Time your trip
Think carefully about when you want to fly
Midweek or weekend, peak season or low season? The key to making great savings on travel is timing. By being flexible with travel dates, you can really save big.
Book early for peak-season and major vacation travel
Air travel over the end-of-year holidays (Christmas and New Year) can be expensive because deals are scarce. Think – and book – months in advance to secure the best airfares around peak dates and to ensure that you get a seat.
Avoid travelling in the high season
Vacationing anywhere during peak season is expensive. To avoid paying top dollar for airfare and lodgings:
Rethink when - and where - you want to travel
If you're willing to shift your travel dates or consider a different destination, you can net substantial airfare and hotel bargains. Get creative: postpone a family visit until a few weeks before or after the end-of-year holidays. Consider a family celebration in the shoulder season of your favourite destination. Shift time off from summer to fall and consider an international destination for your next vacation.
Scout off- and shoulder-season deals
Off-season travel to the Caribbean, for example, can be as enjoyable as a trip during the peak season. The weather and beaches are welcoming but with fewer visitors, attractions are less crowded and you're likely to get better service at restaurants and other venues.
If you're a skier, you won't care that the summer rates in popular ski areas are bargain priced, but you can find winter airfare and ski-package deals in the periods right before and after the peak season at top spots when travel agents offer discounts to boost business.
Shoulder season - the period between the low and high season - offers savings opportunities as well. Mexico is delightful in late spring when the cold-weather-weary crowds have left and airfares are more affordable, and Europe in the early fall is especially attractive with shoulder season airfare savings as well as fewer tourists and pleasant weather.
Find airfare savings all year round
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