SINGAPORE, 20 October 2021: After 20 months of holding back
and compromising on nearly everything, Singapore travellers are re-emerging,
ready to explore the life-changing experiences travel can bring once again.
The recent announcement on the 11 newly-established
Vaccinated Travel Lanes (VTLs) has been one of the most exciting travel
developments for Singapore travellers since the pandemic, especially for a
country that holds the title as the most important vacation-deprived country in
the world today alongside Italy.
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.
Knowing what day to book, how far in advance, and what day
to travel will be key to unlocking savings on travel for the coming year.
Key insights uncovered
Best day of the
week to book[1]
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{32bc5e747b31d501df756e0d52c4fc33c2ecc33869222042bcd2be76582ed298} cheaper than
Friday, the most expensive day.
Best day of the
week to travel[2]
Thursdays are the cheapest day to depart – with travellers unlocking
an average of up to 25{32bc5e747b31d501df756e0d52c4fc33c2ecc33869222042bcd2be76582ed298} savings compared to the most expensive day (Monday).
Best month to
travel[3]
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{32bc5e747b31d501df756e0d52c4fc33c2ecc33869222042bcd2be76582ed298} versus travelling in January.
Top travel tips
for Singapore travellers based on VTL destinations[4]
Following the announcement of the expanded Vaccinated Travel Lane
destinations, flight searches to the city of Seoul grew by 180{32bc5e747b31d501df756e0d52c4fc33c2ecc33869222042bcd2be76582ed298}, with the
search for flights to Vancouver, Frankfurt, London and Los Angeles doubled[5], 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 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[6] when booked in
those months.
Best month to book flights for existing Singapore VTL destinations:
| Brunei One way: April (savings of up to 45{32bc5e747b31d501df756e0d52c4fc33c2ecc33869222042bcd2be76582ed298}). Return: February (savings of more than 10{32bc5e747b31d501df756e0d52c4fc33c2ecc33869222042bcd2be76582ed298}). |
Spain One way: October (savings of up to 65{32bc5e747b31d501df756e0d52c4fc33c2ecc33869222042bcd2be76582ed298}). Return: December (savings of more than 10{32bc5e747b31d501df756e0d52c4fc33c2ecc33869222042bcd2be76582ed298}). |
| Canada One way: April (savings of up to 30{32bc5e747b31d501df756e0d52c4fc33c2ecc33869222042bcd2be76582ed298}). Return: September /October (savings of more than 15{32bc5e747b31d501df756e0d52c4fc33c2ecc33869222042bcd2be76582ed298}) |
South Korea One way: May (savings of up to 10{32bc5e747b31d501df756e0d52c4fc33c2ecc33869222042bcd2be76582ed298}) Return: July (savings of more than 5{32bc5e747b31d501df756e0d52c4fc33c2ecc33869222042bcd2be76582ed298}). |
| Denmark One way: April (savings of more than 55{32bc5e747b31d501df756e0d52c4fc33c2ecc33869222042bcd2be76582ed298}). Return: May (savings of more than 10{32bc5e747b31d501df756e0d52c4fc33c2ecc33869222042bcd2be76582ed298}). |
The Netherlands One way: February (savings of more than 30{32bc5e747b31d501df756e0d52c4fc33c2ecc33869222042bcd2be76582ed298}). Return: September (savings of more than 5{32bc5e747b31d501df756e0d52c4fc33c2ecc33869222042bcd2be76582ed298}). |
| France One way: August (savings of more than 30{32bc5e747b31d501df756e0d52c4fc33c2ecc33869222042bcd2be76582ed298}). Return: March (savings of more than 10{32bc5e747b31d501df756e0d52c4fc33c2ecc33869222042bcd2be76582ed298}). |
United Kingdom One way: March (savings of up to 15{32bc5e747b31d501df756e0d52c4fc33c2ecc33869222042bcd2be76582ed298}). Return: March (savings of more than 10{32bc5e747b31d501df756e0d52c4fc33c2ecc33869222042bcd2be76582ed298}). |
| Germany One way: May (savings of more than 35{32bc5e747b31d501df756e0d52c4fc33c2ecc33869222042bcd2be76582ed298}). Return: February (savings of more than 10{32bc5e747b31d501df756e0d52c4fc33c2ecc33869222042bcd2be76582ed298}). |
United States One way: April & September (savings of more than 10{32bc5e747b31d501df756e0d52c4fc33c2ecc33869222042bcd2be76582ed298}). Return: September (savings of up to 10{32bc5e747b31d501df756e0d52c4fc33c2ecc33869222042bcd2be76582ed298}). |
| Italy One way: January (savings of up to 25{32bc5e747b31d501df756e0d52c4fc33c2ecc33869222042bcd2be76582ed298}). Return: March (savings of up to 10{32bc5e747b31d501df756e0d52c4fc33c2ecc33869222042bcd2be76582ed298}). |
Expedia Group Brands head of communications Asia Lavinia
Rajaram 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 in order 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.”
Best practices
for travel in the new normal
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 if 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. 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.
1 Best day of the week to book recommendation is
based on average round-trip ticket prices for January through August for 2021,
sourced from ARC’s global airline sales database.
2 Best day of the week to depart recommendation is
based on average round-trip ticket prices for January through August for 2021,
sourced from ARC’s global airline sales database.
3 Best month to depart recommendation is based on
average round-trip ticket prices for January through December for 2020, sourced
from ARC’s global airline sales database.
4 Based on www.expedia.com.sg, average ticket price (ATP) for standalone
economy flights between January through December 2019.
5 Within the first 24 hours since
the announcement of expanded Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) destinations on 9
October 2021
6 Estimated savings when compared
to the average ticket price for the entire year
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