Travellers mapping out their 2026 holidays may inadvertently be inflating costs by relying on popular money-saving strategies that no longer deliver results. Travel experts have revealed that these misconceptions may have been effective years ago, but the tourism industry has since evolved, and your budget travelling approaches can adapt too.

Identifying six particular money-saving myths surrounding flight bookings, travel insurance expert and managing director at Tiger.co.uk, Ian Wilson said: “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.”

He added: “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.”

Incognito mode

Regular fliers have probably heard of or even attempted this trick themselves. The theory suggested that airlines monitor any repeated searches you conduct and gradually increase prices available to you, but using incognito mode would prevent these trackers keeping prices low for you.

In truth, flight prices are determined by factors such as demand, availability and timing. According to the expert, your individual searches don’t significantly influence the price.

He clarified: “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 in the evening

A similar cost-saving myth suggests that booking flights during the evening results in cheaper fares. This trick used to work because airlines had to manually update their fares overnight, giving you first access to the new prices.

However, with modern technology, flight prices are constantly updated online, so there won’t be much difference based on the time of day you book.

Return flights are always cheaper.

The decision to book return flights or two one-way bookings can often come down to personal preference. The expert pointed out that if you’re trying to save money, return flights tend to only be slightly cheaper for long-haul flights but not for short journeys.

However, when booking short-haul flights, the expert advised checking different airlines for the cheapest fares that you can then mix and match for some savings.

Airline compensation

Many holidaymakers forego travel insurance, putting their trips at risk and depending on airline compensation to cover any problems if their flights are disrupted. However, Wilson cautioned: “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.”

He added: “Which could leave travellers out of pocket if the travel disruption has affected their ongoing trip.”

Last-minute deals are the best

Whilst some travellers can secure a bargain at the last minute, this approach carries risk as fares often increase when seats become scarce. The expert suggested planning ahead to save money by monitoring prices and comparing different options.

Budget airlines are the cheapest

Most budget-conscious travellers immediately dismiss more expensive and luxurious airlines in favour of saving money, but in the long run, it could actually cost them more. Wilson explained: “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.”