Summer may seem far away, but if you are looking for great deals or are looking to avoid any unwanted costs, planning for your summer holidays early may be the best way to do it.
Price of gasoline and plane fuel have dropped significantly over the past six months and airfares are on the cheap. With the appreciating US dollar, the demand for plane tickets is expected to soar long before summer arrives. As such, travellers can expect prices to rise in the spring and should start booking international flights this month and domestic flights in the next two months or so.
Travellers may now use airline pricing websites to keep track of fare changes. Kayak, Yapta, Airfarewatchdog, CheapOair and FareCompare currently provide this service free of charge.
Having flexible travel dates may also help you to save on fares. In addition, there are countless no-frills budget carriers if you are willing to exchange comfort for fare discounts.
According to FareCompare’s Chief Executive Officer, Rick Seaney, booking a flight for a Tuesday, Wednesday or Saturday may also help you save on fares. In addition, taking a connecting flight on longer trips may also be cheaper than a direct flight. For example, a non-stop flight from Washington D.C. to Rome costs about USD$2,047 for a round trip. In comparison, a connecting flight involving a stop in Istanbul on Turkish Airlines will only cost you USD$1,036.
Seaney advices travellers to try to fly during off-peak periods. He notes that high summer pricing begins in the first week of June and ends after the third week of August.
