Tips for booking a flight

I booked another overseas flight! So now I'll be off for a 9 day short Asian trip at the end of April.

And with this in mind I present to you a random set of suggestions that may or may not help you book your next trip.

1. Don't rule out a night departure straight after your last day of work. If you are concerned about preserving your annual leave, maximising time away, then why not depart first thing. You might even find it easier to snooze on flight after a long day of work.

There's nothing wrong with a flight that leaves the evening after your last day of work if you are packed ready to go. Heck from Australia a night time 9 hour flight may just mean a morning arrival into Asia. Just in time for check in. Or perfect for a transiting flight out in local time zones.

2. Make use of public holidays. These are especially useful as a way of making flights cheaper overall. Remember just because Australia celebrates Easter, or Anzac day doesn't mean it's peak holiday week elsewhere.

3. Consider the destination's holiday schedule. Look to see if there are school holidays or religious festivals in your destination.

4. Cheaper airlines focused on the travel market are usually cheaper on Saturday afternoons, and midweek. People flying off for a weekend away think to do so Friday night and return Sunday. Or if flying off for a overseas trip think their leave can only start Saturday morning. Consider flying Thursday night, or returning Monday.

4. Make use of your weekends. A holiday flying out Friday night and returning Sunday night is still only 5 work days. It is in theory a 9 day holiday. Don't spend your weekend waiting for your flight away on a Sunday.

5. If you are considering cheaper point to point airlines then also look when they arrive into your first landing point. For example I'm travelling to Singapore. Arriving mid afternoon. This opens up many opportunities to go elsewhere without leaving the airport. But then also consider some once a day flights are in the morning. Try not to book a flight that leave you in a feeling of being in a long transit.

7. If using discount airlines and transiting though an airport leave plenty of time to re-check in for the next flight. Sure you may be thinking you're saving yourself an hour. But an hour may be all you need to make up for lost time through a delay. Hence a 4 hour window (and a mental allowance to allow yourself to buy an airport snack or coffee if left waiting the scheduled time) may better than a 3 hour window. Save yourself from the anxiety attack of missing a flight. I've done the Customs Clearance & 1km dash through Dubai Airport. It's not for the faint hearted.

8. If you are using an Asian city as a lunch pad, then fly into one Asian city and return via another. Forget backtracking just to make it a return flight.

9. Make sure you add on the extra days for your insurance. Don't just read off the date your flight departs. A flight departing out of Asia may return the next day. A flight from Europe may mean you are returning 2 days later.

How did I go when I planned my trip. I did managed to fly out Saturday morning so that I can connect elsewhere into Asia from Singapore. And I return Monday morning. For an Asian trip I could go straight to work a little late if I wanted to. If I get sleep on the flight it'd be okay considering the little time difference. But I don't need to skimp that hard.

However I am admitting to a big F Fail. I tried to book for Easter 2015. But referred to a calendar for 2014 Easter's dates. And what is worse is that there isn't even a public holiday for Anzac Day.

Damn it. I wanted to preserve my holidays. But heck I just scored ridiculously cheap flights to Asia. Yeah that is sweet.