VIA WISE BREAD:
Fall is typically one of the best times to travel — it sits between the heaviest seasons (summer and the holidays), and unlike Spring, there are no college/teenagers taking advantage of Spring Break. This year especially, traveling will be easier on the wallet, especially if you’re going away for the holidays. Bing Travel recently reported that fares are down 22% over last year for Thanksgiving travel, and 17% for Christmas.
If you’re planning to get away in the next few months, here are some tips to get the best travel deals.
1. Tuesday Markdowns
Search for fares on Tuesday mornings. That’s when most airlines mark down their prices.
2. Rest on Sundays
It’s best to avoid traveling on Sundays, when prices are usually the higest. FareCompare shares that the cheapest day of the week to fly is Wednesday, followed by Tuesday and Saturday. Also, the first flight out is typically the cheapest time to fly.
3. Be Flexible
Check the option to search for “flexible dates” to compare the cost of traveling on less busy days. The more flexibility you have, the more likely you’ll be able to score a deal. For example, Thanksgiving travel is heaviest on Wednesday and the following Sunday. If you depart on Tuesday instead and return on Saturday or Monday, you’ll see significant savings. Of course, you’ll see the most savings traveling on Thanksgiving day or the day after, but it might defeat the purpose for most people.Additionally, based on a three-year trend of Christmas travel prices, Bing Travel found that prices dropped during the first two weeks of October. Check out FareCompare’s handy calendar that shows the best dates to travel during November and December.
4. Factor Fees
When choosing airfare don’t forget to consider additional airline costs for all sorts of things, like baggage, seat selection, food, and drinks. FareCompare has a great chart of various fees by airline that’s regularly updated.
5. Be on Alert
There are plenty of tools that will do most of the work for you. Sign up for newsletters and Twitter updates so you don’t miss a deal. Some will alert you if a travel deal hits your designated price point. Follow FareCompare on Twitter and get real-time tweets with cheap deals from your desired airport.
6. Bite the Bullet
The hardest decision is whether to buy or wait. It sucks when you see the price drop just days after you’ve made your purchase. However, there are two great sites to help take the guessing out of the process. Bing Travel’s price predictor can tell you whether fares have been rising or dropping and tell you to Wait or Buy. They also have a rate indicator for hotels, which looks at past rates for a specific hotel and compares them the current rates, and indicates whether it’s a Deal, Average, or Not a Deal.
7. Get Free Upgrades
Nora recommends a great way to get free car rental, hotel and airline upgrades: Just ask.
