Air travel without known date

I am planning a year long trip from the USA to Israel in the near future, however due to personal reasons I may have to delay the trip from anywhere from a few weeks to a few months.

That being the case, I am wondering if there is some ticket purchasing scheme where I would be better off than simply waiting until I know when I am traveling to purchase a ticket (which may be within a week or so of when I would actually leave).

For example, is there a type of ticket with low/no rescheduling fees that would generally end up cheaper than booking a somewhat last minute ticket? Or some sort of insurance?

Best Answer

A flexible ticket will cost you roughly the most the airline ever might charge for a given route. This is a corollary of yield management: if a flexible ticket would ever be significantly cheaper than the price at any time then it would make good sense for a business traveler to buy up flexible tickets and mess with the airline's carefully crafted numbers.

So no, you can't and there's no way around this. Airlines are notoriously protective of the yield management model, this is why you can't change names at most airlines for example.

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Can I buy flights from without a date?

You can always purchase an airfare and change the dates of travel, but the fare may change (either up or down) for travel on the date you decide to fly, and in most cases the cheapest fares will also require a change fee ($150 on a domestic fare on most U.S.-based airlines) if you change dates.

How do I book a flight with an unknown return date?

3 steps to book a flight without a return date

Focus on Known Travel Dates. Find your official start date for the program and term in MyEAP. ...

Choose a Changeable Flight Ticket. ...

Change Your Dates As Needed.

How long is an unused airline ticket good for?

American ticket expiration If the ticket is unused, you must start your travel within a year of when it was issued. If your ticket is partially used, then you must complete your travel within one year of the first completed flight.

13 Secrets About Air Travel All Passengers Should Know

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