Big late summer/fall airfare sale takes off

June 6, 2017

Southwest kicks off big summer sale- we expect others airlines to match it (Image: Southwest Airlines)

While fares to Europe have tumbled this summer, domestic tickets have remained stubbornly high on many routes.

If you feel priced out of peak summer season, or have plans for trips in late summer or fall, Southwest Airlines has an airfare sale for you– on its domestic as well as its growing list of international destinations.

Southwest kicked it off today with with fares starting at $100 roundtrip. From there, roundtrip fares rise in three more steps: $160, $200, and $260.

As usual, expect other airlines to match this sale. TravelSkills will monitor their responses at the bottom of this post. (Scroll down…)

What’s nice about this sale is that it’s good for late summer trips starting as early as August 22— keep in mind that Labor Day is on Monday, September 4 this year.

And summer is not officially over until September 21. That’s a nice window for a late summer trip!

Take a look at what Southwest has on offer during the slower fall months as well as the “dead weeks” before and after Thanksgiving.

Sample approximate round trip fares include:

$100 Between San Francisco & Oakland and Burbank, Los Angeles, Portland, Reno, San Diego (and most other intra-California and Vegas routes)
$116 Boston-Atlanta
$160 Atlanta-Washington DC Reagan National, Orlando, Ft Lauderdale
$200 New York LaGuardia-Nashville, Kansas City, Milwaukee, St Louis, plus Sacramento-Portland, Austin-Atlanta
$208 between Oakland and Puerto Vallarta
$260 between Houston and Phoenix, or Oakland, Austin
$300 between Oakland and Atlanta, Nashville, New Orleans (Most transcon in the $300 range)

Keep in mind that Rapid Rewards redemptions are cheaper now, too because the SWA program is based on ticket prices.

Southwest Airlines jets at Oakland International Airport (Photo: Port of Oakland)

We expect other major airlines to match these low fares over the next 24-48 hours. (We’ll update this page with competitive matches as they roll out…see below)

Note that Southwest does not charge for the first or second bag, and does not impose change fees like most other airlines. When major airlines match these fares, they’ll likely do it with “basic economy” fares that have even more fees and restrictions.

Details of Southwest’s 72-hour sale:

>Must buy your tickets between now and Thurs, June 8 at 11:59 p.m. (in originating city).

>Travel window: August 22- December 13

>Lowest fares not available on Fridays or Sundays

>Blackout dates for domestic flights: September 1 and 4, and November 17-28, 2016 (this varies on a handful of routes)

>International fares are only available on Tuesdays and Thursdays; blacked out Sept 4-6, Nov 25-28

>Only a handful of seats on each flight are on sale- you snooze, you lose.

>See Southwest website for other rules and restrictions, or to book trips.

Stay tuned for UPDATES: Airlines matching this sale so far include: Alaska Air | Virgin America (with slightly higher fares) | United

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“Trump slump” means more great travel deals

March 1, 2017

Low demand from overseas means more bargains in cities like New York or San Francisco (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Bargain-hunting travelers could see some relief from high hotel rates and airfares as demand slows and travel deals proliferate.

While the stock market is experiencing a record setting “Trump bump,” the U.S. travel industry is girding for a big slowdown in visitors from other countries resulting in a “Trump slump.”

That is bad news for the travel industry. But it’s good news for bargain hunting travelers faced with sky high rates in recent years, especially for hotels in cities favored by international visitors such as New York, Washington, Miami, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

It’s also good news for frequent flyers and loyalty program members hoping to cash in points and miles on overseas trips as lower demand translates into more availability.

President Trump has cost the US travel industry $185 million in lost revenue, with significant drop in flight searches and bookings from the U.K. according to The Guardian. The British newspaper pointed to data released by Kayak this week showing that searches for flights to Miami, Tampa and Orlando from the U.K. are down almost 60 percent. San Diego searches are down 43 percent. Las Vegas is down 36 percent and Los Angeles is down 32 percent.

New York City tourism officials expect to see 300,000 fewer international visitors this year according to the New York Times- but it expects more domestic visitors.

Rates in cities like Washington DC could decrease due to lack of interest by foreigners (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Kayak says that according to its data, “Brits are falling out of love with the USA in a major way. Searches for flights to key U.S. destinations have fallen off a cliff.”

That lack of interest is already translating into lower rates. Kayak reports that average prices for hotel rooms in Las Vegas are down 39 percent on average, in San Francisco they are down 34 percent and even New York has seen hotel prices fall by 32 percent. (Rates could fall even more in SF according to this recent TravelSkills post)

Anecdotally, I’ve noticed a big drop in hotel rates in New York City, especially in the overcrowded mid-range. Last month I stayed in a New York Hilton Garden Inn for just $149 per night, and I’ve seen similar low rates all winter long, some extending into spring.

In the U.K., Kayak’s Suzanne Perry said, “The story of the summer is the fall of interest in the States. We noted that searches to the USA dropped after the new president came to office – but it seems like this is a longer-term trend. The US has historically been one of the most popular countries for Brits, but searches to popular destinations falling by over half in one year is a massive shift.”

The same thing is going on in the air. Searches for flights to the U.S. from international destinations are down 17% according to data analysts at Hopper.

British Airways added San Jose nonstops using a 787 Dreamliner last year- and the deals are great!. (Image: Mineta San Jose Airport)

To us, that lack of demand from overseas is translating into startlingly low fares between to US and Europe this winter and spring. Ultra-low-cost carriers are leading the way with ultra-low fares (as low as $250 round trip + fees). But it’s not just the low-fare airlines that lowering prices– we’ve seen the major airlines jump into the low-fare fray with round trips from the West Coast to Europe in the $400 range. Advance bookings for peak summer season are still in the $700 roundtrip range, which is a remarkably good deal.

With British Airways adding new nonstops to London from San Jose and Oakland this year, in addition to its two dailies at SFO, there is a LOT of new capacity in this market leading to unprecedented low fares. And if Europeans are not all that interested in coming to the US, I expect we’ll see good fares all year long as demand flattens.

So, bargain hunters rejoice while you can! We’ll see how long this party lasts.

Have you noticed that international travel is getting a lot cheaper? What’s the best deal you’ve seen so far? Please leave your comments below.

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Fare war: California-Chicago $100 roundtrip

February 21, 2017

Chicago continues to block Uber airport pick-ups. (Image: Jim Glab)

Chicago-California nonstops hit rock bottom for spring trips. (Image: Jim Glab)

There’s a fare war festering between major airlines and ultra-low-cost carriers between the West Coast and Chicago with fares as low as $120 round trip.

What’s best about this deal is that it is good for spring break travel– we’ve found super low, sub $150 roundtrip fares on SFO-ORD and LAX-ORD from now through the end of May.

The cheap fares are lead by the ultra lows: Spirit Air and Frontier. Both are offering fares as low as $100 round trip on this busy route, which is crazy. But keep in mind that you end up paying a price for using these guys…you are dinged for carry-on bags, seat assignments, and don’t get much love (or alternatives) if your flight is canceled or delayed. You might have to take a red-eye. But still, $100 round trip is tough to resist!

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We used March 1-March 8 as sample here (Google Flights)

We used March 1-March 8 LAX-ORD as sample here (Google Flights)

Majors have responded with ultra low fares of their own– we found nonstop deals on United, American, and Virgin America for as little as $120 round trip. We found American’s code share on new Alaska Air operated nonstops between San Jose and Chicago as cheap as $128. And these are regular economy fares, not the new stripped down “basic economy” fares loaded with restrictions and fees. Plus most of these flights are at decent times, you’ll still earn miles or points, and are not saddled with too many restrictions.

$200

Get $200 when booking your next trip: Use code: TS!

Southwest does not appear to be engaging in this fare war– its cheapest Oakland-Chicago Midway flights are still in the $300 roundtrip range.

Anytime we see roundtrips between California and Chicago running less than $200, we know it’s time to jump. So if this works for you, jump! It won’t last for long.

NOTE: These fares were available using Liligo and Google Flights on Tuesday, Feb 21 and subject to change. We also confirmed fares on individual airline sites.

Let us know if you have been successful or unsuccessful in finding these fares–put it in the comments.

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Deal Alert: SFO-London $481 roundtrip United, Virgin

January 18, 2017

Virgin Atlantic's shiny new toy coming to SFO: Boeing Dreamliner 787-9 (Photo: Virgin)

Virgin Atlantic flies only Boeing 787s on its SFO-London nonstops (Photo: Virgin)

Today United and Virgin Atlantic have a great deal on round trip, nonstop flights to London from many major US gateways- just $481 round trip for winter and spring trips!

This is an especially good deal– any time we see nonstops west coast to Europe for less than $500, we jump!

What’s best about this sale is the wide window during which you can get the deal- according to Google Flights, the deal is good for flights from now all the way through mid May 2017. This includes the popular and busy spring break timeframe.

Google flights showing LAX-London for just $504 rt in March

Google flights showing SFO-London for just $481 for winter and spring trips

From SFO, you can now fly on Virgin Atlantic’s two new B787 Dreamliners plying the route across the pond. United flies 777s on the SFO-LHR Heathrow route.

WOW Air’s one-stop flights from SFO to London are as low as $440 (with big fees). From Oakland, Norwegian Air offers fares from Oakland to London as low as $385 roundtrip (with restrictions) so this is clearly a competitive move on the part of the majors. From San Jose, there are competitive fares ($495) on to London on Air Canada and United, but require a stop enroute.

NOTE: Currently British Airways does not seem to be participating in this great deal.

Find these deals on Google Flights. NOTE: If flights are not found on Google flights, try United.com or VirginAtlantic.com, both of which are still showing these fares as of 6 pm Wednesday.

Virgin Atlantic flights SFO LHR

Fares available on Weds January 18 and subject to change.

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Deal Alert: Transcon fares plummet in December

November 2, 2016

Smaller airlines are concerned that they can't gain access to New York's airports. (Image: Jim Glab)

Low fares but high hotel prices in NYC this December (Image: Jim Glab)

Looking for a nice, easy trip during one of the slowest travel periods of the year? Maybe you are taking a mileage run? Then take a look at these fares for transcontinental trips (East, West coasts & Florida) during the first two weeks of December.

Starting on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving (Nov 29) and running up until the Christmas holiday peak, fares are just $267 round trip on all carriers flying between San Francisco and New York City.

Fares are slightly higher at around $285 round trip between Los Angeles LAX and New York City, too. Any time I see a California-New York nonstops drop below $300 I know I’ve got a great deal on my hands.

And it’s not just California– lowest fares are running at about $282 between Seattle and New York, too on Delta, Alaska and JetBlue.

Google Flights for SFO-JFK trips Dec 5-Dec 12

Caveat: Early December may be a cheap time to fly to NYC, but it’s not a cheap time to stay in a hotel there… those first few weeks of December when the first flurries fall and 5th Avenue gets all decked out in holiday splendor are super expensive at hotels. On early December weekends it’s tough to find a decent hotel for less than $500 per night. But everyone has a friend with a sofa-bed in NYC to stay with, right? 🙂

And for New Yorkers headed west, December is a fabulous and festive time to be in Wine Country. And in LA and SoCal, you can still go to the beach.

Fly California to Atlanta to see Delta’s new Sky Club on Concourse B for less than $300 round trip (Photo: Chris Rank, Rank Studios)

SFO-Atlanta is super cheap in December, too. I’m looking at just $248 round trip on United’s ATL-SFO nonstops. Delta’s are higher, but still a bargain at about $313. If you are willing to chance it with Frontier on ATL-SFO, you can go for $197 roundtrip, but you’ll pay dearly for extras like checked bags.

And hold on… are you ready for it? You can fly nonstop between LAX and Atlanta during December for just $192 roundtrip on American! Delta is slightly higher at around $260 round trip.

Super low fares on ATL-LAX in December! Source: Google Flights

From LAX there’s even more! Check Google flights on LAX-Ft Lauderdale or LAX-Orlando and you’ll find roundtrip fares in the $200 (or less!) range. Vamos!

NOTE: These fares are available on Google Flights Wednesday, Nov 2 and subject to change.

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Deal shopping? Go where business travelers don’t

October 19, 2016

One of Marriott's newest, largest hotels is on sale today only! Marriott Marquis Washington DC

New Marriott Marquis in D.C. offers some great deals- but only when biz traveler are not there (Photo: Marriott)

Ready to take a few days off for a fall getaway? Now’s the time to go because travel prices are hitting annual lows. If you are flexible about what day you leave, like big cities, would consider beach vacation and aren’t afraid of hurricanes, you can find a deal this season.

To find a great travel deal during peak business travel season this autumn, my advice would be to go where business travelers are not going.

Here are five places you are least likely to find business travelers and most likely to find low prices in coming months:

Weekends in major cities
Since autumn is peak season for meetings and conferences, hotels near large convention facilities tend to fill up (and raise rates) on weekdays. This means bargain hunters will most likely find good hotel rates on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at major city hotels. For example, I’m attending a Boarding Area conference over a November weekend in Washington, DC. The meeting is at the new Marriott Marquis adjacent to the district’s new convention center. I’m staying over a Friday and Saturday night and our group rate is just $139 per night. If I were to stay midweek, the rate would be around $450!

The view from the United Club at ATL (Chris McGinnis)

The view from the United Club at ATL last week (Chris McGinnis)

Midweek or Saturday flights
Business travelers are predictable — they like to fly to work on Sunday evening or Monday morning, and then fly home on Thursday or Friday. That means bargain hunters are likely to find the cheapest seats on days with lower demand: Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. They are also more likely to find cheap fares on midday or late night flights, which business travelers tend to avoid. Fares overall are trending down this year due to cheap fuel and low-cost competition. For example, I fly frequently between Atlanta and San Francisco, and have grown accustomed to paying $400-$500 roundtrip. But now that Frontier is in that nonstop market with $238 round trip fares, Delta and United have matched that occasionally, but generally keep their lowest fares at around $310 round trip- still a very good deal.

Mountains or beaches
With business travelers focused on work instead of vacation, demand in typical holiday destinations wanes during autumn, a period known in the travel industry as “shoulder season”. With a decrease in demand, rates tank, and suppliers are more likely to toss in extras (upgrades, welcome cocktails, breakfast) to stimulate business. Best of all, the weather is usually dry and sunny during autumn- it’s also very colorful! But beware: this is also the time of year many resorts perform scheduled maintenance, which can be noisy or disconcerting, so be sure to ask about this when making your booking. For the best deals during shoulder season or other periods of waning demand, check on opaque or last-minute booking sites such as Hotwire.com where suppliers go to dump excess inventory at low rates. Another good tactic for finding specials is to scour travel supplier Twitter or Facebook feeds.

Business class during late winter holidays
Transatlantic business class fares typically run in the $5,000 to $7,000 range during peak business travel season — far beyond what most bargain hunters are willing to pay. However, business travelers tend to stay close to home and hearth during U.S. Thanksgiving and the Christmas/New Year holiday period. When demand slides, airlines put those big seats at the front of the plane on sale. For example, Lufthansa frequently rolls out a business class sale on flights between the US and Europe in late November/early December– so keep your eyes peeled (as we will). And it’s not just low fares- this is also a great time of year to look for last-minute frequent flyer mile discounts on business class seats. As the holidays draw nearer, I expect other airlines to offer similar business class deals like they did last year.

Our Fathom ship Adonia entering the harbor at Santiago de Cuba (Photo: Fathom)

Cruises
Autumn is the very best time of year to find deals on cruises for two reasons. First, kids are back in school, which means less demand from the family travel segment. Second, fearful that bad weather might ruin their well laid plans, consumers tend to avoid booking cruises when big storms hit the headlines like Hurricane Matthew did in the US this month. As a result of the decline in demand, fares tumble to rock bottom in September, October and November. For example, Royal Caribbean is offering a four-night November cruise from Port Canaveral to the Bahamas in an ocean view cabin for just $176- that’s only $44 per night! With room and board included, that might be cheaper than living at home! Best of all, fears of hurricanes ruining cruises are mostly unfound since new ships are fast enough to steer clear of any danger and the worst that can happen is that your itinerary changes.

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How to shop for summer airfare “deals”

June 13, 2016

Google Flights maps entice, for July 4 weekend flights from SFO (Image: Google)

My eyes roll and I sigh every time I see a study or opinion about “the best day” to shop for low airfares. Gimme a break!

For many years, Tuesday was supposedly the “best day” for airfare shopping. A recent study shows that weekends, especially Sundays can be even better. I’ve heard some people advise staying up until 1 a.m. on Wednesdays. According to some experts, you should buy your ticket 42 days ahead of time. Oh, wait, the latest study says 57 days.

That advice is even more bogus as peak summer travel season approaches— a time when all “rules” get thrown out the window. (Peak summer season this year starts about June 15 and ends around August 21.)

The fact is that there is no “best day” for buying airlines tickets because each traveler and trip is different.

July 4 is on a Friday this year. Cavallo Point in Marin County, CA (Photo Chris McGinnis)

July 4 is on a Monday this year. Cavallo Point in Marin County, CA (Photo Chris McGinnis)

One bit of good news right now? Airfares are trending down due to lower fuel prices and overcapacity. But don’t think you are going to find any real bargains if you are planning to travel in July or August this year. While fares will probably be about the same or slightly lower than last summer, they are still painfully high during summer season and this year will be no different. (For example, I just booked a midweek trip from SFO to New York City- to get the nonstops and time that worked for my schedule, my client is paying a whopping $740! Ouch!)

The best time to find true fare deals is during slower fall “shoulder” season and airlines roll out deals to help keep all those seats full. Fall is one of the best times of year for those with schedule flexibility to troll for last minute fare deals– or last minute “deals” on frequent flyer mile redemptions. Fall shoulder season begins the week after Labor Day.

Here are 6 steps to remember when fare shopping:

1) Determine the “going rate” for the trip on the dates that work best for you– and keep in mind that Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays are generally the cheapest days for flying. Shop for fares on your airline of choice and also on fare comparison or shopping sites (my favorite is the ITA Matrix, but it’s kinda geeky). Google’s Flight Search tool is great for a cursory glance. And don’t forget to check Southwest.com since Southwest fares don’t show up on most comparison sites.

2) Factor in fluctuations in demand for your target price. For example, you won’t find that $300 transcontinental round trip in July or August…but you might find it during the slower fall months, or dead weeks of early January. You’ll likely find decent summer fare to Europe in September… but feggedaboutit in July or August. Subscribe to blogs like TravelSkills or follow our Facebook & Twitter feeds to stay on top of periodic fare sales.

3) Set up fare alerts for price drops— fare shopping sites such as AirFareWatchDog, Kayak, Hipmunk, FareCompare or major online travel agencies will do this for you. Based on your research of the “going rate” set a fare level that feels comfortable for you (based on demand), and you’ll get an email if the fare drops below that. Don’t forget to include all the airports near your destination– some can be significantly cheaper than others (such as Oakland instead of SFO, or Long Beach instead of LAX).

Economy class on United p.s. 757 (Chris McGinnis)

When was the last time you had an empty seat next to you? (Chris McGinnis)

4) Once you see a fare that fits into your budget and timeframe, BUY IT. Feel good knowing that you snagged a good seat on a convenient flight at a reasonable price. Don’t sweat it. By waiting, you’d likely not find the most convenient flight for you. Convenience is worth paying for.

5) Monitor for fare drops during the 24-hour grace period you have for canceling reservations without penalty. In the rare case that you find a lower fare within 24 hours, cancel your original reservation without penalty, rebook, and repeat. (Tip: Clear your cookies before doing another search.)

6) If you are still worried that you might have paid too much, Yapta.com will monitor your fare and help you get a refund if you discover you overpaid. (But Yapta can’t get you out of paying cancellation or change penalties.)

Watch TravelSkills editor Chris McGinnis offer his fare shopping advice on this CNN segment!

What are your best tips for snagging the lowest fares? What’s the best deal you’ve obtained this year? Please leave your comments below.

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Big summer/fall fare sale takes off

June 7, 2016

Southwest Airlines unveiling its newest specialty aircraft, named Missouri One—a Boeing 737-700, in Kansas City, Mo. (Photo: Ashlee Duncan, Southwest Airlines)

Travel demand and prices are bound to tumble after what could be the busiest summer travel season…ever.

So if you feel priced out of peak summer season, or have plans for trips in late summer or fall, Southwest Airlines has an airfare sale for you.

Southwest kicked it off today with with fares starting at $100 roundtrip. From there, roundtrip fares rise in three more steps: $160, $200, and $260.

As usual, we expect other airlines to match this sale and will monitor response at the bottom of this post.

What’s nice about this sale is that it’s good for late summer trips starting as early as August 23— keep in mind that Labor Day is not until Monday, September 5 this year.

And summer is not officially over until September 21. That’s a nice window for a late summer trip!

Take a look at what Southwest has on offer during the slower fall months as well as the “dead weeks” before and after Thanksgiving.

Sample approximate round trip fares include:

$100 between Las Vegas and San Jose, or Long Beach and Oakland (most intra-California and Vegas routes)

$160 between Dallas and Los Angeles or Orlando and Chicago, or Atlanta and Boston

$200 between San Francisco and Denver, Indianapolis and Orlando or Houston and Las Vegas, or Orlando and Aruba

$260 between SFO, Oakland, Los Angeles and Chicago, or Atlanta and Los Angeles, Las Vegas (some but not all transcons)

Southwest Airlines jets at Oakland International Airport (Photo: Port of Oakland)

We expect other major airlines to match these low fares over the next 24-48 hours. (We’ll update this page with competitive matches as they roll out…see below)

Details of Southwest’s 72-hour sale:

>Must buy your tickets between now and Thursday, June 9 at 11:59 p.m. (in originating city).

>Travel window: August 23- December 14

>Lowest fares available only on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays

>Blackout dates for domestic flights: September 1-3, September 5, and November 18-29, 2016.

>Only a handful of seats on each flight are on sale- you snooze, you lose.

>See Southwest website for other rules and restrictions, or to book trips.

Stay tuned for UPDATES: Airlines matching this sale so far include: United | Virgin America (good for mid-summer trips) |

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Bargain hunters’ guide to 2016 travel deals

January 5, 2016

I booked a room at the brand new Even Hotel in NYC for just $115 per night (Image: IHG)

Let’s take a walk through the 2016 calendar and I’ll show you when to pounce on travel deals—and when you should sit back and let everyone else pay those painfully high prices.

January-February:

When everyone goes home after New Years, travel demand plummets and we fall into the so-called “dead weeks” — the slowest (and cheapest) time of year for bargain hunters.

Now through the end of March is a great time to find excellent last-minute deals. (Or if you were smart enough to book trips back in the fall when airlines posted big winter fare sales- like this one to Hawaii or this one to Asia)

Exceptions to this would be long weekends like Martin Luther King (Jan 15-18) Valentines/Presidents Day (Feb 14-16)— both weekends are crowded and expensive at ski resorts as well as beaches.

If you are between jobs, retired, or with no kids in school and have the flexibility to travel during these weeks, you’ll see jaw dropping low prices….and also lots of good last minute deals on sites like Hotwire.com or or apps like Hotel Tonight.

One great example of this: Later this week I’m staying at the brand new EVEN Hotel on West 35th Street in Manhattan for just $115 per night– at any other time of year, a decent room in NYC goes for closer to $300 per night– or more.

March-April

Watch out for rowdy coeds in March as Spring Break blooms across the US (Photo: Sandpiper Beacon)

This is spring break and you need to be on alert for high prices and surprise crowds at airports, especially if you live in or near a college town OR if you are headed to a warm weather destination like Florida, Mexico or the Caribbean. Find out when the university nearest you has spring break and stay home that weekend! (Here’s a helpful guide to spring break dates around the country.)

Late March is usually the busiest time of year for collegiate Spring break, and April is more popular with families traveling around Easter.

But this year, we have a very early Easter weekend (March 25-28) which means college kids AND family spring breakers are going to be crowding the skies and the beaches simultaneously, so expect BIG crowds and BIG prices at this time of year.

April-June

There’s a silver lining to an early Easter, though, which is a much longer “shoulder season” when demand dips along with prices. Shoulder season this year will run almost 10 weeks from early April until mid-June when peak summer pricing and crowds kick in.

Shoulder season is not as cheap as the dead weeks, but it’s not anywhere near the painful peak of what you’ll pay during July or August. Springtime is probably the very best time of year to travel to Europe because the weather is getting warmer and summer crowds have not arrived. East Coast to Europe airfares can probably be had for $1,000 (or less) round trip in May compared to closer to $2000 for peak summer roundtrips. Hotels are cheaper, too. Flowers are blooming and locals are in a much better mood!

June-August

Flying over London at night on a United 767 (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

The peak of the peak summer season does not start until mid-June, so you’ll find significantly lower prices in early June compared to later in the month. Prices soar after that, especially on and around July the 4^th and stay high until Labor Day or early September. Fridays and Saturdays in August are typically the busiest days of the year at major hub airports.

The best news for Europe-bound travelers this year is that the US dollar should remain strong, which means once you get there, you’ll find plenty of deals. I expect transatlantic airfares to remain steep, but due to lower fuels costs and increasing airline capacity they won’t increase significantly from last summer. Plus, there are a lot of new low-fare entrants on transatlantic routes that will keep prices low.

Note that with kids going back to school so much earlier these days, you’ll start to see deals pop up in mid to late August. They’ll soar again for Labor Day (Sept 2-5), and then tumble after that.

September-November

What’s best about shoulder season is that there are TWO of them! The second one starts in September and lasts all the way to Thanksgiving.

Fall is a slow (and very cheap) time for cruising because kids are back in school and people are fearful of hurricanes. But the reality is that modern cruise ships are fast enough to navigate around storms, so it’s not much of a problem.

Leisure travelers should keep in mind that fall is convention season in many major US cities, so mid-week rates at big city hotels can soar to freakish levels, and then crash on weekends when conventioneers leave town. (This is especially true in San Francisco, New York, Chicago and Seattle.)

November-December

As we all know, travel prices start to rise again during the week before Thanksgiving, but travel patterns have been changing lately. Traditionally, the one of the busiest days of Thanksgiving holiday is the Wednesday before. This past year, the FRIDAY before Thanksgiving was busier at most major airports—this means that more people are taking the whole week off.

Another silver lining for bargain hunters? An early Thanksgiving (Nov 24 this year) means that the dead weeks will begin earlier, leading to a longer dead week period when you’ll find great deals nearly everywhere — except in Manhattan when prices soar due to holiday shopping.

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Big fall-winter airfare sale takes off

October 13, 2015

A Southwest Airlines 738 in new livery takes of from Midland, Texas (Photo: Felipe Garcia / Flickr)

Southwest Airlines big fall/winter fare sale starts right now! Other airlines will soon be matching (Photo: Felipe Garcia / Flickr)

Travel demand and fares always tumble during the slower fall and winter months, and this year is no exception.

Today, Southwest Airlines kicked off the first big late fall and winter fare sale, and I expect other airlines to start matching these low fares in the next 24-48 hours. (see below for links)

So if you felt priced out of peak summer season, take a look at what Southwest has on offer during the “dead weeks” between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and into the cold, dark early winter months.

Southwest kicked it off today with with fares starting at $100 roundtrip. From there, roundtrip fares rise in several steps to $300.

Sample approximate round trip fares include:

$100: All intra-California and CA-Las Vegas flights, Atlanta-Raleigh or Richmond; Washington DC-Boston

$150: Atlanta-most cities in Florida, New York LGA-Chicago,

$200: SFO/OAK or LAX to Dallas, Chicago or Denver; Atlanta-Boston, Chicago, Dallas or New York

$260: Atlanta-Los Angeles (very good deal!); Denver-Atlanta; New York to Chicago or New Orleans

$300: Most transcon flights between New York, Baltimore, Atlanta or Boston and LAX, SFO/OAK, Las Vegas, Phoenix, San Diego, Seattle

Expect other major airlines to match these low fares over the next 24 hours. (We’ll update this page with competitive matches as they roll out…see below)

This sale is good for flights during what’s known in the biz as the “dead weeks” when travel demand plummets to annual lows– this means that hotel and car rental costs are also at annual lows, so it’s a great time to take a cheap trip. It’s also a good time to get home and see the family if pricey peak holiday season fares keep you grounded.

For business travelers who have not been able to get out and see clients due to this year’s extraordinarily high fares, this is a great opportunity save by traveling when most folks are staying at home. You can take off for a quick visit just before Christmas or drop by during the cold dark months of January and February.

Details of Southwest’s 72-hour sale:

>Must buy your tickets between now and Thursday, October 15 at 11:59 p.m. (in originating city).

>Travel windows: December 2-December 16; January 5-February 10 2016

>Not available on Fridays or Sundays (bummer for business travelers or weekenders)

>Black out dates: Christmas/New Year peak season from Thursday December 17- Monday, January 4

>Very limited time: Only a handful of seats on each flight are on sale- you snooze, you lose.

>See Southwest website for other rules and restrictions, or to book trips.

Stay tuned for UPDATES: Airlines matching this sale so far include: Alaska Airlines | American | United

–Chris McGinnis

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6 secrets for snagging low airfares

September 7, 2015

Want to make Chris’s eyes roll? Then ask him: “what’s the best day to buy airline tickets?” 🙂

My eyes roll and I sigh every time I see a study or opinion about “the best day” to shop for low airfares. It’s all a bunch of malarkey!

And it’s even more bogus during fall months when travelers start thinking about booking trips home for the holidays— a time when all “rules” get thrown out the window.

That might all be “generally” true but the fact is that there is no “best day” for buying airlines tickets because each traveler and trip is different. The same holds true for credit cards… there’s no single card that’s perfect for frequent travelers— just one that’s best for you. For both, there are just too many variables.

One bit of good news right now? Airfares are trending downward due to lower fuel prices and overcapacity. These trends will be magnified over the next few weeks as we enter the slower fall “shoulder” season and airlines roll out deals to help keep all those seats full. Fall is one of the best times of year for those with schedule flexibility to troll for last minute fare deals– or last minute “deals” on frequent flyer mile redemptions.

Here are 6 steps to remember when fare shopping:

1) Determine the “going rate” for the trip on the dates that work best for you– and keep in mind that Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays are generally the cheapest days for flying. Shop for fares on your airline of choice and also on fare comparison or shopping sites (my favorite is the ITA Matrix, but it’s kinda geeky). Google’s Flight Search tool is great for a cursory glance. I also like Flyr, which uses science to determine the best time to pounce on an airfare. And don’t forget to check Southwest.com since Southwest fares don’t show up on most comparison sites.

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2) Factor in fluctuations in demand for your target price. For example, you won’t find that $250 transcontinental round trip around Christmas or in July or August…but you might find it during the dead weeks of early January. You’ll likely find a decent summer fare to Europe in June… but feggedaboutit in July or August. Subscribe to blogs like TravelSkills or follow our Facebook & Twitter feeds to stay on top of periodic fare sales.

3) Set up fare alerts for price drops– fare shopping sites such as AirFareWatchDog, Kayak, Hipmunk, FareCompare or major online travel agencies will do this for you. Based on your research of the “going rate” set a fare level that feels comfortable for you (based on demand), and you’ll get an email if the fare drops below that. Don’t forget to include all the airports near your destination– some can be significantly cheaper than others.

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4) Once you see a fare that fits into your budget and timeframe, BUY IT. Feel good knowing that you snagged a good seat on a convenient flight at a reasonable price. Don’t sweat it. By waiting, you’d likely not find the most convenient flight for you. Convenience is worth paying for.

5) Monitor for fare drops during the 24-hour grace period you have for canceling reservations without penalty. In the rare case that you find a lower fare within 24 hours, cancel your original reservation without penalty, rebook, and repeat.

6) If you are still worried that you might have paid too much, Yapta.com will monitor your fare and help you get a refund if you discover you overpaid. (But Yapta can’t get you out of paying cancellation or change penalties.)

What are your best tips for snagging the lowest fares? What’s the best deal you’ve obtained this year? Please leave your comments below.

(This is a Blast from the Past post — a perennially popular subject– making a reappearance on TravelSkills. Enjoy! Here’s the original post and excellent comments)

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Big summer-fall fare sale- 3 days only

June 2, 2015

Southwest Airlines big fall fare sale starts right now! Other airlines matching (Photo: Felipe Garcia / Flickr)

Travel demand and prices are bound to tumble after what could be the busiest summer travel season…ever.

So if you’ve been priced out of peak summer season, or have plans for trips in late summer or fall, Southwest Airlines has an airfare sale for you.

Southwest kicked it off today with with fares starting at $100 roundtrip. From there, roundtrip fares rise in three more steps: $200, $260 and $300.

What’s nice about this sale is that it’s good for late summer trips starting as early as August 24— keep in mind that Labor Day is not until Monday, September 7 this year.

And summer is not officially over until September 21. That’s a nice window for a late summer trip!

Sample round trip fares include:

$100: All intra-California and Las Vegas flights, Atlanta-Raleigh or Richmond; Washington DC-Boston

$200: Atlanta-Boston, Chicago, Dallas or New York; SFO or LAX to Denver

$260: Denver-Atlanta; LAX or SFO to Dallas, Chicago, Austin; New York to Chicago or New Orleans

$300: Most transcon flights between New York, Baltimore, Atlanta or Boston and LAX, SFO, Las Vegas, Phoenix, San Diego Seattle

Expect other major airlines to match these low fares over the next 24 hours. (We’ll update this page with competitive matches as they roll out…see below)

Details of Southwest’s 72-hour sale:

>Must buy your tickets between now and Thursday, June 4 at 11:59 p.m. (in originating city).

>Travel window: August 24- December 16

>Not available on Fridays or Sundays

>Black out dates: Labor Day: September. 3-5 and 7. Thanksgiving: November 20 through December 1

>Only a handful of seats on each flight are on sale- you snooze, you lose.

>See Southwest website for other rules and restrictions, or to book trips.

**UPDATES: Airlines matching this sale so far JetBlue | Virgin America | American | United (limited) | Delta

–Chris McGinnis

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6 steps for getting the “best” airfare

November 3, 2014

Want to make Chris’s eyes roll? Then ask him: “what’s the best day to buy airline tickets?” 🙂

My eyes roll and I sigh every time I see study or opinion about “the best day” to shop for airline tickets. It’s all a bunch of malarkey!

And it’s even more bogus at this time of year when the peak holiday travel season is approaching and all “rules” get thrown out the window.

For many years, Tuesday was supposedly the “best day” for airfare shopping. A recent study shows that weekends, especially Sundays can be even better. I’ve heard some people we should stay up until 1 a.m. on Wednesdays. According to some experts, you should buy your ticket 42 days ahead of time. Oh, wait, the latest study says 57 days.

Here are 6 steps to remember when fare shopping:

1) Determine the “going rate” for the trip on the dates that work best for you– and keep in mind that Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays are generally the cheapest days for flying. Shop for fares on your airline of choice and also on fare comparison or shopping sites (my favorite is the ITA Matrix, but it’s kinda geeky). Google’s Flight Search tool is great for a cursory glance. Don’t forget to check Southwest.com since Southwest fares don’t show up on most comparison sites.

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What are your best tips for snagging the lowest fares? What’s the best deal you’ve obtained this year? Please leave your comments below.

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Nationwide fare sale for winter trips

October 14, 2014

A Southwest Airlines 737 in new livery takes of from Midland, Texas (Photo: Felipe Garcia / Flickr)

Today Southwest Airlines kicked off a significant sale for winter trips with some seriously good deals. As usual, we expect other carriers to begin matching this sale later today. (See below for updates.)

Round trip fares for trips in December, January and early February drop to as low as $99 round trip for short haul trips and then increase in four steps: $198, $248, and $298. (Peak holiday season is not included)

If you have winter travel plans, now’s the time to book…this sale lasts only three days: starting today, Tuesday, October 14 and running through Thursday, October 16, 11:59 p.m. for the respective time zone of the originating city.

This sale brings transcon (coast to coast) roundtrip fares below $300 for the first time we’ve seen in a while. For those in the Northeast, fares to Florida are below $200 round trip. Most intra-California roundtrips are $99. Fares from across the country to Denver are nice a cheap if you are interested in a winter ski vacation.

Some examples of the low roundtrip all-in fares on offer:

Atlanta- Washington National or New York LGA: $198
San Francisco-Atlanta: $298
Las Vegas-Oakland/San Francisco/LAX: $99
Baltimore/Washington – San Diego: $298
Oakland/San Francisco-Denver: $198
Chicago/New York: $198
Phoenix-Oakland/San Francisco $198
Seattle-San Diego: $198

For a full list of these special fares, visit www.southwest.com.

These low fares are good for flights December 3 through December 17, 2014 and then January 6 through February 11. They are good for travel every day of the week except Fridays and Sundays. As usual, there are only a few seats on each flight at the lowest fares. Early bird gets the worm!

New: Sign up for a new credit card and you could get a FREE trip home for the holidays…

As usual, other airlines will likely match this Southwest sale, so keep an eye on their websites over the next 24 hours as fares are loaded. We’ll monitor fare matching over the next 48 hours and post results here on TravelSkills.

Updates:

>JetBlue is matching fares for November & December trips only

>United is now matching most of these fares

>American launched a sale good for flights through Mar 6, but fares are not as low

>Delta has matched some of these fares

–-Chris McGinnis

Here’s the fine print from Southwest:

Purchase from Oct. 14-16, 2014, 11:59 p.m. for the respective time zone of the originating city. Travel December 3 through December 17, 2014 and January 6 through February 11, 2015. Travel to/from San Juan, Puerto Rico valid Dec. 3-11, 2014 and Jan. 13 through Feb. 11, 2015. Travel valid every day except Fridays and Sundays. Travel to Florida or Nevada is valid Sunday through Wednesday only. Additionally, travel from Florida or Nevada is valid Tuesday through Fridayonly. Travel between Nevada and Florida is valid on Tuesdays and Wednesdays only. Some flights operated by AirTran® Airways. Fares valid on nonstop service only. Displayed prices include all U.S. and international government taxes and fees. Seats are limited. Fares may vary by destination, flight, and day of week and won’t be available on some flights that operate during very busy travel times and holiday periods. Travel is available for one-way Wanna Get Away Fares. Fares may be combined with other Southwest Airlines combinable fares. If combining with other fares, the most restrictive fare’s rules apply. Sale fares may be available on other days of week, but not guaranteed. Fares are nonrefundable but may be applied toward future travel on Southwest Airlines, so long as you cancel your reservations at least ten minutes prior to the scheduled departure of your flight. Failure to cancel prior to departure will result in forfeiture of remaining funds on the reservation. Any change in itinerary may result in an increase in fare. Standby travel requires an upgrade to the Anytime Fare. Fares are subject to change until ticketed. Offer applies to published, scheduled service only.

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Deal ALERT: Late summer/fall fares sales start early

June 12, 2012

If peak season fares will keep you grounded this summer, here’s some great news: This morning, Southwest.com and AirTran.com kicked off a decent late summer/early fall fare sale, but you’ve got to act fast. That’s because the sale only lasts 72-hours and only a handful of seats on each plane are selling at the discounted prices. Here are the specifics:

>Travel dates: Travel must take place between Monday, August 13 and Wednesday, November 14.

>Roundtrip fares range from $100 to $280 roundtrip (all in), based on flight length. For travel up to 500 miles, fares are $100 round trip. For travel 501 to 1,300 miles, fares are $200 round trip. For travel 1,301 or more miles, fares are $280 round trip. (Fares are available one-way.)

>This is a 72-hour sale, so tickets must be purchased online at Southwest.com or AirTran.com between today and midnight Thursday, June 14.

>Sale fares are NOT available on Fridays or Sundays. Blackout dates: Aug. 18, Aug. 30, Sept. 3, and Sept. 4, 2012.

>I expect United, Delta and other carriers to match most of these fares by later today, so shop around if you don’t find the fare you want.

>Based on what we’ve seen fare-wise this summer, these are some great deals. Sample roundtrip Southwest or AirTran fares from SFO/OAK/SJC include:

$100: Burbank, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Ontario, Orange County, Reno, San Diego

$200: Albuquerque, Denver, Phoenix, Portland, Seattle

$280: Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, Houston

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Summer fare sale shockers

May 30, 2012

American's fare "sale?"

Have you checked out the latest round of summer fare “sales?”

I’m shocked! Not because fares are so low…but because the so-called fare “sale” rates are so…sky high.

Blame it on the high cost of fuel, declining capacity or increasing demand, but these fares hurt!

If you are planning to fly this summer, you better start saving now. Or start mapping out a summer road trip, which is looking more and more appealing with the price of gasoline declining.

A few examples of roundtrips from a “fare sale” trumpeted by American Airlines today:

SFO>St Louis: $538
SFO>Houston: $512
SFO>Ft Lauderdale: $480
SFO>Los Angeles (LAX): $186

Also today Virgin America trotted out a special introductory fare on flights to its newest airport, Washington National: $400 round trip! Ouch! And that’s only if you can fly on Tuesday, Wednesday or Saturday after August 14th. Those flying on other days will pay about $550 round trip. United, which just started flying nonstop between SFO and Washington National this month, is currently asking for a whopping $674 round trip for travel in late June. Double ouch!

Thinking about a July trip to Hawaii? Right now, you can’t find a seat on a nonstop for less than about $728 roundtrip between SFO, Oakland or San Jose and Honolulu.

Got some business to take care of in NYC? Get ready to pay up! Even in this hypercompetitive market, the lowest fares for nonstops from SFO in mid July are now in the $400-$500 range.

Thinking about Europe but you have not bought your ticket yet? Air France will fly you round trip between SFO and Paris nonstop for a mere $1,679 in July or August. Nonstops on United or Lufthansa to Frankfurt are now about $1500 round trip. How about SFO-London for a little pre-Olympics action in July? British Airways, United and Virgin Atlantic will get you there for about $1,400 round trip. If you would like to fly in for the Games, fares are $2,000+ for economy class round trips.

My best advice for those on a budget is to try and schedule your trips before about June 15, or after about August 24—a cheaper period outside the peak of the peak summer travel season. If your schedule can handle it, choose one-stop flights or red-eyes, which tend to be cheaper. Most times, you’ll find cheaper fares on Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Saturdays.

Have you searched summer fares yet? Please provide any highs or lows (or onerous restrictions) you’ve found in the comments boxes below.

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Spring-Summer fare sales creep out

April 3, 2012

Virgin America's new San Francisco Giants bearded livery. Thoughts?

Some good news for travelers… but not such great news for the economy today…

Typically summer fare sales don’t start until AFTER Easter. But this week, and in the weeks leading up to it, we’ve seen airlines kicking off the summer fare sale season a little bit early.

That’s good news for travelers worried that high oil prices that could translate into higher ticket prices, which could put a crimp in their summer vacation plans.

But when airlines put fares on sale early, it’s a signal to me that advance bookings for the summer might be a little weak. To me, this means that consumer confidence is still waning as travelers take a “wait and see” approach to summer vacation.

For the most part, spring and summer fare sales so far have been fairly restrictive– for example, many require travel on slow days like Tuesdays or Wednesdays in order to get the lowest fares. Most sales only last for a few days. Plus, I’ve not seen too many sale fares that go deep into peak summer travel season– most up to this point have been good for trips into mid-June only. A quick scan of peak (July-August) fares still shows a few eye-poppers– with no sales so far during the summer peak.

Here are the details on the current crop of early summer fare sales– they are led by low fare carriers, but majors are matching these deals, too. (All sample fares below are for roundtrips and include all taxes and fees. These fares were available when I checked on the morning of April 3, but are subject to selling out.)

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VIRGIN AMERICA: In honor of its partnership with the San Francisco Giants and the newest member of its fleet taking to the skies this week (see the Giants-inspired “Fly Bye Baby” bearded aircraft above), Virgin America launched a “#flythebeard” fare sale. Sample roundtrip fares for travel through June 13 are: $160 to Las Vegas, Los Angeles or San Diego or $280 round trip to New York. A special introductory fare of $218 to Portland is good for flights from June 5 through Oct 17. Sale expires April 5. Details.

JETBLUE has a great one-day sale that expires tonight at midnight tonight, but you can fly all the way through June 20. Not available on Fridays or Sundays. Sample sale fares from SFO: Long Beach $100. Austin $200; New York JFK $240 or to Boston or Ft Lauderdale for $280. Details

UNITED is offering round flights to Seattle for just $200; Austin for $249; Denver $278; Dallas Ft Worth or Newark for $320. Details.

SOUTHWEST is offering a 24-hour sale for flights to/from Chicago Midway. From SFO, you can fly for $287.50 round trip on Tuesdays or Wednesdays or Saturdays through May 23. Details

Are these fares low enough to spur you into action, or are you going to wait and see what else might come along? Please leave your comments below!