Singapore travellers are re-emerging, ready to explore the life-changing experiences travel can bring once again after 20 months of holding back and compromising on nearly everything.
To help travellers make the most of their time and money for their first trip in the new travel environment, Expedia has partnered with Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC) for the seventh year running to put together the ultimate travel booking guide for 2022.
Singaporean travellers might want to wait till the weekend to book their flights – the report revealed that Sunday is the cheapest day to book flights, with tickets close to 20% cheaper than Friday, the most expensive day. Thursdays are the cheapest day to depart, with travellers unlocking an average of up to 25% savings compared to the most expensive day, Monday.
Travellers planning their 2022 trips can also unlock huge savings by being flexible and choosing the right month to travel. For international flights, August is the ideal month to travel, when travellers can save almost 40% versus travelling in January.
Following the announcement of the expanded Vaccinated Travel Lane destinations, flight searches to the city of Seoul grew by 180%, with the search for flights to Vancouver, Frankfurt, London and Los Angeles doubled, underscoring the impact of the VTL announcements on the interest in and demand for international travel.
To help travellers get the most out of their travel planning, Expedia has also pulled together a cheat sheet with recommendations on the best months to book your flights, single journey, or return, to the 11 VTL destinations, along with estimated savings when booked in those months.
Lavinia Rajaram, Asia Head of Communications, Expedia Group Brands, said: “Travelling in the new environment that we live in today means that travellers will have to factor in the additional cost for COVID-19 related procedures. As such, it is now more important than ever to know the best time to book air tickets, to reap savings and get more value out of every travel dollar. Every traveller loves great travel hacks, especially one that provides insights into the sweet spot to book travel to enjoy shaving a couple of dollars off your travel spend.The annual ARC and Expedia travel report is a great source of guidance for ardent travellers looking to explore the world in the coming months.”
Travellers should also keep a lookout for travel options that give them the flexibility to change their plans in today’s dynamic travel environment. Consider flexible booking policies, have a list of alternative plans to fall back on, and be mentally prepared for cancellations should the situation on the ground change.
Travel insurance has also become an essential part of every travel booking, especially with the pre-requisite for VTL travel requiring travellers to be insured a minimum sum. Expedia recommends that travellers add a travel insurance plan to every trip, and ensure that the selected plan covers Covid-19 related disruptions such as cancellations and delays, as well as hospitalisation in the worst-case scenario.
Finally, to help travellers get all the information they need about travel at their fingertips, Expedia has recently introduced the COVID-19 Travel Advisory Tool in partnership with Sherpa, which gives travellers information on travel advisories from around the world.
