Cheap travel deals, including cheap airplane tickets and cheap vacation packages are much easier to find when your timing is right. Although tickets prices have been known to fall in the past as departure dates approach to fill open seats, higher fuel prices, fewer flights, and fuller planes have contributed to fewer last minute deals.
The following are tips from Travel & Leisure as to how to find good travel deals:
Based on historic trends, domestic flights tend to be cheapest an average of six weeks prior to departure. By starting your search up to four months prior to flying, you may come across an exceptional value. Be ready to buy at a moments notice since airfares often change with no notice.
European airfares tend to be the cheapest 21 to 22 weeks before departure whereas Caribbean flights 11 to 12 weeks out showed the lowest prices.
Be open to traveling to popular destinations during their non peak periods. For example, flights to Europe tend to be cheaper in late August and early September. Prices are usually lower to the Caribbean in early December and after mid April.
Be aware that when searching for airfares certain days of the week, often Tuesdays and Wednesdays, are when airlines run advertised sales. Often the cheapest fares are unadvertised and can become available at any hour of the week.
Be willing to fly on less popular days and times. Flights on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays tend to be cheaper. Early morning flights and overnight flights frequently are when the lowest ticket prices can be found.
Look into online tools that can help find the cheapest fares. A website called Fly offers a fare calendar which shows the lowest prices for flights out of specific airports over the next 90 days.
www.cheapfares.com