Best time to book and travel to the most popular getaways in 2016

Still reeling from your holiday blues? The perfect way to get over it is to jump into planning ahead for your next getaway. With eight long weekends coming up in 2016, you can be sure that Singaporeans are already clambering to book their next ticket out of the country.

To avoid paying for expensive airfare and mingling with crowds of holidaymakers, online travel tool Kayak.sg has unveiled the best time to book and travel to the top 10 destinations for 2016.

When to book and travel to quick Asian getaways

Asian cities such as Denpasar in Bali and Hong Kong are popular destinations and according to Kayak.sg airfares to these places are best booked two months in advance with potential savings of over 40 per cent.

Other popular vacation spots like Tokyo and Taipei have the best airfares three months before departure date. Kayak.sg revealed that prices can dip as low as $185 to Taipei at five months out compared to $499 in the most expensive month. Travellers can save up to a whopping 63per cent!

To secure the best deals for trips to Hong Kong or Bangkok, travellers should opt to depart on a Wednesday and return on a Tuesday. Those travelling to Tokyo or Chennai can snag the best prices when they depart and return on a Friday.

When to book and travel to international escapades

Long haul international flights are generally alot pricier and Kayak.sg recommends booking in advance for travel at any time of the year.

Singaporeans visiting Los Angeles or Paris should book their flight up to six months before departure while popular international cities like Melbourne and London have a lead time of three to five months.

Those purchasing their London flights early can save up to 48 per cent on their airfares at just $1,001, rather than $1,939 during the most expensive month.

Similar to travel within Asia, booking international flights to depart and return on the same weekday is often times the best way to save on airfare. This is the case for Zurich, Perth and Los Angeles, where it is most economical to depart and return on a Saturday.

Contrary to popular belief, Sunday is the cheapest day to fly home from Sydney, Melbourne, Auckland and London, with the best outbound day varying according to destination.

It boils down to the hour

Singaporean travellers should also take note that the best time to book their tickets is around 8am in the morning. Kayak.sg revealed that travellers can save up to 34 per cent on airfares, when compared to the most expensive hour to book.

debwong@sph.com.sg