LD Staff Writer
Should you book flights early or wait until the last minute? Is it cheaper to book flights on a certain day of the week? Is there a secret to finding the best flight prices, no matter where you want to go?
To find the answer we turned to Rick Seaney, one of the country’s leading experts on airfare. Rick has given interviews and analysis to news organizations such as ABC, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Reuters, The Associated Press, Bloomberg, etc.
According to Rick, you should start looking at flights about 4 months before your departure. This is when airlines start actively managing their cheapest seats. You can watch for trends using technology (email alerts) to help you see when your destination normally has the cheapest airfare available.
Read Rick’s article about purchasing airline tickets on ABC.com here.
Other Industry Experts
Christopher Elliott, National Geographic magazine’s reader advocate says “If you see a fare you can afford, book it. And don’t look back.”
Read Christopher’s article here.
Paul Ruden, the senior vice president for legal and industry affairs for the American Society of Travel Agents says: “Better lock in your fare. A month from now, it’s going to cost more. There isn’t anything to drive fares down at this point.”
Bob Harrell, a respected airfare analyst says: “I think fares are going to go up. But that’s not to say that air travelers who aren’t risk-averse won’t find a few rewards by waiting.”
Krista Pappas, a director for Bing Travel: “Airlines are increasing their fares at the fastest pace in two years, driven by high fuel prices and enticed by strong consumer demand.”
Conclusion
– Don’t buy too early; tickets purchased more than four months before departure will generally be priced at a mid-tier level. An exception: shopping for busy holiday times (Thanksgiving, Christmas).
– Start watching ticket prices (use email alerts or a virtual assistant) and ask yourself “How lucky do I feel?” The longer you wait, the more likely ticket prices are to start rising. When you see a price you can afford, buy it and don’t look back!
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