Tip # 1. Buy in advance, but not too much
It is advised on the internet to buy tickets as early as possible, but this is not always a winning strategy. Our analysts are sure: tickets for domestic flights should be purchased 45 days before departure, and abroad – 60 days.
Why is that? The fact is that the airlines that form the prices base their forecasts not only on seasonality, but also on demand. Moreover, the company takes last year’s data, and then corrects them. Therefore, the price may decrease, for example, if the weather is unlucky this year and demand is lower.
But with train tickets, the tactics are different: it is better to buy them immediately after the start of sales. Railway tickets in Russia begin to be sold 90-120 days before the travel date (depending on the train), and the earlier you buy them, the more favorable the price.
Tip # 2. Check nearby dates
If your flights or transfers are not tied to specific dates, be sure to compare the cost of tickets with departures on adjacent days. The difference can be several thousand rubles.
In our experience, flights on Friday-Saturday are often more expensive, but tickets on Monday or Tuesday are more profitable.
Comparing prices is easy on OneTwoTrip: our calendar will show you which days the tickets are cheaper.
Tip # 3. Find another way
Are the tickets to the desired point expensive? Open the map and see if there is an opportunity to fly to a neighboring city. For example, you can fly Pobeda to Bergamo and get to Florence by train (or even rent a car to travel around the area later).
Another great option is to use European low-cost airlines that do not fly from Russia. For example, you can fly to Sicily from Moscow, or you can buy cheaper tickets to Rome, and from there you can look for a flight to Palermo or Catania. In total, the costs can be lower, it all depends on the dates and the season.
Tip # 4. Check train prices
Yes, you want by plane. The train takes a long time. But this is not always the case: for example, it is only a few hours longer to travel to neighboring countries by train than by plane, and the trip can be planned for the night: in the evening we got on the train, in the morning we got off at the train station in the city center. Moreover, train tickets are often cheaper.
By the way, when you count the travel time, do not forget to add an hour and a half for the waiting time at the airport and a couple of hours for the road to the airport and then to the city.
You can also get to some cities by bus. In general, check all the options before buying: air, railway and buses.
Tip # 5. Keep track of the price
If there is still time before departure, and you are not sure about the cost of tickets, subscribe to a price change notification. To do this, search for on the website as usual, and then click on the “Track price” button that appears above the search results. Enter your mail and we will send you an email when the price changes.
It is possible to pre-sign for tickets for your future trips or dream travels to understand the price level. This will help you know the average ticket price and recognize the big discount.
Tip # 6. Save up bonuses with a special card
For each purchase in OneTwoTrip, we award special bonuses – tripcoins. You can return up to 10% of the order value. 1 tripcoin = 1 ruble, and you can spend it on future travel: tickets, hotels and “Flight + hotel” packages.
The number of accrued tripcoins depends on the type of purchase (plane or train ticket, hotel room) and the place where it was made (we charge more in the mobile application). You can receive up to 6% of tripcoins if you pay for purchases with any bank card, and up to 10% if you get our loyalty card.
Such is the arithmetic: the more often you travel, the cheaper the next trips.
Tip # 7. Let’s be friends
In order not to miss any great discounts or promotions, subscribe to our accounts in social networks. We are on Facebook, VKontakte and Instagram. We not only share interesting news and inform about promotions, but also sometimes organize contests with prizes in the form of tickets or travel.