Summer may be coming to an end, but let’s look on the bright side – the end of the season can actually be a bonus when it comes to planning a vacation.
Fall brings with it cooler (but still plenty comfortable) temperatures and better prices as we edge further from the peak sun season. Plus, think cozy sweaters, leaf-peeping and plenty of opportunities to enjoy the outdoors without the summer crowds.
This sweet spot between peak summer travel and the doldrums of winter is known as shoulder season, and it’s a great time to take advantage of savings.
Here are 10 ways to save on that fall vacay that will have you saying “summer, who?”
1. Go where the deals are
Scoping out destinations where costs are down can really pay off. According to our data, the cheapest domestic destinations for fall travel include Denver (median airfare: $176), Raleigh (median airfare: $206) and Chicago (median airfare: $218). Looking to travel further afield? We’re seeing median airfare for Canada (Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal) for less than $350.
2. Book a Hacker Fare
Sometimes skipping the round-trip flight in favor of booking two one-way flights can save you money. These mix-and-match flight combos let you make the most of two affordable flights, even if they may be on different airlines. Travelers often overlook this hack because finding these money-saving mash-ups can be time-consuming. Lucky for you, KAYAK does the work for you and shows you these Hacker Fare combos right in your search results.
3. Plan ahead
It can literally pay to book your flights and hotels in advance. While you may find last-minute savings, there’s no better way to guarantee you’re finding a great price than by booking well in advance. For travel within North America, you’ll find the best prices by booking at least one month ahead. Otherwise, you’ll want to start even further out – think five months ahead for Africa and six months ahead for Europe or Asia. For destination inspiration check out the best places to travel in the US and Europe this October.
4. Track prices before you book
If you know where you want to go, but are unsure if it’s the right time to book, we got you. When you search a flight on KAYAK, we’ll tell you whether we think you should book now or if we think flights are likely to decrease over the next seven days. If so, set a Price Alert. We’ll track the prices for you and let you know when airfare to that destination drops.
5. Be flexible with your flights
It should come as a surprise to no one that you’re more likely to score cheaper airfare for the days and times when people don’t want to fly – think early morning departures or red-eyes. If savings is your top priority, be flexible with when you travel. Use our flexible search to check prices give or take a day or two, so you can find the cheapest range.
6. Don’t set your sights on one destination
Instead of choosing a specific destination, decide on the type of trip you’re looking for and be flexible with the rest. For example, if you’re looking for a beach vacation, don’t limit yourself to Tahiti when there may be plenty of other islands with a similar vibe that you can get to for significantly less. Use KAYAK Explore to scope out your options. Just plug in your budget and dates if you got them, and let us do the rest. Easily sort by the type of trip you want (think: beach) and see where your budget can take you. (We bet it’s farther than you think.)
7. Keep an eye out for hidden fees
When you see a great price, it’s good to get excited. But before you hit book, make sure you know what you’re paying for. Search results will include Basic Economy fares and seats on low-cost carriers – both which oftentimes do not include baggage. Use our Fee Assistant when you search to factor in baggage fees, so there are no surprises when you go to hit book.
8. Take advantage of flash sales
Sign-up for travel newsletters and keep an eye out for limited-time deals and flash sales (like the ones you’ll find on our Deals page). You never know what kind of savings you’ll find, and especially if you’re in the market for a last-minute vacation, you could score significant savings on flights, hotels, cruises or packages (many of which will include airfare).
9. Save money, but be smart about it
If you can save by flying in or out of an alternative airport, but that airport is significantly further from your home, be sure you’re factoring into your budget the cost associated with getting to and from the airport. Also, remember, sometimes paying for an added convenience is worth it. While that early morning flight may save you money, if you’re traveling with small children and know you won’t be able to check-in your hotel until 4pm, is it really worth it? Maybe. But it’s important to consider how you’ll feel once the thrill of the deal has passed and you’re heading for 6 hours in a new city with overtired toddlers in tow. That said, if you have the flexibility and patience to withstand two stopovers to take advantage of that $100 flight, we respect that too.
10. If you see a good price, book it
Don’t regret that flight you didn’t book. Flight prices are constantly fluctuating, so if you see a price that looks good, don’t sit on it too long.
Ready to put these tips to use? We want you to be confident you got the best price and have the tools to make it happen.
Methodology: Cheapest destinations from the US for the fall are based on median round-trip airfare on KAYAK.com for search dates of 2/21/19 – 8/21/19 for travel from 9/23/19 – 12/21/19.
