Easyjet trick - beat the flight price hike
We've
found a clever way to bag cheaper flights using Easyjet's 'Flexifares', which let you switch dates by a few
weeks without paying anything extra. It works the whole year round - but it's
particularly useful when prices shoot up during the school holidays.
The
idea is to book a Flexifare on the same route at a less busy time, then switch
to the dates you originally wanted. It's not the easiest trick in the book, but
if it works it could save £100s.
MSE
Steve used this trick this month (read his blog here): "We
had to go away in the last week of May, prices were through the roof because it
was half-term. Flights for the family, travelling at the weekend with luggage,
cost £836 all-in. But booking flexi-flights two weeks earlier cost just £405.
After a nervous 24-hour wait we switched them to the weekend we wanted - £431
saved!"
Forumite
Green1960 saved £700 on flights to Lanzarote in the school hols: "When
we went on the Easyjet website the flights were over £1,500 including bags. We
then booked the flexi flights, which were £848 - a saving of £700. A bit
nerve-wracking for the 24 hours, but we know it works. There must be
availability obviously on the dates you are changing to."
Here's
how to do it:
Step
1: Check at least 20 seats are available on the
date you want to fly. This
trick is a bit of a gamble - because you have to wait before switching your
flights, there's always a risk the seats you want could be snapped up in the
meantime and that you could be left with a ticket for the wrong dates.
Our
suggestion then is that you pretend to book standard tickets for a large party
on the dates you actually want to fly (but don't actually go through with the
purchase). If you can still get a quote for, say, 20 seats, chances are there'll
still be room once you switch flights. The fewer seats there are left, the more
of a gamble you're taking.
Step
2: Book
a cheaper Flexifare on an alternate date. Find and book a 'Flexifare ticket' on the
same route, no more than three weeks before or one week after you want to fly.
As a bonus, these tickets also include speedy boarding and one piece of hold
luggage - but they aren't available on every route so check your destination's
included.
Step
3: Watch
and wait. This is the
nerve-wracking bit. You'll need to wait at least 24 hours until you switch your
Flexifare tickets to the dates you want. You'll be able to move each ticket by
up to one week back or three weeks forward if there's space on a flight. You can
change the dates as many times as you like - but if there's no availability you
won't be able to switch.
Step
4: Switch your flights as soon as you can. As soon as the 24 hours are
up, log on to the Easyjet website, check the dates you're after are still
available and switch your flights. Martin;s Money Tips.
