Cheap Airline Tickets: The Best Time to Get Them
Travelers can avail of cheap airline tickets if they grab bargained travel deals as soon as they hit the market. This is the consensus of travel experts in answer to the debate of whether travelers should wait for bargains or book their flights now.
Travel experts said that finding cheap tickets throughout the season depends on planning, flexibility and luck. They said that getting cheap tickets depends on where you live, when and where you plan to travel. You can get cheap tickets for traveling during Thanksgiving or Christmas as long as you are updated of all airline promotions and are quick to avail of the bargains.
Industry experts said that this year, holiday traveling is cheap compared with last year. The average roundtrip ticket in the United States during the Thanksgiving travel is $327, a drop of 20 percent compared with the previous year.
Similarly, the average domestic air fare during the Christmas holiday is $357, a decline of $50 from the previous year.
The current economic downturn and restrained consumer spendings have affected the airline travel industry. To boost their sales, cheap airline tickets are made available to travelers who purchase early.
You may also find last-minute cheap deals. However, there is the risk of few flight options and seat vacancies. For a large group or families with children, it would be to their advantage if they book early to avoid the trouble of not finding available seats in the same section.
Meanwhile, travel experts said that you should arm yourself with the knowledge about the best days to get better deals. For example, the busiest days during Thanksgiving holiday travel are before Wednesdays and after Sundays.
A roundtrip flight from the city of Chicago, Illinois to San Diego, California which departs November 25, Wednesday, and returns November 29, Sunday will get you a bargain price of $383, including tax.
But if you do your research well you would discover that flying on Tuesday and returning on Saturday is priced less, about $284.
There are many travel web sites that offer great bargains. They also can help you track down good deals. Industry experts suggest searching for cheap airline tickets on Tuesday mornings which are the time most airlines released discounts.
