The great plane-ticket sale of 2009 is coming to an end. Air fares that steadily declined throughout 2009 have stabilized thanks to the airlines that reduced inventory to fill their planes. However, fall typically is the weakest season of the year for air travel, and Americans have lately showed a propensity for stay-cations.
Thus airlines are worried and are trying to get ahead of the curve by launching ticket sales earlier and stretching them out longer.
For holiday travelers, that means waiting to book that trip to grandma’s house is no longer a good idea. It’s time to get moving and reserve your holiday airfare pronto.
Some airlines are getting more aggressive with fare sales by posting them on such social-networking sites as Twitter. JetBlue, Southwest and Virgin America all have given Web-savvy travelers a heads-up on cheaper rates.
The real key to grabbing a cheap fare, however, is doing your homework. If you know the dates you want to travel, it pays to periodically cruise travel Web sites like Orbitz, Travelocity and Expedia to review how fares are fluctuating. It also helps to check fare-history charts on such sites as Kayak and FareCompare to ensure you know a good deal when you see one.
Some tips for scoring the best deal:
Think turkey instead of tinsel. Priceline notes the average Thanksgiving airfare booked this year from July 1 to Oct. 1 is $361, almost $80 less than the average December holidays airfare of $440.
Be flexible on dates and airports. Several major airlines have imposed new surcharges of $10 each way for travel on peak travel days directly before and after the holidays. Moving your trip a day or two in either direction can save you 20 percent or more.
Consider alternate airports. Landing or departing from nearby airports can reduce ticket costs. For example, avoid Chicago’s O’Hare and drive one-hour south to Milwaukee, where holiday fares are down by more than 30 percent this year, thanks to new competition from AirTran and Southwest.
Fly nonstop out of a popular airline hub. You’ll find more competition among airlines at a hub, and thus better pricing. Best of all, by flying nonstop you won’t be stuck eating airport food, lugging presents and carry-ons between planes, or increasing the chance of your luggage being lost.
Beware of baggage fees. You’ll probably be dinged an extra $15-$25 for checking luggage, unless you’re prepared to mail gifts ahead and go the carry-on route. Save time and money ($5-$6 a bag) by checking in from home via the airline’s Web site instead of at the airport.
Don’t be a Scrooge. If a price seems reasonable, buy it. Airlines might still add additional cheap seats closer to the holidays, but you can risk missing out altogether, not being able to book with traveling companions, or paying more than you would like.
Don’t go at all: The best alternative this year may be to avoid the stress and cost of visiting home for the holidays and see your family in 2010, when you can travel on your own time schedule without extra fees.
For more tips, follow Travel—Ticker, one of the top 21 Twitters to follow, according to Conde Nast Traveler’s October 2009 issue.
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