Check Rates Until Black Friday
You might not be thinking about airlines offering discounts on Black Friday and Cyber Monday – usually it is about tech, clothing, and technology, right? But if you’re planning a trip and want to save some money on air fares, research by various travel companies suggests that you might want to check out next week’s offers.
Hopper, a travel price comparison app, “predicts that travelers can book a trip to Tokyo 40 percent cheaper than usual on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, and Skyscanner expects tickets to be 20 percent off Friday,” says New York Times. … It’s not a bad deal.
But first check the prices now. This way you can better compare and make your purchase more informed. Since airfares change daily (and sometimes from one hour to the next), it can be difficult to know what a good flight price really is, especially to a destination you’ve never been to before. You can also set alerts on sites like Airfarewatchdog and Skyscanner to really understand what a good price is.
Wait for travel tuesday
Some airlines will offer discounts on the so-called “travel Tuesday”, CNBC reported on November 27 this year. Cathay Pacific, Icelandair, Philippine Airlines and South African Airways have said they will offer deals on Nov. 27, according to Hopper’s research , and there are likely to be other deals.
On Black Friday itself, you can find good deals on tours and hotels. “It’s also worth looking at tour operators such as Intrepid Travel, G Adventures and Travel Talk Tours for discounts,” CNBC reported. Skyscanner also tracks deals and claims that booking a Black Friday flight could save travelers some money on domestic and international flights. So, again, look now to make an informed purchase.
But is it worth postponing the trade on Friday or Monday to see if the price is better on Tuesday? It depends. “My advice is, if you find a sale that piques your interest on Black Friday or Cyber Monday, pull the trigger,” Kelly Söderlund, content manager at travel booking firm Hipmunk , told the New York Times . “If you are waiting for a price cut for a particular destination – and there is no sale, then Tuesday may be your best bet.”
Beware of the small print
As with airline tickets, hotel “offers” usually cover the minimum, with a lot of conditions. More hotels are adding an extra charge to their daily rate to cover things like Wi-Fi, daily newspapers, and more, according to NerdWallet.This won’t affect the price you see on travel portals and could cost you. $ 25-50 more. per night.
Also, make sure you know what the cancellation policy is before you enter into a seemingly pleasant deal. NerdWallet reports that some hotels require 30 days’ notice for cancellations and refunds, while others require three days to a week. In addition, “fully prepaid” fares “often mean you lose 100 percent of your value if you cannot travel for any reason, including serious illness,” while others charge smaller fines.
All in all, this next week does seem like a good time to book your trip if you are planning a specific trip. So do a little research now, set rate alerts, and estimate prices for the weekend and next Tuesday.