Why Not Wait to Book Your Trip During the Holiday Season
If you want to save on airfare for winter travel, then book now. Post-pandemic demand is likely to remain high until 2021, which means that seat prices will only rise in price as the peak travel season approaches. If you buy now “opposite season” at winter rates, you are more likely to get a good deal. Here’s what you need to know.
Why are ticket prices getting more expensive this winter?
Usually, you already want to book your flights for the holidays in advance, when there are usually fewer tickets for flights. How early is it? Scott Keys of Scott’s Cheap Flights offers a Goldilocks window of three to six months for domestic flights and three to 10 months for international travel.
However, as many people missed domestic flights during the past holiday season due to the pandemic, air travel demand should be expected to rise as more people plan to reunite with their families this year. International travel fares will also be in high demand as borders in Asia and Europe are currently either closed or just starting to open to non-essential travelers for the first time since the peak of the pandemic.
Plus, many airlines have canceled change fees, so you don’t have to worry so much about waiting for the perfect deal. This means that you can catch a flight now and then change it later for free, if the later is a better deal because you will be refunded the price difference as a credit (there are exceptions: read this article Value Penguin, to find out more detail information for each airline). However, you can still get a really good price on your flight since you book in advance.
Also, when looking for a flight, remember that sometimes two one-way tickets can be cheaper than round-trip tickets (not always, but worth a look). And since most travelers like to spend weekends at home, The Points Guy recommends including Saturday night stays in your round-trip tickets, as the fare is likely to be cheaper.