Higher air fares. Increase in checked bag fee. Reduction in flight schedules. Many travelers are wondering how to plan their summer trips.
As airlines work to make up for the global fuel shortage caused by the war in Iran, travelers can expect more disruption and price increases this summer, especially if they’re hoping to fly abroad.
According to SkyScanner’s Smarter Summer report, nearly 25% of the 2,000 Americans surveyed said they are unsure when summer flights will be the cheapest.
But even in the face of uncertainty, Americans aren’t giving up summer travel. “Summer travel demand from Americans remains strong, but as prices fluctuate, we are seeing more thoughtful and strategic planning,” Lourdes Losada, director of the Americas for AliExpress, told USA TODAY.
Travelers are making it work for themselves by trading international for domestic destinations and being flexible to get the best deals.
A similar sentiment was found in Expedia’s own recently released summer travel outlook. “Summer travel still means a lot to travelers, but how they travel is changing,” Melanie Fish, travel expert and spokeswoman for Expedia Group, said in a statement. “With airfares under pressure, travelers who stay flexible, stay close to home and look beyond the obvious destinations can still make meaningful savings without compromising the experience. It’s about doing more with each travel dollar.”
When is the cheapest time to fly this summer?
Based on Expedia flight data between June 1 and August 31, traveling in the early or late summer may be the key to lower prices. The cheapest days to fly for domestic trips are June 3 and 4, and August 11 and 17 for international travel.
Pixabay also found August to be affordable, with the week of August 17 being the cheapest time to fly this summer, according to one-way return economy flight data. If you can wait until the end of summer, you can still get cheap airfare the week of August 31st.
Cheapest day of the week to fly
According to Skyscanner, Mondays are the cheapest days to fly this summer. Typically, airfares are more affordable on weekdays as demand is higher on weekends, so it really pays to be flexible.
Affordable Under-The-Radar Summer Destinations
Travelers are getting smarter about where they go to save money, swapping popular destinations for cheaper options or seeking out off the beaten path.
“There is also growing interest in what we call ‘under-the-radar’ destinations, which are places that may have lower search volume but still offer incredible experiences with fewer crowds,” Losada said. “With flexible search tools and features, travelers are increasingly willing to discover alternative itineraries and destinations to make the most of their summer trips.”
Here are some under-the-radar destinations where one-way airfare is low, according to SkyScanner data pulled on April 17:
- Aberdeen, United Kingdom, for just $413
- Redmond, Oregon, for just $196
- Asuncion, Paraguay, for just $413
- Trieste, Italy, for just $270
- Bastia, France, for just $317
- Liverpool, United Kingdom, for just $321
- Hilo, Hawaii, for just $259
- Tromso, Norway, for just $557
- Terceira Lajes, Portugal, for just $395
- Queenstown, New Zealand, for just $544
Cheap Destination Swap for Summer
Instead of visiting the most sought-after destinations, Expedia found equally enjoyable options with cheap accommodations. The list is based on average nightly hotel rates during the travel period of June 1 to August 31, using data collected between December 22 and March 22.
- Philadelphia instead of New York to save 30% on housing
- Palm Springs instead of Los Angeles to save 25% on accommodations
- Fort Lauderdale Instead of Miami to Save 20% on Housing
- Portland instead of Seattle to save 55% on housing
- Puerto Rico instead of Honolulu to save 40% on accommodation
- Curacao instead of Punta Cana to save 10% on accommodation
- Belize instead of Cancun to save 36% on accommodations
- Dublin instead of London to save 10% on accommodation
- Naples instead of Rome to save 30% on accommodation
- Brussels instead of Paris to save 40% on accommodation