As fall fast approaches, one name is becoming more prevalent in American college football—Brian Kelly, founder of The Points Guy. Watch as he shares great advice for planning your holiday travel on ABC’s Good Morning America. After all, the holiday shopping rush is right around the corner! That’s why he emphasizes the importance of planning ahead in order to get the most favorable airfare rates. Kelly points out that travelers need to begin planning soon to sidestep last-minute inconveniences and jacked-up prices.
Kelly’s advice is particularly timely, with the calendar turning to less than a week till fall arrives, officially. John points out that airlines generally punish last-minute travelers, encouraging you to go well in advance to book your flights. “As we look forward to the holiday travel season, I urge people to start planning now,” he stated.
Optimal Booking Times
If you want to get the most savings on your holiday travel Kelly suggests booking at certain times. For Thanksgiving he recommends travelers try to commit to bought tickets by about the first week in October. “The airlines penalize the nervous nellies, so for Thanksgiving travel, book around the first week of October. If you are considering coming, you need to book yesterday,” he said.
By Christmas travel, he recommends locking in during the first week of November. With this strategy, Kelly says they’re honing in on what he calls the “Goldilocks” approach – the perfect time to book flights. In the video above, he lays out why timing is everything when it comes to saving money. As he stresses, “It is not the day you purchase your ticket.
Smart Travel Strategies
Beyond booking ahead of time, Kelly wants people to understand the importance of leveraging technology to make travel smarter and easier. He recommends using tools such as Google Flights, which enables travelers to put alerts for fares under watch on specific routes. “Install alerts when the fare decreases,” he suggested.
To travelers who may still be planning when to leave, Kelly has some common sense tips about when to avoid the worst travel days. He notes that leaving early on less popular days and returning later on the Monday after the holiday can result in significant savings. “A lot of people might be thinking, ‘leaving first thing Thursday is better,’ but that’s how you save the money and avoid the crazy Wednesday in the airport,” he said.
The Role of The Points Guy
The Points Guy has recently published a great series to help you understand how airfare is priced. Plus, he suggests other tips and tricks travelers can use to stretch their dollar this holiday season. By combining data analysis with expert advice, The Points Guy aims to assist individuals in making informed decisions about their travel plans.
