Right now is the time to fly for those in search of one of the decade's best bargains.
According to Hopper's Consumer Airfare Index for October 2019, this month's flight prices are projected to reach the lowest levels since before 2013.
Flight prices are expected to be down 3.1 percent compared to the same time last year to an average of $211 for a domestic roundtrip flight. Notably, jet fuel prices dropped 6.3 percent in the most recent month of reporting data compared to the previous month.
Hopper projects that prices will remain low through the end of October before spiking for a short period in November ($215 average domestic roundtrip) during the busy Thanksgiving travel period. Afterward, prices are expected to drop again in December ($212 average domestic roundtrip) and January ($210 average domestic roundtrip) before climbing to meet the demand for spring break in February ($222 average domestic roundtrip) and March ($227 average domestic roundtrip).
The fall deals aren't limited to the U.S., however, as Hopper highlighted a handful of popular Asian destinations on sale this season, including Bangkok, Thailand; Seoul, South Korea and Osaka, Japan, among others.
"This year, these low prices are compounded by the same factors we've seen pushing down prices all year," Hopper's chief economist Hayley Berg told NBC News. "Increased competition in the airline industry has driven airlines to expand their fleets and drop prices in an effort to capture a larger piece of the growing demand for travel. In addition to this, we've witnessed the continued entry and expansion of low-cost carriers into the U.S. market."
Hopper singled out a total of 20 domestic and international destinations that are most likely to drop in price this October for those travelers using the "Watch This Trip" button on the Hopper app. U.S. cities offering passengers potential savings of 21 to 35 percent this month include Austin, Texas; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; New York City; Atlanta; Charleston, South Carolina; San Diego; Oakland, California; San Antonio; Charlotte, North Carolina and Louisville, Kentucky.
In addition to Bangkok, Seoul and Osaka, the best bargain destinations abroad include Reykjavik, Iceland; Cancun, Mexico; Medellin, Colombia; Melbourne, Australia; Shanghai; Munich and San Jose, Costa Rica where travelers can save anywhere from 26 to 42 percent this October.
Flying for Thanksgiving this year? New data from Skyscanner reveals the best time to book your flights to capitalize on the most savings.
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