High holiday airfares are to be expected, but you may save money by being organized, being adaptable, and using price monitoring tools.
Find out how to travel during the busiest time of year without going over budget.
Joy, family get-togethers, and excruciatingly expensive travel are all associated with the holiday season. Experts agree that finding a fantastic price is not impossible, but it does need some flexibility and careful planning.
Hopper’s lead economist, Hayley Berg, claims that in order to maintain high fares, airlines take advantage of Thanksgiving and Christmas demand.
While less-traveled days, like Thanksgiving morning or the following Tuesday, provide better rates, popular travel days, like the Sunday after Thanksgiving, see sky-high pricing.
Berg suggests three crucial tactics for anyone trying to save money:
- Plan Ahead: October is frequently a better time to book vacation flights.
- Be Adaptable: Changing your trip schedule to avoid busy days might have a significant impact.
- Keep an eye on prices: You may avoid the trouble of checking your flight every day by using tools like Google Flights or Hopper, which track fares and alert you of decreases.
Berg advises last-minute travelers to look at lesser-known sales on Travel Tuesday, which is immediately after Cyber Monday, in order to perhaps save money on lodging and airfare.
Off-peak times, like late September or early November, are great for finding low-cost flights outside of the holidays. In an effort to increase demand, airlines also lower the cost of recently opened routes.
Lastly, to minimize delays and allow yourself more time at the airport during this busy season, think about booking early morning flights.
With these suggestions, you can handle the craziness of holiday travel without losing your money or your sanity.
