National Cheap Flight Day, celebrated this year on Saturday, August 23, marks the unofficial end of the busiest summer travel season. With families heading home from summer holiday and students starting back at school, airlines are expecting demand to fall off a cliff. This transition signals the start of the “shoulder season.” It’s the sweet spot that’s just after the busy fall travel and just before the crazy holiday travel.
Airlines use low-fare sales when necessary to maximize seat availability. That means it’s a huge period of opportunity for leisure travelers to take advantage of the low demand for airfares. Club price analysis with Club Member exclusive pricing Historical data shows that this time of year always produces some of the lowest prices. According to travel experts, this untamed time is the perfect opportunity for savvy travelers to start planning their trips.
Tools for Tracking Airfares
You can use technology to improve travelers’ odds of hitting on the lowest fare. Consumer-facing tools like those from Google Flights can help them track historical pricing trends and notify you when a fare drops on a desired route. These types of resources dramatically help users avoid fare surprises and help them feel confident about their travel decisions.
To Julian Kheel, founder of Points Path and a frequent traveler, that that’s the point. He notes that they “can show when the current price of a flight you’re looking at is at its lowest, highest, or somewhere in between.” With a little bit of AI-powered guidance, travelers can identify the optimal times to book their travel.
Useful browser extensions like Points Path come in handy, walking potential travelers through how they can get the most out of their awards points. Kheel recommends incorporating these extensions to greatly improve the in-person experience of travel.
Exploring Alternative Options
Smart travelers can maximize their odds of landing the lowest fare possible by being flexible with their options. For example, smaller nearby airports can sometimes offer superior prices to major hubs. Kheel suggests, “The more options you leave open, the more chances you give yourself to catch a low fare.”
Plus, airlines often don’t sell the cheapest fares on the shortest or most direct routes. It’s very important to check fares against historical averages for given routes at this time of year.
Using this strategy, it’s sometimes worth it to book two tickets on two different airlines to save a lot of money. Even small changes, like flying one day earlier or coming home on a Wednesday instead of Sunday, can have a huge impact on airfare.
The Best Time to Book
National Cheap Flight Day is a great opportunity for American travelers planning their next trip to take advantage of cheaper fares. On planning travel itineraries, Kheel recommends staying flexible and creative — the more options you explore, the better chance to find a more affordable option. He states, “The more willing you are to be creative when you’re piecing together your journey, the better your odds are of uncovering a cheaper path.”
