GUEST BLOG: Tips to finding a better deal on air travel in 2015

Everyone loves a deal – especially when it can mean capturing more satisfaction for business travellers in addition to cost savings. Business Travel Show exhibitor Egencia teamed up with Expedia and the Airline Reporting Corporation (ARC) to study 2015 air travel trends. Here are a few tips to help you and your business travellers get ready for takeoff.

1. Expect lower prices in 2015. Overall, slight increases in demand and larger increases in supply, combined with declining fuel prices should lead to lower prices in North America and Europe in 2015.
2. Buy tickets on Tuesday. Air-ticket price data indicates that for travel booked more than three weeks in advance of departure date, Tuesday still appears, by the slimmest of margins, to be the best day of the week to buy.
3. Consider premium class for short-hauls. Premium-class tickets are potentially more valuable on short-haul routes as the fare gap between premium and economy cabins appears to be shrinking.
4. Know your bundles and their prices. Internationally, especially in Europe, low cost carriers continue to drive prices lower, due in part to unbundling services and prompting legacy carriers to do the same.
5. Choose days to fly carefully. For long-haul flights, leaving on a Thursday and returning on a Monday, can save 20%. On short-haul flights, departing on a Saturday and returning on Tuesday can save up to 25%. And, this could provide your travellers a chance to enjoy their destination.

This post was written by Graham Kingsmill, managing director, EgenciaUK. 

Want to know more about air trends for 2015? Find more specific regional and market-by-market details in our full report: Preparing For Takeoff: Air Travel Trends 2015 or schedule time to visit Egencia at the BusinessTravel Show in Stand B435. Register now for a free visitor pass to the show at www.businesstravelshow.com.