Holiday travel air fares more available because of lower demand

But as we all know, 2020 is not a normal year.

Hunting for a good airfare during October is suggested by some travel experts.

“My recommendation if you’re looking for a holiday flight this year, hold out through the end of October for a cheap fare,” says Andrew Hickey, spokesman for Scott’s Cheap Flights. “If one doesn’t pop up by then, book by early November in order to not risk a last-minute fare gouging.”

Another respected travel website, KAYAK says data shows that lower prices and flexible travel options are more accessible now than ever, but travel interest for the holidays is still seeing drastic declines.

Lower 2020 fares than past 5 years combined

Low fares are out there, largely because of much lower demand because of the pandemic.

“We’ve found more cheap Christmas flights in 2020 than we have in the past five years combined,” Hickey wrote in an email.

A quick Oct. 8 search showed the lowest round-trip airfare from Las Vegas to Miami was $327, $222 to Chicago, $217 to New York City, $123 to San Francisco and $73 to Los Angeles.

Domestic flight searches are down 81% and hotel searches are down 74%, compared to the same holiday period last year, according to KAYAK.

If 2020 summer travel behavior is any indication, KAYAK says it seems like travelers are waiting longer to book. Ahead of the 2020 summer holidays (Memorial Day, July 4th and Labor Day), travel interest picked up about 40 days ahead of the respective holidays and peaked one day prior.

2020 is not a normal year

Air travel is down 70% from 2019.

Domestic flight searches are down 81% and hotel searches are down 74%, compared to the same holiday period last year, according to KAYAK.

With far fewer people booking holiday flights this year, Christmas fares have precipitously dropped.

When should I book my flight?

A common mistake people make when booking flights is thinking there’s a specific and predictable date when fares will be cheapest, such as Tuesday at 1 p.m. or 53 days out from departure, says Hickey.

“While most people correctly recognize that last-minute bookings are expensive, another common mistake is to assume the further in advance you book, the cheaper the fare,” Hickey stated in his email “It’s possible to book too early and overpay.”

“Instead, if you’re hoping for a cheap flight, the best way to strategize is by using what I call Goldilocks Windows: the time frames when cheap flights are most likely to pop up,” Hickey stated. “For domestic flights, it’s typically 1 to 3 months ahead of travel, while for international flights it’s 2 to 8 months in advance.”

All bookings are currently flexible

Airlines are automatically waiving change fees on all new bookings in 2020, even for basic economy tickets.

Whereas before it cost $200 or more in fees in order to change your flight dates, that penalty is gone. Like before, you’re still responsible for any fare increase, though that may be unlikely because holiday flights are almost always going to be pricier than non-holiday flights.

“With a lot more uncertainty during the pandemic, having flexibility lets you feel more comfortable booking a flight home for the holidays. If it doesn’t feel safe come trip time, you can always change your dates to visit in the spring,” Hickey said.

Contact Marvin Clemons at mclemons@reviewjournal.com. Follow @Marv_in_Vegas on Twitter.