{"id":9553,"date":"2022-08-15T10:34:25","date_gmt":"2022-08-15T14:34:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kerryhannon.com\/?p=9553"},"modified":"2022-08-15T10:34:25","modified_gmt":"2022-08-15T14:34:25","slug":"book-that-fall-getaway-flight-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kerryhannon.com\/?p=9553","title":{"rendered":"Book that fall getaway flight now"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Air fares are sinking more than usual from their summer peaks in time for fall getaways. But time is of the essence when it comes to snagging a deal.<\/p>\n

The average domestic airfare per ticket will drop to $286 round-trip this month, down 25% from May when the average round-trip ticket topped $400, according to Travel booking app,\u00a0Hopper\u2019<\/a>s pricing\u00a0forecast\u00a0<\/a>released this week. The average fare should remain below $300 through September, before notching upwards ahead of the holidays.<\/p>\n

Read on Yahoo Money<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t expect air travel to get any easier as fares drop, though, with trip delays and cancellations remaining a stubborn problem. For the smoothest flight, the two key tips are timing both booking and your travel right.<\/p>\n

\u201cMany airlines plan to maintain capacity below 2019 levels through the end of the year to prevent future disruptions,” Andrew Heritage, senior economist at Hopper told Yahoo Money, “meaning more customers vying for fewer available seats this fall and holiday season.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Why prices are dropping<\/strong><\/h2>\n

A dip in fall ticket prices is generally not noteworthy. Airfares typically fall between 10% and 15% as demand in late August through mid-October dips when kids go back to school, the weather gets cooler, and carriers are eager to boost travel.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut this year\u2019s decline from the highs of summer is steeper than usual,\u201d Heritage said. \u201cHigh jet fuel prices and pent-up demand coming out of two depressed summer seasons\u201d pushed this summer\u2019s airfares during the peak vacation months to abnormal highs.<\/p>\n

Airfare for June and July averaged $357 per round-trip ticket versus $285 last year, according to Hopper data.<\/p>\n

Currently, U.S. Gulf Coast jet fuel is $3.34 per gallon, up from $1.88 a year ago, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA<\/a>) data. In late April, the price per gallon briefly topped $5 and has hovered around $4 per gallon most of the summer. Jet fuel prices typically account for anywhere from 15% to nearly a third (30%) of an airline\u2019s operating expenses, according to Heritage.<\/p>\n

Delays and cancellations aren\u2019t going away<\/strong><\/h2>\n

If you\u2019ve flown this summer, you\u2019ve probably hit a few glitches, or you know someone who has been stranded because of a canceled flight, or had a delayed departure which resulted in a missed connection. Long lines for security check-in have created even more havoc.<\/p>\n

According to the flight-tracking company\u00a0FlightAware<\/a>, in the week ending July 31, 2.4% of flights by U.S. carriers or 5,020 flights, were canceled and 25.5% \u2014 or 53,525 flights \u2014 were delayed. By comparison, the cancellation rate in 2019 was less than 2%, Kathleen Bangs, a spokesperson for FlightAware told Yahoo Money.<\/p>\n

The main culprit for the disruptions has been a staff shortage for many of the airlines.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe onboarding process for new employees is slow because of background checks and training,\u201d Bangs said. \u201cAnd it\u2019s not just pilots, there have been labor shortages in all aspects of the travel chain from baggage handlers to ticket agents.\u201dFor the foreseeable future, there are a reduced number of flights and fewer seats available. Airline domestic seat capacity remains at 95% of 2019 levels, while international seat capacity has only reached 83% of 2019 levels, according to Hopper\u2019s research. Capacity is not expected to fully recover until summer 2023, according to Hopper\u2019s report.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWith the unprecedented high demand for travel, it means that most of those seats on flights are booked. So if a weather event happens, or some type of mechanical issue on a plane occurs, there’s not a lot of room to shift people around,\u201d Heritage said. \u201cAnd that leads to cancellations and delays.\u201d<\/p>\n

When to book, when to travel<\/strong><\/h2>\n

To get the best fall travel deals, book at least three weeks in advance, Heritage said. Airfare will rise on average in the last few weeks before takeoff, increasing as much as 50% in the final two to three weeks ahead of departure, according to Hopper data.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf travelers are interested in taking a trip in September or October, now would be the time to start monitoring prices,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Free price tracking tools include Hopper\u2019s\u00a0price prediction<\/a>,\u00a0Scott\u2019s Cheap Flights<\/a>, KAYAK\u2019s\u00a0price alerts<\/a>, and\u00a0Google Flights<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Being flexible with travel plans can also save you money. Booking a flight departing on a Tuesday or Wednesday instead of over a peak weekend day can save travelers an average of 10% per domestic ticket.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith airfare, traveling midweek is usually the best deal,\u201d Heritage said.<\/p>\n

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\"Yahoo<\/a><\/div>\n<\/header>\n
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\"Kerry<\/a><\/p>\n

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Kerry Hannon<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00b7<\/span>Senior Columnist<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Kerry is a Senior Columnist and Senior Reporter at Yahoo Money. Follow her on Twitter<\/em>\u00a0@kerryhannon<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

Read the latest personal finance trends and news from Yahoo Money.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

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