Years of advice on when to buy (this day is when the bargains are, that many days ahead is best, shop late at night, etc.) have now been studied and tested by CheapAir.com and the answer is…Maybe. Or maybe it’s like the Billy Joel lyrics:
You may be right
I may be crazy
But it just may be a lunatic you’re looking for
Turn out the light
Don’t try to save me
You may be wrong for all I know
But you may be right
CheapAir found that none of the rules worked consistently, and even those that worked better have holes in them. Likely a great deal of the reason for that is that the airlines have been using increasingly sophisticated “yield management” software designed to squeeze the last possible penny out of every seat.
This article from money.msn.com tells the tale and suggests a few strategies that may help if you’ve bought and suddenly find a bargain…
