Does this sound familiar? You've been browsing for the best deals for days, and finally find the perfect flight for your long-awaited trip. You go back to the page to book it, and boom… the price has suddenly gone up. Frustrating, right? This phenomenon isn't a coincidence, but a deliberate strategy called dynamic pricing. The good news is, you're not helpless. At unifly.hu, we are committed to helping you find the best prices, so we're now sharing some insider tricks with you to outsmart the system and save money on your next adventure.
What is Dynamic Pricing and Why Do They Do It?
Dynamic pricing is a strategy used by airlines and travel websites to modify flight prices in real-time, based on various factors. Their goal is simple: to sell tickets at the highest possible price. The system monitors demand, occupancy, competitor prices, and even your browsing habits. If many people are searching for a particular route within a short period of time, the system interprets this as increased interest and automatically raises prices. It also takes into account what day it is, how many days before departure you are searching, or even what device you are browsing from. While this may seem unfair, it is standard practice in the industry. But don't worry, there are several effective methods to turn the situation to your advantage.
The Secret Weapon: Incognito Mode and Cookie Deletion
Your browser uses small data files, called cookies, to remember your activity. When you search for the same New York flight multiple times, the site “remembers” this. It infers that you are serious about your intention and are likely willing to pay more for the ticket. The result? A higher price on your next visit. The easiest way to prevent this is to start your search in private or incognito mode. This browser window does not use previously saved cookies, so the site treats you as a “new” visitor and shows the standard, non-personalized price. Another solution is to regularly clear your browser's cache and cookies between searches. This way, you can start with a clean slate each time.
Change Your Virtual Location: Using a VPN
Did you know that the price of a flight can also depend on where in the world you purchase it from? Airlines often adjust their prices to local purchasing power. It may be that the same Budapest-Bangkok ticket is cheaper if you search for it from a Thai IP address than from a Hungarian one. This is where a VPN (Virtual Private Network) comes into play. This is a service that hides your real location and allows you to connect to the internet through a server in another country. Install a reliable VPN application and try searching from the destination country or a lower-income country. You may experience surprising differences! Experiment with multiple locations before making your final decision.
Flexibility is Your Best Friend
This is perhaps the most important tip of all. If you insist on specific dates, especially during peak seasons (Friday departure, Sunday arrival, holidays), you are almost certain to pay more. Airlines know exactly when most people travel. If you can, be flexible! Try traveling midweek, such as on Tuesday or Wednesday, as these days are usually the cheapest. On the unifly.hu search engine, you can easily view the weekly or monthly view, so you can quickly find the best days. It is also worth checking nearby airports. You may save a significant amount by departing from or arriving at a smaller, less busy airport nearby, which is well worth the extra hour of travel on the ground.