing the right month to travel:
- The ideal month to depart is January versus December. For
domestic flights this can save travellers around 15 per cent and
almost 30 per cent for international departures.
Splurge and go premium6
Tickets in Premium
economy have never been cheaper. In 2021, premium economy ATPs were
212 per cent more expensive than economy tickets, whereas in 2020
they were 288 per cent more expensive. Pre-pandemic, in 2019
average prices for a premium economy ticket were a huge 304 per
cent more expensive than economy. With a quarter of Canadians
(25%) willing to upgrade their flight if they can afford it*, now
would be a good time to splurge and consider upgrading.
Accommodation savings tips for 2022
While domestic accommodation rates dropped in 2020, prices
gradually increased over the past year, and, due to the high demand
for domestic travel, are still slightly higher compared to
20197.
As Canadians continue to plan their future getaways, based on
Expedia data, here are some simple tips to unlock savings on
accommodation:
Ideal day of the week to book8
- For domestic holidays, the lowest average daily rate (ADR) for
booking accommodation tends to occur on a Tuesday, where travellers
could save almost 10 per cent versus booking on the most expensive
day, which is a Friday.
- For international trips, book on a Tuesday, not on a Thursday,
to save around 10 per cent.
Ideal day of the week to stay8
- The ideal day to begin a domestic stay is a Tuesday, where
travellers can save almost 10 per cent versus staying on a
Friday.
- For international trips, staying on a Tuesday can save
travellers around 10 per cent, versus staying on a Thursday.
Down-star to save
Travellers can stretch their dollars
further by choosing a lower star-rated hotel. Travellers can save
around 45 per cent, on average, by simply opting for a 4-star
property over a 5-star, while down-starring to a 3-star from a
4-star can save travellers around 30 per cent7.
Car Rental9
Road trips and
exploring destinations closer to home or veering off the beaten
track in new places is a trend we've seen grow since the beginning
of the pandemic. As travellers continue to plan road trips,
Expedia's data indicates the best day to book a car rental is on a
Thursday for domestic trips. For travellers exploring
international getaways, the cheapest day to book a car is on a
Friday. Meanwhile, starting the car rental on a Monday, tends to be
the cheapest day for domestic bookings, while Saturday is the best
day for international trips.
Flexibility is a necessity7
As
unpredictability associated with the pandemic remains, flexibility
will remain a priority for travellers. For just over 30% more,
travellers can secure a refundable accommodation rate in case plans
need to be changed or cancel providing peace of mind.
Bundle and save10
On Expedia,
travellers can unlock deeper discounts by simply booking their
flight and hotel together, rather than booking separately. On
average, Canadians can save around 10 per cent by bundling their
flight and hotel together in one transaction.
Loyalty pays off
When it comes to booking travel, it
pays to be loyal. Travellers can reap the benefits of a loyalty
program for future trips, as they book their current one. By
signing up to Expedia, travellers will receive benefits as soon as
they join, including access to member-only prices and earn Expedia
points on every trip. Silver and Gold members who book Expedia VIP
Access hotels can also score extra perks such as room upgrades or
spa credits, where available.
Additionally, travellers who sign up to the Expedia App will not
only have the ultimate travel companion at arm's reach but can also
unlock up to 10 per cent savings with mobile-exclusive hotel deals,
as well as earn double Expedia Rewards points on every App booking.
Travellers will also benefit from helpful alerts on their travel
itinerary.
Mary Zajac, PR Manager for brand Expedia, comments: "As
travellers continue to plan their future trips, we want to help
make the process as easy as possible, while helping them save a few
extra dollars on the way. We know planning a holiday can be
stressful at the best of times, though by being flexible and
applying these handy hacks, we hope travellers will feel more
confident and ready to travel again."
It's important to stay up to date with the latest government and
travel advisories. For the latest information, Expedia's new
COVID-19 Travel Advisory tool helps travellers search for travel
advisories around the world, including regulations for
destinations, and safety and health guidelines, or visit Expedia's
COVID-19 Travel Guide.
About Expedia
Expedia® is one of the world's
leading full-service travel brands, with a mission of helping
travellers get the most out of every trip they take by providing
everything they need all in one place, ensuring they are
getting the most out of their budget and above all else, feel
supported every step of the way.
Our commitment to insights matched with our unprecedented scale
allows us to understand our travellers better than anyone
else, delivering exactly what they need, when they need it. Our
personalized experiences backed by incredible technology, enables
us to deliver the widest selection of product offerings across
accommodations, transportation, activities, and experiences, that
help you get the most out of your journey.
Use our mobile
app or visit http://www.expedia.ca to plan
your journey with us.
© 2021 Expedia, Inc., an Expedia Group company. All
rights reserved. Expedia and the Airplane logo are trademarks
or registered trademarks of Expedia, Inc.
About Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC)
An industry
leader in air travel intelligence and omnichannel retailing, ARC
provides platforms, tools and insights that help the global travel
community connect, grow and thrive. ARC enables the diverse
retailing strategies of its customers by providing flexible
settlement solutions, innovative technology and access to the
world's most comprehensive air transaction dataset. In 2019, ARC
managed more than $97.4 billion in
transactions between airlines and travel agencies, representing
more than 302 million passenger trips. For more information, please
visit www.arccorp.com.
Data sources
*This study was
conducted on behalf of Expedia by Northstar Research Partners, a
global strategic research firm. The survey was conducted online
from August 27th–September 6, 2021, across North and South America,
Europe, and Asia-Pacific using an amalgamated group of
best-in-class panels. The study was conducted among 12,000
respondents across 12 countries, amongst adults who are planning
domestic or international travel in the next 18
months.
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1 Price
development information is based is on average round-trip ticket
prices for January through August for 2021 & average round-trip
ticket prices for January through December for 2020 and 2019,
sourced from ARC's global airline sales database.
|
2
Best time to book recommendation is based on average round-trip
ticket prices for January through August for 2021 & average
round-trip ticket prices for January through December for 2020,
sourced from ARC's global airline sales database.
|
3
Best day of the week to book recommendation is based on average
round-trip ticket prices for January through August for 2021,
sourced from ARC's global airline sales database.
|
4
Best day of the week to depart recommendation is based on
average round-trip ticket prices for January through August for
2021, sourced from ARC's global airline sales
database.
|
5
Best month to depart recommendation is based on average
round-trip ticket prices for January through December for 2019,
sourced from ARC's global airline sales database.
|
6 Information is
based on average premium and economy round-trip ticket prices for
January through August for 2021 & for January through December
2020 and 2019, sourced from ARC's global airline sales
database for 2021.
|
7
Based on lodging demand on Expedia.com for travel between Jan.
1, 2021 – Dec. 31, 2021 and compared to the same timeframe in 2020
and 2019.
|
8 Based on lodging demand
on Expedia.com for travel between Jan. 1, 2021 – Dec. 31,
2021
|
9 Based
on demand on Expedia.com for travel between Jan. 1, 2021 – Dec. 31,
2021
|
10 Based on the average
savings for package bookings with Flight + Hotel on Expedia.com
from 1 January – 30 June 2021. Savings will vary based on
origin/destination, length of trip, stay dates and selected travel
supplier(s). Savings not available on all packages
|
SOURCE Expedia.ca