The holidays are just around the corner, and if you're anything like us, you’re probably hoping you won’t have to pay an arm and a turkey leg to get home to celebrate. Though most airline industry experts’ analysis is pointing to holiday fares that average about 10 to 20 percent more this year than last, there are still plentiful ways to snag a reasonable rate — just check out these 10 tips for booking holiday flights.
So why the “bah humbug” uptick in costs? Even though jet-fuel prices have remained relatively stable, there’s been a discernible surge in flyer demand (as evidenced by load factors averaging 87 percent on flights this summer). Once-reluctant travelers who may have skipped out on the heavily recession-hit holidays of 2008, and even into 2009, just aren’t willing to hold off on Aunt Edna’s homemade pumpkin pie another year. And though travelers have proven eager to get back in the air, the copious number of routes that have been grounded over the last couple of years (as much as 15 percent of capacity has been cut since 2008, in response to the economic crisis) translates to fewer seats for sale — and less desperation on behalf of the airlines to fill them. Add to that airlines’ sneaky smattering of “peak travel surcharges” and a seeming never-ending slew of once unheard-of airline fees, and you have a recipe for pricey travels — in short, leave procrastination to only the most coolheaded of gamblers this year, as savings will only be slimming as the holidays near.
Though finding decent Thanksgiving deals this late in the game won't exactly be a turkey shoot, there’s still hope for those of you who act before October’s end, when things will really get hairy; ditto for travelers who get to booking no later than early November for the December holidays. Gobble up some of the best fares out there by referencing these money-saving tips for booking holiday flights, and then compare airline rates online via ShermansTravel's nifty Travel Search tool. Here's to a merry money-saving holiday!
1. Factor airline fees into travel costs
The airline fee boom that first kicked off in 2008 is decidedly here to stay, meaning what were once free amenities must now be factored in as a part of the overall cost of travel. While most travelers are well-versed in checked bag fees by now, newfangled fees keep on coming: Some recent headline makers in the fee free-for-all have included Spirit Airlines’ August initiative to charge for even carry-on bags (which can run up to a staggering $45); American Airlines’ recent implementation of an “Express Seats” charge for those wishing to be seated in the first few rows of the plane ($19 to $39 extra); and if you thought you could still get free eats on the last domestic airline holdout — Continental — think again; they did away with their comped meal program on domestic flights this October.
Checked baggage fees remain the most widespread concern on holiday flights, however, and you’ll have to consider, for example, that while an American or United flight may indeed turn out the lowest rate quote on paper, if you’re going to be checking in a bag, flying with budget carriers like JetBlue or Southwest may very well prove to be the more cost-effective option, given that they don’t charge the $15 to $25 fee for your first-checked bag like the other airlines do. Do look into shipping gifts ahead of time rather than carrying them onboard; it may be the more economical route when considering first-checked bag fees — not to mention hefty second-bag fees that can run up to $35. Although, workarounds are not unheard of: Innovative United launched a "Premier Baggage" program late last year, allowing travelers to pay a $249 fee up front, then fly their bags — along with those of up to eight people on the same reservation — fee-free for a full year; while those bunking down in an InterContinental Hotels Group property through Dec. 30 — and who meet certain requirements like paying with a Visa card and saving receipts — can apply for up to a $50 reimbursement on checked bag fees. Also strive to incorporate simple money-savers into your in-flight routine — bringing a bagged lunch, inflatable pillow, or headsets can save you from doling out any extra dough onboard.
2. Monitor your route for best fares
Unfortunately, there's no perfect science to locking in the season's lowest fares, given their tendency to fluctuate on seemingly day-to-day (or even hour-to-hour!) whims. As such, a savvy traveler's safest bet is to monitor rates on chosen routes for at least a few days (and ideally more, based on your comfort level), in order to get a real sense of just what comprises a good price before booking. If you’re familiar with the going rates on said route outside of the peak holiday period, even better — you already have a good barometer of what you should normally be paying, and can anticipate that the rate during the holiday timeframe will be at least 20 percent higher (and probably a good deal more). Also consider using airfare tracking tools and signing up for fare change alerts at sites like FareCompare, Bing Travel, or Yapta.com — once you’ve firmly established a benchmark for your holiday flight fare, you’ll know when to pounce on it. If the rate seems to be headed in a downward spiral, terrific — follow it for a few days to see just how low it can go. However, if it seems to be moving upwards in price, it's probably best to not allow it to continue for more than one or two days in that direction before caving in and booking. And, if by chance your very first search should turn up a fare that stands out as exceptional, don’t bother dillydallying to track the route — snatch it up on the spot, especially if you intend to fly at peak travel times, like the day after Christmas.
3. Don’t hold out for last-minute deals
Travel trends of yore have taught us that flight prices will only increase as the holidays approach and inventory tightens. Granted, a rare exception to this old rule of thumb was in 2008, and to a lesser degree, in 2009, when last-minute bookers were unpredictably rewarded with slashed fares, thanks to wholly atypical airline behavior that was reflective of their desperate attempts to woo reluctant travelers in the face of the economic freefall. We certainly wouldn’t bank on that happening again, however, as the industry has little incentive to discount this year, thanks to the old law of supply and demand: Passenger demand has rebounded considerably, while airlines’ capacity cuts have trimmed down available seats. Leave procrastination to the gamblers, or to those who are thinking of heading out on a spur-of-the-moment vacation for the holidays and don’t have any particular destination in mind. While you just might find a great late-breaking sale to Timbuktu, chances are that any economical airfares to get to Turkey Day at Grandma’s house in Boston will have been long gobbled up. In short, it’s never too early to book your holiday travel — as soon as you know your loose dates and destination, briefly monitor the route to determine what comprises a good rate, and get to booking your holiday flight.
4. Be flexible: avoid peak travel days
If you have flexibility with your travel days, you're pretty much guaranteed savings. By all means, know — and avoid — peak holiday travel dates, especially the Wednesday before and the Sunday and Monday after Thanksgiving, Dec. 23, Dec. 26, Dec. 27, Jan. 2, and Jan. 3. Flights on these dates are priced at a premium, and, along with a handful of others, additionally carry a “peak travel surcharge” (basically a fancy term that the airlines have coined for a fare increase on desirable travel days) averaging $10 to $30 each way on nearly all major carriers, a recently implemented price bump for busy travel periods that’s crept in over the last 18 months. With Christmas falling on a Saturday this year, delaying your return trip to the following Tuesday or Wednesday, as opposed to Sunday or Monday, can translate to substantial savings. Do use fare search engines that feature a “flexible dates” search — like Kayak, Travelocity, or Orbitz — which will allow you to search the cheapest fares available over a range of dates. If you have any remaining vacation days, the holidays are the perfect time to cash them in — the lengthier your trip, the further away you can travel from the holiday itself, when there is the most demand and highest costs for flights. And don’t shy away from those off-peak early morning or red-eye flights, which are typically priced lower, and have the added bonus of boasting fewer delays (especially the crack-of-dawn morning flights), as the airports are less congested with both people and plane traffic.
5. Book a flight and hotel package for overall value
If you'd rather not sleep on Aunt Edna's couch this Thanksgiving, consider booking an air-and-hotel vacation together, which can save you a bundle over booking each component separately. Locking in one of the great-value hotel bargains that pop up around the holidays can really help balance out the overall cost efficiency of the trip. Though holiday flights may be on the steep side, hotels have been posting bargain-basement rates, in an attempt to fill up rooms during a traditionally slow period for leisure travelers. Business hotels boast particularly good deals around the holidays, when they’re completely devoid of their normal clientele — do look to hotels near convention centers and business districts for some of the best package rates.
6. Fly on the holiday itself
While it may not be the most ideal option for maximizing your holiday time, fares for flights on the holidays themselves can be exceptionally discounted — and, in fact, they’re the only days during the height of the holiday travel period that are exempt from most airlines’ peak travel surcharge. Most people are home or where they need to be on these days, so jetting off Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve (particularly later in the evening, closer to celebration time), or New Year’s Day (when most folks are nursing New Year’s Eve hangovers) can translate to big savings and less hassle due to fewer travelers competing for seats. However, keep in mind that there is some degree of risk here, as delays or cancellations could mean foregoing the planned festivities altogether. As a workaround, some families opt to celebrate on alternative days in order to take advantage of these discounted holiday flights.
7. Consider alternate airports
If the city you’re leaving from (or headed to) is serviced by several airports, include them all in your search for holiday flights. For Chicago, you’ll want to check out smaller Midway in addition to O’Hare; in San Francisco, don’t overlook Oakland, San Jose, or Sacramento airports on top of SFO; in New York, you’ll have the biggies at JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark, but Westchester County and Macarthur Airports are viable alternatives, as well. It might even be worthwhile to drive an hour or two to a neighboring city's airport when factoring in the savings (Chicago-area travelers have turned up great deals at Milwaukee’s General Mitchell Airport, for instance). These secondary airports, which often host smaller budget airlines, can offer additional perks aside from savings, too, like fewer crowds, cheaper parking, and less frequent delays — just don’t factor out the cost of ground transportation to get there. Similarly, if a smaller regional airport is the closest one to you or to your destination, keep in mind that larger airports may offer more airlines that service your route — and therefore, more competitive pricing. Always keep all of your options on the table.
8. Shop around on many sites, including airlines’
Don’t leave any stone unturned when scouting holiday flight deals on the net. ShermansTravel’s handy Travel Search tool offers a great means of searching multiple sites (like Travelocity, Orbitz, and Kayak, among others), while only having to enter your travel information once. We might be biased, but it really does make comparison shopping a breeze! Don’t forget to go straight to airlines’ websites, as well: Popular budget carrier Southwest, for instance, doesn’t list its fares with most online travel agents; it’s also an insurance that you’ll save on any third-party ticketing fees by booking through the airlines’ sites directly (though many booking sites have done away with these charges in the recent past). You may also want to check out web tools like FareCompare, Bing Travel, or Yapta.com, which serve to research and predict fare prices and trends — they’ll give you a good idea of the going rate of your trip — and whether to buy now or to wait.
9. Be prepared to layover to cut costs
Airlines’ recent route cutbacks mean quite simply that there are fewer nonstop flights out there right now, leaving those that do remain in higher demand — and therefore, pricier. If you come across a reasonable nonstop holiday flight, we highly recommend booking it on the spot — the peace of mind and ease of travel alone may be worth a slightly higher price tag. But it’s more likely that booking an itinerary that includes a layover will be the real money-saver, in which case you’ll need to be conscientious of booking wisely. Always allow for sufficient time during the connection, particularly during the busy holiday season when delays are expected and winter weather is a factor — we recommend a minimum of 2 hours. Also, attempt to use the same airline for both legs of the journey, so that their personnel will be more likely to assist you in the event of a botched connection. Finally, avoid delay-prone airports if at all possible — those in the NYC area and Chicago’s O’Hare are among the worst culprits. Being stranded at the airport is certainly no way to spend your Christmas (and how would Santa ever know where to find you?!)
10. Get grounded: Look into trains, buses, and cars
If you’re within a reasonable distance of your destination, prudent travelers should look into modes of ground transportation as alternatives to flying. Gas costs have dipped down quite a bit since their shocking highs of the 2008 holiday season (averaging about $2.80 a gallon as of mid-October 2010 press time), and if you’re traveling with several family members, carpooling can be a really economic option — look into a site like AAA’s Fuel Cost Calculator for an estimate on gas costs based on your car model and itinerary. Bus travel is another good option, especially given plentiful budget options like the jaw-dropper $1 fares (even during the peak holiday period, we found fares as low as $26 one-way) from BoltBus (serving select Northeast cities) and Megabus (serving select U.S. and Canadian cities); or upgrade to the newer breed of “boutique” bus lines that have popped up in recent years between popular cities, like DC2NY (routes between Washington, D.C., and NYC) or Lux Bus America (routes between Boston and NYC). And lastly, don’t overlook hassle-free trains: They’re rarely delayed, don’t contend with traffic, and will allow you to kick back, relax, and enjoy that pretty winter scenery.
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