SAN ANTONIO – Pack your bags and buckle up if you have the itch to travel. After the holidays’ sky-high prices for plane tickets, airfares went into a steep descent.
“We see airfares drop dramatically, almost up to 80% in some cases,” said Katy Nastro with Going.com, formerly Scott’s Cheap Flights. The company is a subscription service that finds deals.
January and February are traditionally the months for cheap flights.
“You also have the highest probability of finding last-minute-ish deals in January and February versus any other time of year,” she said.
Off-peak season means smaller crowds and smaller prices as airlines have seats to fill.
Nastro said roundtrip flights from San Antonio to Hawaii are as low as $388 next month.
A trip from SA to New York is $198, and that’s roundtrip on a full-service airline.
“If it’s a mild winter, it is a great time to visit the city because the dining and entertainment is indoors,” Nastro said.
If Scandinavia is on your bucket list, a roundtrip ticket to Helsinki is $522. Last month, flights to Europe were well over $1,000.
No matter what time of year you travel, Nastro said the key to savings is to “be flexible.”
That means considering different destinations, checking secondary airports because it’s often worth the extra hop or drive, and being flexible on dates.
“There is not one specific day to book travel that’s going to be the cheapest,” Nastro said. “But there are days that are cheaper to fly than others. That’s Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday.”
If you’re thinking about a summer vacation, now is the time to look and book. If a fare drops after your buy, Nastro says to call the airline and cancel. Then, quickly rebook the flight and bank the difference for a future trip.
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