Bagging a bargain online is all about timing – and flights are no exception. Buying your flight at the right time can save you a significant sum while waiting until the last minute or failing to take advantage of special offers can end up costing you. So when is the best time to buy your airline tickets in Australia? Well, it depends on which airline you’re booking with, with each company offering special pricing at different times. If you’re open to any airline, keep an eye on all the relevant airlines to compare fares and nab the cheapest price for your flight. 

Virgin Australia

If you’re thinking of flying Virgin, set your alarm for 4 pm on Thursday AEST, when the airline releases their Happy Hour Sale for the week. Despite the name, the sale goes until 11 pm, so you’ll have plenty of time to check out the offers, as long as they don’t sell out first.  Other Virgin sales to keep an eye out for include:

• Monthly Mates Rates offers – Special deals available for people travelling in a group 
• Book Early fares – Discount rates for booking your trip well in advance
• Wander Out Yonder Sale  – Great deals on flights between Perth, Broome and Kununurra until the end of October.
• EOFY sales 

Always check the specials page on the Virgin website to check for deals.

Jetstar

If you’re planning a flight with Jetstar, you’ll want to check out their Friday Fare Frenzy which starts at midday on Friday and continues until 8 pm, giving you plenty of time to grab a bargain. Also look out for the Weekend Fare Frenzy which lasts the whole weekend, ending at midday on Monday. Other Jetstar sales include:

• Free return flights, take a friend for free or buy one get one free flight promotions (these are not at set times throughout the year so you’ll have to keep an eye on your inbox)
• Birthday Sale (May)
• EOFY and Boxing Day sales

Sign up to Jetstar’s mailing list to receive notifications of all specials and sales.

Qantas

Qantas doesn’t do discounted fares quite like Jetstar and Virgin and their pricing is much more consistent. However, they do offer promotional pricing on special occasions such as EOFY and Boxing Day as well as during their Fly Away Sale which offers special pricing to selected destinations for a limited time.

Other tips

Shop around and take advantage of a price-beat guarantee

If you’re trying to find the cheapest flight available, don’t forget to take advantage of Price Beat Guarantees. For example, Jetstar offers a 10% Price Beat Guarantee discount if you find a flight with another airline or a Jetstar flight on an eligible third-party website that’s cheaper than you can get on jetstar.com. 

Save money on airport parking

Of course, your airfares aren’t the only place you can save money by shopping around for a bargain. Booking cheap Sydney airport parking can also slash the total cost of your trip. If you’re planning a trip on a budget, book your affordable Sydney airport parking at Park on King in advance and save!