In short
Moving a trip by a week can change the price by tens of percent on busy routes. Check the price per departure week, shift to the cheapest one that fits your plans and keep the trip length the same.
Flexibility is the cheapest "trick" in flying. You do not need to be fully flexible, even two or three alternative weeks help.
A simple method
- Write down your ideal dates and two or three alternatives.
- Look at the price per departure week on your route.
- Keep the trip length fixed and only move the start date.
- Take the cheapest week that works for work, school and visits.
What we saw
On Düsseldorf to Phuket (return, per person) the cheapest departure week was 8 January and the dearest 25 December, a difference of more than 800 €. On Düsseldorf to Barcelona we measured about 78 € for the cheapest dates in our explore search.
When flexibility does not pay
- When your dates are fixed (a wedding, school holidays)
- When the cheap week needs an extra hotel night that costs more than you save
Questions
How far can I move? Even one week can change the price a lot, see our week-by-week charts.
Does it work for short trips? Yes, but the savings are smaller in euros.
Find your cheap flightCheapest destinations from your airport and the cheapest week per route.
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