By Rick Seaney | Contributor
Anytime you travel during peak times, such as Spring Break, airfare tends to be higher. This is based on data I collected from my website and personal observations. For instance, in January, I checked flight prices for a Spring Break trip from Dallas to Ft. Lauderdale for the dates March 15-22 (a Sunday to the next Sunday) and discovered the lowest nonstop fare was $250. Just for fun, I shifted the travel dates back a week to March 22-29, and the price dropped by $50.
The takeaway: Airlines are aware of when demand is high and adjust prices accordingly.
However, there are effective strategies to reduce costs, sometimes quite substantially. Much of this depends on your flexibility regarding travel dates, whether for Spring Break or any major holiday. Note that the fares I mention were found in January and may have changed by the time you book; still, they provide a good reference for potential savings. Here are five strategies to consider:
1. Shop for tickets one at a time
If you’re booking flights for a group, and you’ve been tasked with finding airfare, keep two important facts in mind: Ticket prices can vary, even for coach seats, and it’s best to buy tickets individually. When you search for tickets, in the “number of travelers” box, enter one instead of your entire party. This is because of a peculiarity in airline reservation systems.
When multiple tickets are purchased in a single transaction, they typically must all be at the same price. For example, if you need two tickets and the airline has one at a sale price of $100 while the others are $200, you will end up paying $200 for each, totaling $400. Conversely, if you buy them one at a time, you could secure the $100 ticket first and then purchase the second at $200, saving you a total of $300. While this approach doesn’t guarantee savings, it’s worth trying.
2. Fly on less popular days
For domestic flights, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays tend to offer the lowest fares. I tested this with the Dallas to Ft. Lauderdale route and found that departing on Tuesday, March 17, and returning on Saturday, March 21, was $60 cheaper than traveling from Sunday to Sunday.
3. Fly during off-peak times
It’s common knowledge that flights early in the morning, at dinnertime, or late at night, including red-eye flights, tend to be less expensive. While these times may be less pleasant, the savings can make the difference between relaxing on a beautiful beach or staying at home.
4. Use the cheapest airport
Don’t limit your search to just one airport; check prices for alternative airports in or near your destination. Larger airports generally offer lower fares, so Los Angeles International (LAX) is often cheaper than smaller ones. However, sometimes airports like Burbank or Orange County can provide better deals. If you’re flying to southern Florida, consider checking both Ft. Lauderdale and Miami, as they are only 25 miles apart.
5. Opt for flights with layovers
Choosing a flight with one or more stops instead of a nonstop can occasionally result in significant savings. I recently spotted a connecting flight from Dallas to London that was about $150 less expensive than the nonstop option. For a family of four, that amounts to nearly $600 in potential savings. It’s up to you to decide if the trade-off of waiting at an airport is worthwhile.
Final word of advice: Don’t procrastinate. Last-minute deals, particularly during holidays, have become rare, so purchase your tickets as soon as you can. Also, remember to compare airfare prices, as no single airline consistently offers the lowest fares. Safe travels!
