- Flight tickets for the holidays are expensive due to high demand.
- To get the best deals, plan ahead, be flexible with travel dates and watch prices.
- Consider traveling during off-peak seasons to benefit from lower fares.
Whenever I tell someone I'm an aviation journalist, one of the first questions they usually ask is about my best travel tips.
I tell them to read my column.
Just kidding – I usually ask them what kind of advice they're looking for, and this time of year it's often about how to get the best deal on vacation plane tickets.
But here's the little secret you probably already know: There aren't really any great deals on flights this time of year. The holiday season is an extremely popular time to travel, and airlines are taking advantage of this to raise their fares and make money. This is basic supply and demand.
That said, it's not all doom and gloom for winter travel. A little flexibility can help you get, if not good prices, then better prices. And of course, at other times of the year, flight deals abound.
Why are vacation plane tickets so expensive?
This is exactly for the reason you think.
“We don't typically see significant sales from airlines during the holidays, as the holidays are one of the busiest times of year for travel,” Hayley Berg, the platform's chief economist online reservation. Hoppertold me. “These flights are, for the most part, booked weeks before departure dates.”
Basically, airlines take advantage of everyone who wants to travel and keep their prices high. This is not a secret plot to deceive you or specifically charge you extra. It's just run-of-the-mill capitalism, and that's the boarding school group we all belong to.
How can you be sure you're getting a good deal on your vacation travel?
There are some things you can do to ensure you get a relatively good fare, even if it's more expensive than you'd probably pay for the same flight at another time of year.
Berg's top three tips are:
▶◾ Plan ahead: “Airfare for vacations seems much more expensive than other times of the year, but the reality is that when travelers book fares for vacations, they often book last minute and reserve for travel dates. most popular departure and return,” Berg said. “What we recommend is starting the vacation planning process early, hoping to book Thanksgiving and Christmas trips in October and booking with some flexibility.”
It may be too late to get the best available Christmas rates, but these other steps can help you minimize the financial impact.
▶◾ Stay flexible: Some days of the holiday season are more popular for traveling than others, so if you don't need to choose those peaks, you may find better deals.
“If you're looking for a trip that returns on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, the prices are going to be exorbitant,” Berg said, because that's one of the most popular travel days of the year.
“If you're looking for a last-minute trip that departs on Thanksgiving Day and returns Monday after Thanksgiving or Tuesday after Thanksgiving,” you may see lower airfares because fewer people are flying on those days , according to Berg.
◾ Monitor prices: Another good way to make sure you're getting a good deal is to have your computer give you the stats.
“Prices change so often that even when travelers get a good deal, it may not feel like a good deal,” Berg said. “The best way to know you're getting a good deal is to use a price monitoring tool, rather than checking once or twice a day yourself.”
Google Flightshopper, Expedia and other platforms all offer versions of price monitoring or forecasting.
While these tools are certainly helpful, my personal philosophy when it comes to airline tickets is: If it seems like a good deal, book it. I often tell people that airline prices are so dynamic and trends can be so unpredictable that your intuition is sometimes as good a reason as any to pull the trigger or wait to book an airline ticket. plane.
Berg added that airfares fluctuate so often that even if you miss the window to book a good deal one day, it's very possible that prices will return to the same level at some point if you're not too close to your departure date. Berg also said that Travel Tuesday (cousin of Black Friday And Cyber Monday) is a good time to look for discounts on airline tickets and hotel rooms.
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How do airlines decide when to offer discounts on plane tickets?
Outside of the holiday season, airlines often use sales to drive demand for a variety of reasons.
“When new routes are announced, airlines will offer lower prices on the route than those offered by incumbents… This is to stimulate demand or raise awareness that this route is now available,” Berg said . “The other way sales are activated is when demand is slower. »
The so-called shoulder or off peak Travel seasons, like late September to early November, often have great deals because fewer people are traveling.
Vacation Travel Tips
To get the best deal, it's a good idea to shop around and be as flexible as possible with your travel schedule. But it's also a good idea to try to get early flights whenever possible. The earlier you travel, the less likely you are to be affected by weather delays. Likewise, if you're traveling on a particularly busy day, you should allow yourself a little extra time to get through airport security, as lines during peak travel seasons are likely to be long.
And finally: remember to familiarize yourself with the new Department of Transportation Traveler Protections. If something goes wrong with your itinerary, it's helpful to know what you're entitled to before contacting the airline's customer service.
Zach Wichter is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in New York. You can reach him at zwichter@usatoday.com.
