Top 10 Tips for Booking Holiday Flights

• Introduction
• 1. Factor New Airline Fees into Travel Costs
• 2. Monitor Your Route for Best Fares
• 3. Don’t Hold Out for Last-Minute Deals
• 4. Be Flexible: Avoid Peak Travel Days
• 5. Book a Flight & Hotel Package for Overall Value
• 6. Fly on the Holiday Itself
• 7. Consider Alternate Airports
• 8. Shop Around on Many Sites, Including Airlines’
• 9. Be Prepared to Layover to Cut Costs
• 10. Get Grounded: Look into Trains, Buses & Cars

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 last year, when last-minute bookers were unpredictably rewarded with slashed fares, thanks to wholly atypical airline behavior that was in response to retreating oil prices – and 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 flight.

See United States Travel Guide