Finding cheap airplane tickets, discount hotel rooms, or cheap vacation packages for travel over the holidays will be a little more challenging this year. Airlines are flying fuller planes and prices appear to be stabilizing. The question many would be holiday travelers have is When is the best time to book holiday trips?
Although future pricing is by no means predictable, the following is known:
Time for purchasing the cheapest airline tickets for travel over the holidays is running out. Many studies have shown than early to mid October is the best time to purchase holiday airfares. Every year since 2006 prices have gone down for the first couple of weeks of October and then started to rise. It is unlikely that prices will drop going forward.
It is important that travelers are aware of all fees prior to purchasing tickets. Although fees vary by airline, these days airlines are charging fees for almost every imaginable service:
To purchase a ticket from a customer service representative over the phone
To redeem your miles or points for free travel
To select your seat
To check bags
To use headphones
To eat food
To even carry-on bags that have to be stowed overhead
Traveling the Tuesday prior to Thanksgiving has become a very popular travel date resulting in it being the priciest departure date. If you can avoid traveling on Tuesday before Thanksgiving, and the Sunday after, you can save an average of $170.
Since the most popular Christmas travel dates will be Thursday, December 23rd and Sunday, December 26th, by traveling on other days you can avoid the crowds and save money.
For people traveling over the New Years Holiday, the busiest day will be Sunday, January 2nd.
If you can travel on Christmas Day or New Years Day, you will face far fewer fellow travelers find cheaper airfares.
Often the best way to find the cheapest airfares is to search airfares via online travel companies, many of which use search and booking software that offers flexible date searches as well as selecting the option to Compare surrounding airports for lower fares.
www.cheapfares.com