How to search for (cheap) flights, for flexible travel dates within 1 week or more?
Please advise on other resources or did I misuse the following sites? Example: My friend and mom want to travel from Hong Kong (ie origin) to Toronto (ie destination). My mom can leave whenever from Dec 2014 to Jan 2016 inclusive, but my friend wants to leave in Dec 2014 or Jan 2015. They'll travel in one direction only and not return to HK, but will buy a roundtrip if it's cheaper than a one-way ticket. This doesn't duplicate How can I do a “broad” search for flights? because I've already tried:
1. http://adioso.com/hk/hong-kong-to-toronto-ca-december: For one-way fares: The presentation uselessly shows only one week at a time. For roundtrip: Same problem as in 2 below 'For roundtrip'.
2. http://matrix.itasoftware.com: For one-way fares: Thanks to user Gagravarr, I thought to retry with Internet Explorer, on which prices did appear in the calendar, unlike in Firefox 34.0.5 which I first used.
For roundtrip: The 'Matrix Airfare Search' requires you to specify 'Length of stay', but this thwarts my goal to minimise the price, without any care or need for a specific departure and return date.
3. http://www.skyscanner.com: For one-way fares: Why are there magnifying glasses on certain dates (example), the prices for which are inefficiently revealed only after clicking on each date? Yet when I tried this yesterday, the website exhibited the prices normally.
For roundtrip: I picked 'Whole Year' for the dates. The first problem is that prices for departure and return flights are listed separately. Second, this pricing display (for ostensibly every day) is misleading, because upon choosing a specific departure date, the website immediately limits the available dates for your return flights, so the total fare can be costly.
Best Answer
You're doing something wrong with the ITA Matrix, it does what you need! If you ask it for fares for See calendar of lowest fares, then it will show you the prices on the calendar screen. You still have to click through to see what flights come in at those prices, but you will see the lowest per-day price!
For your case, start out like this:
Then when you search, the results screen will show prices
If you want prices in CAD rather than HKG, put in a sales city of Toronto and a Currency of CAD on the search screen. By default, it goes for the origin city's pricing and currency.
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How can I get cheap flights in advance?
Try these strategies to get cheap flights this year:How far ahead can you book cheap flights?
Key Takeaways:- Flights tend to be the most inexpensive between four months and three weeks before your departure date.
- Seasonal changes and holidays can create price fluctuations in ticket prices.
- The day of the week that you book a flight does not affect the price.
What dates are flights the cheapest?
Generally, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday are the cheapest days to fly, while Fridays and Sundays are pricier, according to travel deal site FareCompare. Leisure travelers tend to fly on the weekends, either starting their vacations on Friday or taking a long weekend Friday to Sunday.How do you get flexible flights?
Numerous airlines now offer flexible flights for certain routes. To book a flexi ticket simply book your flight as far in advance as possible with the option of bringing the departure date forward or flying later if need be. Each airline offers different options for how far in advance you can book your flight.HOW TO FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS - My Best Tips After Booking 500+ Flights
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
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