Save Up to 60% on Fall Flights — The Best Times To Book
Fall is one of the best times of year to travel, especially by plane. According to Dollar Flight Club, domestic flight prices can drop by 15% to 60% after Labor Day. This creates a great opportunity to travel for much less than in the summer months.
If you’re thinking about booking a flight for this fall, let’s look into everything you need to know to make sure you’re getting the best deal possible.
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Why Fall Can Be Such a Cheap Time To Fly
If you’re looking for a great deal, fall is a great time to travel for many reasons. Not only is the summer rush over, but kids are back in school, which lowers demand.
Booking flights in September and October, known as the shoulder season, is when many airlines are looking to fill seats before the holiday rush. This leads to lower prices on many flight routes. If you don’t need to work around kids’ school and activity schedules, these are the two months in the fall when airfare tends to be the lowest.
What’s the Sweet Spot for Booking Fall Flights
When booking flights for September or October, aim to purchase 21 to 60 days before you want to leave.
Recent Google Flights data also aligns with Dollar Flight Club's recommendations. Their research shows the best prices are typically found 39 days before departure, but the lowest prices are typically between 23 and 59 days.
What Travelers Should Do Right Now
If you’re ready to book your fall travel now, here are some guidelines to follow based on when you plan to go:
September travel: If you’re hoping to travel in September, your best booking window has likely already closed. Prices tend to spike 10 to 14 days before departure, so if you want to fly this month, book now rather than waiting for prices to drop.
October travel: If you want to travel in October, now is the time to book your flights. You’re right in the ideal window to find the best prices.
Early November travel: November works a little differently because we're entering the holiday season. If you’re thinking about booking a flight for the first two weeks of November, you can still find a good deal, but you should plan to book sooner rather than later.
Thanksgiving travel: Historical Google data shows the cheapest time to book a Thanksgiving flight is 35 days before departure. The low-price booking window is 24 to 59 days before you want to leave.
How To Book the Cheapest Fall Flights
Timing how far in advance you book your flights is important, but there are some other things you can do to make sure you book the cheapest fall flights before prices go higher.
Book a Tuesday or Wednesday flight: If you book a Tuesday or Wednesday flight and return on either a Saturday or the following Tuesday, you could save 15% to 25% on the fare.
Book at a nearby airport: Keep an open mind about which airport you fly from. If another airport is close by, you might be able to get a better deal. For example, anyone in Chicago should be looking for flights from Chicago O’Hare and Chicago Midway. If you live in Denver, you could also look for flights from Cheyenne or Colorado Springs.
Book your main leg first on a longer flight: If you’re planning a long trip to somewhere like Europe, book the long European leg first. For example, if you’re planning a trip to Rome, don’t just look for flights into Rome. Look at flights into all nearby European destinations. If the cost is considerably lower, you could then take a train or a short flight with a budget carrier and still save money.
Use Google Flights Explore: If your travel dates are flexible, Google Flights Explore can help you find the cheapest destinations for the time frame you’d prefer to travel.
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
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