7 Mistakes You're Making When Booking Airline Tickets

If you usually try to book your flights as early as you possibly can, thinking that it'll save you money, you might not actually be doing yourself as much of a favor as you think. In a post on LinkedIn, Peter Greenberg, the travel editor at CBS News, wrote that if you're not planning to travel over a holiday or other high-traffic days, 45 days ahead of time is when you'll likely find the best prices on domestic airfare, with international destinations requiring a little more advanced notice. Booking way too early might mean that you're paying more than you need to and that the prices will go down when the date gets a bit closer.

Same goes for booking too late, though. If you're hoping that booking last minute will mean that you'll be able to take advantage of any deals the airline is offering in an effort to fill the flight, you'll likely be disappointed.

"Travelers are always looking for the best deal, but most discount airfares usually require a 21-day advance purchase," Stan Sandberg, travel expert, travel insurance expert, and co-founder of TravelInsurance.com, told us. "Even if you're feeling lucky, it's unlikely you'll be able to score a last-minute deal. You'll end up having to pay a lot more, and that increases the cost of other things, like travel insurance."

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