Tips for Saving on Travel from the Travel Pricing Outlook report

The  2019 Travel Pricing Outlook report has just been released.  The report by Airlines Reporting Corporation’s (ARC) global air- and Expedia Group’s lodging-trend data, reveals timing does matters when it comes to unlocking travel savings.   As a frequent travel, I’m always interested in savings tips, and I thought my readers might be too.

Following are some of the key finding from the report that may help you plan your travel to maximize savings.

Time-based travel saving tips :

1. When it comes to lead time for booking flights, three weeks out is the sweet spot for savings.
2. Wait until the weekend to book flights to unlock around 20% (or more) fare savings.
3. Fridays are when the best hotel deals are snapped up.
4. Start your journey on Thursday or Friday to save.
5. Add a Saturday night to your mid-week trip to save up to 25% on airfares, sometimes more for popular business destinations.

Choosing between basic economy and other economy cabin fares
While travelers may save money by booking a basic economy fare (i.e., a fare with seat-only, no bag and potentially other limitations), it pays to choose carefully. If bags are added to a basic economy fare, the total cost of travel almost always exceeds that of other economy fares (i.e., where checked bags may be included in the price of the ticket).

Choosing between flights with and without stops
“We took a deep dive into direct versus connecting flights to myth-bust the idea that direct flights are always more expensive. Bottom line: They aren’t. Lots of factors come into play when airlines set fares, so the time to connect and other convenience factors need to be considered when making your decision on the best flight for your trip,” said Mr. Thackston.

Should travelers delay booking a trip if oil prices rise?
The short answer is no. When oil and/or airline fuel prices jump, travelers need not delay booking a trip based on the assumption that airfares will immediately rise. Comparing commodity price and ATP trends over many years shows the days and weeks after a commodity price jump may be the most cost-effective window to book flights, as any effect that fluctuation may have on ATPs is more likely to appear over a longer time.

To see more savings tips,  download a full copy of the  2019 Travel Pricing Outlook report.