It may only be the beginning of August but, if you are planning to travel this fall-especially during Thanksgiving-have your wallets ready come September.
Travel search engine Skyscanner has found that the week of September 4 is when fall savings from the airlines will begin to drop, with discounts continuing until approximately two weeks before Thanksgiving.
"Projections year-over-year indicate that air travel over Thanksgiving is steadily growing-over 27 million passengers according to Airlines for America (A4A) - and as even more travelers are expected to take to the skies this season, travelers will be looking for ways to score a great deal," said Randi Wolfson, head of communications for the Americas, Skyscanner.
"As a comprehensive travel resource, Skyscanner wants to provide consumers with the highly coveted best time to book for savings on Thanksgiving travel and take the guesswork out of booking holiday travel," Wolfson added.
Obviously, those who plan ahead and book early will save more, but procrastinators will also have luck finding deals. Air travelers can save up to four percent, and savings are going to stick around through November 6.
In its 2017 research, Skyscanner found that a roundtrip domestic airline ticket during the holiday period will average around $300 when booked early. These savings are unprecedented, and the long booking window offers travelers a rare chance at affordability and flexibility on travel during the holiday.
"We are seeing a trend in which the booking window for travelers to find greater savings is extending, even as we look at the 21-day winter season covering Christmas and New Year's, where travelers will be able to save the most three to seven weeks before each holiday," added Wolfson.
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For the most savings, follow these travel hacks from Skyscanner:
- Expand flight searches to include other area airports. This gives air travelers more flight options and can deliver more affordable fares.
- Experiment with travel dates of departure and return. Traveling a day or two later, or returning earlier, can sometimes yield prices that are less expensive and easier on a traveler's budget.
- Set up price alerts to track the cost of a desired flight route and then purchase the ticket once the price drops.
If you do travel during Thanksgiving, be ready to join the masses. Skyscanner is predicting another record-breaking travel year during the holiday.
Last year, TripAdvisor reported that Thanksgiving travel was up 7 percent and that more people traveled by plane than ever before. Roadways were still the busiest, however.
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