Holidaymakers will be looking for clever ways to keep their travel costs down
Holidaymakers planning their 2026 trips are being duped by popular money-saving hacks promising big savings, according to experts. Travel insurance experts at Tiger.co.uk have busted six common travel myths that offer little to no benefit at all, and have offered their tips on how travellers can genuinely reduce costs.
A widely believed misconception is that turning on ‘incognito mode’ while browsing will help travellers find cheaper flights, because people think that airlines monitor repeated searches and inflate prices accordingly. However, the actual pricing algorithms are far more advanced than that, and whilst it is possible incognito mode may still have some influence, there are a wide variety of factors like real-time demand, seat availability and timing that help determine fares.
Some holidaymakers also believe that they can get cheaper flights if they book during the night. While this may have been the case years ago when prices were manually updated overnight, the modern pricing algorithms are continuously adjusting fares, so the time of day normally doesn’t make much of a difference.
Another common misbelief is that buying return flights is always cheaper than one-way bookings. Actually, in some cases, booking flights separately can bring savings as travellers can mix and match the cheapest fares from different airlines.
Among the list of common myths are relying on airline compensation for delays and disruptions, assuming last-minute bookings are guaranteed to get the best deals, and believing budget airlines are automatically the cheapest option.
Travel insurance expert and Managing Director at Tiger.co.uk, Ian Wilson, said: “With the cost of travelling continuing to rise and popular destinations implementing tourist taxes and fees, it’s no surprise holidaymakers will be looking for clever ways to keep their travel costs down this year. However, some popular hacks that people often see online may be outdated or not as helpful as they’re made out to be.
“Things like switching on incognito mode, booking flights in the middle of the night or assuming last-minute deals will always be cheaper are still widely believed, but they don’t reflect how the travel industry now operates.
“Also, if people don’t take out travel insurance and are relying on airline compensation if there’s a delay or cancellation, it could end up a costly error – if the disruption isn’t the airline’s fault, travellers may not be eligible for compensation.
“The best way to actually help keep costs down is to plan ahead, compare prices carefully and protect the holiday with travel insurance. Flight comparison websites are great for setting alerts and tracking fares over a few weeks. And if planning more than one holiday this year, getting annual or multi-trip travel insurance can be a smart way to find savings.”
Here are six money-saving travel myths busted:
Going incognito when booking flights
Many travellers believe that using “incognito mode” will reveal cheaper fares, assuming airlines track repeated searches and raise prices. In reality, flight pricing algorithms are much more sophisticated, adjusting fares based on demand, availability and timing rather than individual search history. One reason prices can jump is due to fare classes. A common pricing approach is that when the cheapest class sells out, the ticket automatically moves to the next, higher-priced class, which could explain why that ticket you were looking at suddenly jumped in price.
Booking flights during the night
Some people think that booking flights during the night reveals cheaper fares. This has become a popular myth as previously, when airlines updated their fares manually overnight, it was possible to get slightly cheaper flights when booking in the early hours – however that’s not normally the case anymore. Nowadays, flight prices are updated 24/7, so travellers are unlikely to find much of a cost difference during the night.
Return flights are cheaper than one-way bookings
While booking return flights for long-haul flights can unlock some savings, that is often not the case for short-haul flights, because there is often more competition and more low-cost carriers in the market. Booking one-way flights separately for short-haul flights can sometimes reduce costs by allowing travellers to mix and match the cheapest fares from different airlines.
Airline compensation covers delays and disruptions
Skipping travel insurance and relying on airline compensation to cover flight disruptions is risky. Airlines will normally refund cancelled flights or offer to book a replacement flight, but travellers are only eligible for compensation under certain conditions, and if delays or cancellations are outside the airline’s control, compensation will not likely be paid. Which could leave travellers out of pocket if the travel disruption has affected their ongoing trip.
Last-minute bookings always get the best deals
While travellers can sometimes bag a bargain with last-minute deals, it is not guaranteed, and fares often increase as departure dates approach and seats become scarce. Planning ahead is more likely to save you money, as it allows you to track prices and compare your options.
Budget airlines are the cheapest option
Budget airlines can offer low base fares, but once you add all the extras like baggage and seat selection, the final price could end up higher than that of standard airlines. Comparing total costs is essential before assuming a budget airline is the cheapest choice.
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