Here are some tips on getting the best deals for holiday travel
Oct 16, 2018, 1:11 PM
(AP Photo/Matt York)
(AP Photo/Matt York)
PHOENIX – There are secrets to getting the best deals for holiday travel, and AAA has uncovered them.
The national motor and travel club analyzed three years of booking data to determine how to get the best prices for Thanksgiving and Christmas flights.
“What we found is that consumers should start by booking flights on off-travel days,” Michelle Donati of AAA Arizona told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Tuesday.
For Thanksgiving (Nov. 22 this year), that means flying the Monday before the holiday, when prices are about $40 cheaper than for Tuesday or Wednesday that week.
If you don’t have to arrive early for Christmas, flying Dec. 24 will save you 9 percent over Dec. 22 or 23, the busiest and most expensive days to fly that week.
When it comes to saving money on flights, when you purchase tickets also makes an impact.
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While booking well in advance provides more options, it can be more expensive.
AAA found that Christmas flights booked six months or more before the holiday cost, on average, an extra $98 per ticket.
So when should you buy? Now, at least for Christmas.
“There’s still a sweet spot for savings,” Donati said.
Travelers who book Christmas flights 61 to 90 days before the holiday save an average of $100 per ticket, meaning the window for a good deal is open until Oct. 25.
The window for the best Thanksgiving deals, from July 25 to Sept. 22, has closed, but that doesn’t mean you are out of luck.
“If you’re a procrastinator and you’re open to that last-minute planning, you might be able to find a bargain,” Donati said.
AAA found that the cheapest average airfares were sold seven to 13 days before the holidays. That would be Nov. 9-15 for Thanksgiving this year and Dec. 12-18 for Christmas.
Although there is potential savings for those who wait, there’s a drawback, too.
“If you do wait until the last minute, your availability for flights and what you’re able to select as far as options go will be much more limited than if you were to book in advance,” Donati said.
KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Ashley Flood contributed to this report.
