Are you looking to actually be able to afford presents this year and travel? This may be shaping up to be one of the most expensive travel seasons of late, says Forbes.
"The Bureau of Transportation Statistics shows U.S. airline passenger growth steady at 5 to 6 percent annually and we've essentially maxed out landing and takeoff slots at most major U.S. airports," says Richard Kerr, senior points and miles contributor at The Points Guy tells Forbes. "With supply not able to keep up with the increased demand, airlines can raise prices with little ill effect. Compound that with one less legacy carrier [US Airways] in competition and the current atmosphere is ripe for high holiday airfares."
The holiday season is a notorious budget buster, but Forbes Grant Martin has some tips for how to save.
Book early is one way to ensure you aren't overpaying.
"It's no secret that airlines push prices up as the date of departure gets closer, but this year that may hold particularly true. Thanks to a glut of inventory and lower profits, airlines have decided to cut back on the number of flights that they operate in an effort to fill up planes," he says.
Track the prices of flights is another way to get a good deal.
"In case a good fare to your holiday destination does come up, it's a good idea to subscribe to an airfare monitoring site to catch any flash sales. Both Airfarewatchdog and The Flight Deal have led the industry this year in publishing sale fares multiple times each day," says Martin.
[READMORE]READ MORE: This Is The Day You Should Book Your Holiday Travel [/READMORE]
Another way to save is to use up your rewards points.
"Like revenue airfares, reasonably-priced award tickets tend to evaporate as the holiday seasons approach, so this year, a few extra points may be necessary to book your favorite routing," notes Martin.
For more tips on how to save, read on here.
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