Is It Time to Hunt for Winter Airfare Deals?
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As we bask in the summer heat, thinking about winter holiday travel might seem odd. But with Thanksgiving just four months away and Christmas following closely, it's time to start considering your winter travel plans.
Frankfurt Christmas Market
When is the best time to buy tickets for winter travel? Experts suggest that now is the time to start planning, not necessarily booking, your Christmas travel. They warn against the new trend of last-minute booking, which can lead to missing out on deals and higher prices, especially for winter holidays.
For international flights, booking by the second week of September is advisable. Domestic flights have a slightly longer window, with prices likely at their lowest between the last two weeks of September and the first two weeks of October.
Jeff Klee, the CEO of CheapAir.com, suggests a general booking timeframe of about 70 days out in 2023. According to the CheapAir.com 2023 Domestic Airfare Study, the best day to book cheap flights is, on average, 70 days before the departure date. If price is the main consideration, the lowest-priced airline tickets with some choice still available fall within this window.
Airfares have been falling rapidly in the past year. While the winter travel period is expected to be busy, airlines don't have the same pricing power they did last year, so there should be more cheap flights available.
If you're based in the US and considering routes to Canada, Mexico, or the Caribbean, these are more in line with domestic pricing patterns than international flights to Europe and Asia.
Finally, if you're flexible with your travel dates, comparing prices for various departure and return dates can yield some savings. And if you are okay with flying on the actual holiday, it's usually the cheapest and least crowded option.
So, while it might seem strange to think about winter travel in the height of summer, it could be the key to securing a great deal on your holiday flights.
More information can be found at CNN.com
