2022 Holiday Travel Season Preparation Tips

The holiday travel season is closer than you think. If you haven’t yet, plan to book your airfare right now. And prepare yourself for higher ticket prices and more travelers than we’ve seen these past few years.

A September 2022 Boston Globe* article states that this year “both domestic and international fares for Thanksgiving travel are predicted to be more than 20 percent higher than they were in 2019, according to Andrew Heritage, a senior economist at the travel booking website Hopper.” Domestic airfare is expected to reach an average of about $350 per round-trip, while international flight tickets may reach $800 or more per round-trip.

Airfare prices have typically increased for the holiday season due to supply and demand. This year, however, the combination of higher demand due to returning to travel and forecasted pilot/staff shortages may further impact the cost and availability of flights. Therefore, if you plan to travel by air this holiday season and haven’t booked your flights yet, start searching for airfares now and book as soon as you can. Alternatively, you could also look into holiday options that don’t require air travel at all, such as road trips or cruise trips. There are many agencies that offer amazing cruises to exotic destinations such as Antarctica (click here to learn more), Borneo, Hawaii, and so on. This is certainly ideal for those who are not in a hurry, but for those looking for a quick vacation, air travel might still be the fastest option.

Generally, the best time to book airfare to avoid higher ticket costs and ensure better seat selection is three months before the holiday season. Moreover, you may also need to book an accommodation of your choice, otherwise your preferred hotel or villa may not be available at the last minute. Suppose, for example, you plan to travel to Mykonos in Greece. You may need to book a mykonos villa or a hotel around two to three months in advance.

Cost-Saving Airfare Tips

If you haven’t booked your flights yet, The PointsGuy offers a number of cost-saving tips, including:

• Plan to travel early in the week rather than on the weekend. Flying on Monday thru Wednesday may save you money. Shorter security lines may be an added benefit to early week travel.
• For holiday domestic flights, start checking prices now, in September. If that’s too soon to book, consider watching rates and then booking your flight before Halloween for a Thanksgiving trip, and before Thanksgiving for the Christmas and New Year holidays.
• For international flights, “avoid booking more than 150 days out for international trips since there’s always a chance airlines could bring prices down to adjust for demand.”¹
• If you plan to use air miles for your flight, book as soon as you can for the best travel dates, times, and seat selections.

More Air Travel Advice

The best time to search for and lock in a good rate for your holiday travels is Sunday, according to research by Expedia, which is featured in an article by Reader’s Digest. You may save about 5 percent for domestic flights and 10 percent for international flights.

Do you want to avoid delayed or canceled flights? Plan to book an early morning flight. The later the flight, the greater the chance for delays or cancellations.

Keep in mind that airfare costs are affected by your arrival and destination airports. For example, when flying to or from a smaller municipal airport, such as Bakersfield, California (BFL), where there are fewer airline carriers, the cost is typically higher than an international airport, such as Los Angeles (LAX).

Searching for the Best Airline Prices

Google Flights is a powerful yet simple airfare search tool to find competitive pricing at airline companies as well as third-party booking services. Of course, if you have a preferred airline through which you earn points, certainly start there if you plan to earn or use air miles.

Getting to and from the Airport

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Booking your airport transportation with us will save you time and ensure a safe trip in the right vehicle for you, your traveling companions, and your luggage.

* A Boston Globe subscription may be required to read the article if you’ve exceeded your allotment of free articles.

¹ The PointsGuy