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Flying
Off-Peak - Information
and Tips |
Peak"
travel season means demand is at its highest. As a result, you pay a
premium for your flight. Flying off-peak can save you quite a bit of
money, and aggravation.
Day of the Week
Airlines frequently charge lower fares for travel between Monday at
noon and Thursday at noon, and on Saturday, while increasing fares
significantly for Sunday, Monday morning, Thursday
afternoon/evening, and Friday travel. During the summer, count
Saturday as a peak travel day as well.
Holidays and Seasons
All big holidays are peak travel times.
- Thanksgiving: Wednesday is the heaviest travel day. On the return
trip, the following weekend is often not all that bad, as travelers
space return flights out over the long weekend.
- Winter Holidays: The four days before Christmas are all heavy
travel days. Coming back, it depends on the day of the week New
Year's falls on. For example: if New Year's Day falls on a Friday,
peak travel might not happen until Sunday, Jan 3 or even Monday, Jan
4. If New Year's Day falls on a Monday, people may start to head
back to work immediately, on Tuesday, Jan 2.
- Spring Break and Valentine's Day: Hawaii, Key West, the Caribbean
and Mexico, Las Vegas, and countless ski vacations can be expensive.
Seasons also affect travel prices.
- Summer: Europe, Hawaii, Canada, the Pacific Northwest, Alaska,
Maine and New Hampshire are expensive.
- Spring: Florida, the Bahamas, Mexico, some European cities,
Carnival cruises, Southern California and New Orleans are very
popular.
- Winter: Ski resorts, most tropical or semi-tropical destinations
and islands (especially the Caribbean), Costa Rica and other Central
American destinations, Mexico, Disneyland and Disney World, many
Pacific Rim countries (Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia), Israel
(around holidays, political climate permitting) get crowded.
Fall: New England and parts of Canada (for fall foliage), Australia,
New Zealand (primarily in the late fall, as summer begins Down
Under) are all top destinations.
Tips for Peak Travel Periods
If you are going to fly during peak travel periods, here are some
tips:
- Plan ahead. Airlines, hotels, and car rental companies rarely have
reason to offer last-minute incentive deals for top destinations.
- Be flexible. Different flights on the same day are priced
differently.
- Take advantage of discounts. AAA members, AARP members, students
and teachers, companions traveling together, credit card holders,
and travelers who check with consolidators and discount reservations
services may find considerable savings by flashing an ID card at the
time of purchase. |
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