01
Separate travel day from booking day
Midweek travel can sometimes face lower demand, but no weekday guarantees the cheapest booking price. Compare actual dates and departure times rather than waiting for a mythical purchase hour.
02
Create a useful flexibility window
Test only dates you can genuinely use. Compare nearby departure days, early and late flights, and alternative South African origin airports when the ground journey remains sensible.
03
Measure door-to-door value
Add baggage, airport transfer, parking, connection time, overnight stays and arrival transport. A cheaper ticket that creates an airport change or late-night transfer may have a higher total cost.
04
Know when to stop searching
Set acceptable boundaries for price, schedule, baggage and flexibility. Book when an option meets them and the trip is sufficiently certain. Repeated searching does not guarantee that inventory will return at a lower price.
05
Recheck before payment
A comparison result can change during checkout. Confirm the final itinerary and total rather than assuming the first search card remains valid.
Frequently asked questions
Is Tuesday always the cheapest day to book?
No. Pricing responds to inventory and demand; compare the dates you can use.
Should I clear cookies to get a lower fare?
Do not rely on this as a pricing strategy. Compare final prices consistently across reputable channels.
Does the shortest flight always offer best value?
Not always, but time, connection risk and arrival convenience have financial value and should be included.