Your guide to snagging the best Black Friday travel deals
The world is opening up again and something big is about to drop! Yes, we’re talking about Black Friday travel deals at Flight Centre … and some of our most unforgettable yet. Whether you’re dreaming of lounging in the sun on the white, powdery beaches of Zanzibar for a few weeks or whether you’re keen on a mid-week ‘local is lekker’ bushveld getaway, there’s sure to be an unmissable travel deal waiting for you – if you’re quick and strategic enough to grab it on the 26th AND 27th of November, that is!
So, keep your passport handy, grab your mobile phone or laptop, and have your fingers at the ready. Here are our top tips for snagging a super-saver holiday this Black Friday.
Do your research
This is the most critical aspect of making the most of Black Friday and the occasion’s many opportunities to save. For starters, be sure to register for Black Friday ‘sneak peaks’ at any retail store that stocks the products or offers the services that you may be interested in – and here we mean anything and everything, including travel.
If you’ve got your eye on something very specific, conduct research into what version of that product you want, specs, original prices, etc. so that you can snap it up the moment you see it appear on sale.
Ultimately, knowing what you want and where you’re likely to find it at the best possible price could mean the difference between filling your shopping cart and emerging from Black Friday empty handed.
Choose your dream destination(s)
If travel deals are on the agenda, take the time to add a few destinations to your wish list well ahead of the big event. If you’d rather not have your heart set on particular cities or countries, try to decide what type of holiday you’re after instead, such as an international beach getaway or a local Winelands escape. This will make it quick and easy for you to sift through what’s on offer and make fast, conclusive decisions when exploring your options.
Related content: Let’s take it back to the beach
Don’t be too picky
Even if you have a dream destination in mind, it pays to set aside a few back-ups, too. That way, you’re much more likely to come across a deal that ticks all (or most) of the boxes and still be able to venture off on a well-deserved holiday even if you don’t come across exactly what you’re looking for.
Scope out appropriate dates
You definitely don’t want to be paging through your calendar trying to figure out whether or not you can squeeze a holiday in when time is of the essence. As such, it makes sense to work through your schedule before Black Friday hits, taking note of any particular weeks or months throughout the course of the next year or so that are complete no-gos, which ones are a bit more flexible, and which dates are absolutely ideal.
Set your budget
Even though you’ll be saving big, it’s still important to keep in mind what you can and can’t afford. Of course, don’t only think about the holiday package that you’re buying, but also try to remember the other costs that could be involved in your trip, such as leisure activities, costs associated with applying for visas and renewing passports, drinks, transport, travel insurance (an absolute must), PCR tests, costs for getting any additional documentation etc.
Look into restrictions and check required documentation
Make sure that you’ll be able to comply with all relevant travel restrictions relating to a destination before you take the plunge to grab a deal amidst the Black Friday madness. For example, some destinations are only welcoming fully vaccinated travellers, others require quarantine and some just PCR tests and, of course, many destinations still require visas for those travelling on South African passports – many of which can take a while to obtain (particularly now due to pandemic related delays), so be sure you do your research long before the day. If you’re looking to travel soon, get in touch with your Flight Centre Travel Expert now to ensure that you would be able to travel to your chosen destination. (of course, restrictions can change at a moment’s notice).
Check the status of countries around the world and whether they’re welcoming South Africans and based on what conditions. Browse Flight Centre’s incredibly handy COVID-19 travel map and see what destinations are open to us here. We update the list of countries open to South Africans every week so check back here on our travel news page.
Be an early bird or a night owl
You’ll have to be quick off the mark if you’ve got your eye on sought-after savings during Black Friday – because everyone else across the country does too! The best course of action is to stay up until midnight so that you can jump right into the action while everyone else is fast asleep.
Alternatively, get up super early (preferably before 4am) and try your luck. Even if you don’t manage to secure something on Friday, don’t despair. Try again at midnight or in the early hours of the morning on Black Friday day 2 (Saturday, 27 November) or on Cyber Monday (29 November). Most retailers are indeed running their biggest specials on Friday the 26th but still giving customers the chance to save significantly all weekend long.
Pre-register to be the first in the ‘queue’
It’s obviously best to snag your travel deals – and any other Black Friday deals, for that matter – online as opposed to in-store, if at all possible. One of the most promising ways to ensure that you’re at the front of the virtual ‘queue’ is to pre-register to be the first to hear about the deals the moment they drop. You can pre-register with Flight Centre in seconds by following this link.
If you want to chat to a Flight Centre expert in person, we’d recommend you do so before Black Friday – pop into a store and get all the information you need. That way, when Black Friday rolls around, you can simply email your consultant to book.
If you must head to one of our Flight Centre stores on Black Friday weekend, it’s critical that you arrive armed with a decent amount of knowledge of what’s on offer and what sort of restrictions are in place for your preferred destinations. Being prepared and knowing what you want will help to ensure that bookings run smoothly and that waiting time in the queues is reduced.
Ready, set, shop!
