The agitation of vacation trip fast approaching.
Amid another seasonal high projection volume at airports, TSA says, experts share new information and tips for booking vacation travel.
Clint Henderson, editor-in-chief of The Points Guy, outlined some key findings from the team's new vacation travel survey with “Hello America” to help Americans considering airline deals or wondering about the best booking windows, what measures to consider for this peak season.
Best time to book holiday travel for Thanksgiving and Christmas
According to Google FlightsAnytime between October 28 and November 19 is the perfect time to book vacation travel at the lowest prices.
The cheapest day to book a plane ticket is 58 days before departure, according to Google Flights, so to arrive before Christmas, people should start booking their flights now.
According to Google Flights, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday are the cheapest days to travel, as are flights with stopovers instead of non-stop flights.
Based on The Points Guy's research, Henderson also said that focusing on finding a flight while booking during the “Goldilocks period” will prove crucial.
“You want to book before prices are high, well off schedule, and then right before they start to go up before the holidays,” Henderson told “GMA” on Oct. 22. “Right now, prices will soon start to climb. You want to book your Thanksgiving trips now. You want to book your Christmas trips before Halloween. Every day after that, you can see prices increase every day. We We are in the “Goldilocks period”, it is time to book.
Where to find discounts on plane tickets
While Henderson doesn't suggest booking a trip for anyone, he did recommend purchasing discounted airline gift cards from big-box retailers.
“You can get discounts at places like Costco on Alaska Airlines in the Southwest. They often offer 10 percent off flights. It's a great way to gift a trip,” he said. he declared, adding that the recipient can thus influence the destination.
Current offers on vacation destinations
Some of the best deals Henderson and the team of travel experts have seen right now are in Europe, which he says are “regularly on sale for under $500.”
“I just saw United (Airlines) flights last night to Paris, France (from Chicago) for $511,” he said. “There are some great deals going on right now.”
American Airlines is also currently offering fares as low as $364 to Madrid and Barcelona from New York and Miami respectively.
Expert busts travel booking myths
“There's a rumor that if you book on Tuesday, if you stay up and book at midnight, you'll get a better deal,” Henderson began. “That's absolutely not the case. It doesn't matter when you book, but it matters when you're traveling. If you're traveling on a Tuesday or Saturday, sometimes you can get a better deal.”
Another myth that Henderson has thankfully busted is searching for flights in incognito mode.
“Airlines don't track your search history on your computer, so it doesn't matter (if you're in private browsing mode) when you book,” he said.
Finally, he explained that it's easier than ever to get price adjustments on airline tickets after you've booked.
“The good news is that after the pandemic, airlines have become much more liberal in giving you travel credits or refunds,” Henderson said. “If you see that price dropping, go back to the airline. They will either give you a travel credit or cancel the ticket and rebook.”