For those of you who avoided the summer sweats in cheap, well-known destinations from Paris to Yellowstone National Park, say hello to cooler temperatures and sweet savings.
But don’t expect to have the place to yourself. It seems that everyone has plans to go somewhere. About 9 out of 10 Americans say they have travel plans in the fall and early winter.
Because of “sustained interest in travel, the destination will be crowded,” Christopher Elliott, a consumer advocate and editor of travel magazine Elliott Confidential, told Yahoo Finance.
Demand for domestic and international flights is up compared to last fall, according to AAA reservations. Sailing, however, takes its toll. Cruise bookings are up 19% from last fall, and global cruise bookings are up 6%.
“Many fall destinations may be more crowded than they have been in previous years, but booking rates and crowds are still lower than they have been in a long time,” Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel, told Yahoo Finance.
Road users, in particular, are dancing with joy at the cheap prices at the pump. Oil prices have been falling since late July. This week, the average price of a gallon of regular gas in the US was $3.22, down from $3.83 a year ago.
“After the ‘return trip’ after the pandemic, airlines are moving, we’re seeing some relief this fall,” Kayla Inserra DeLoache, a travel expert at KAYAK, told Yahoo Finance. Airfare is down 26% compared to the summer, she said, and 6% year-over-year.
The folks at the Hopper travel booking app agree. “We’re seeing a lot more revenue compared to the summer,” Hayley Berg, chief economist at Hopper, told Yahoo Finance. “Prices are close to before the pandemic or lower. On average, just by changing the travel dates, travelers are saving about 30% on prices compared to the same trips during the summer.”
Read more: Best travel cards for September 2024
International tours have begun
This fall, interest in international travel is continuing domestically, DeLoache said.
“Travelers are still hungry for these new experiences away from home.”
And the price is right. Prices for international flights are down 8% year-over-year, according to KAYAK.
Demand for vacations in Asia, in particular, is up. Generally, the price of a flight to Tokyo is about $350 cheaper in October compared to the same trip in June, July, or August.
“The drop in prices is significant,” Berg said, “especially in some of the major ticket destinations.”
Shanghai and Osaka are the top two international destinations right now, even with flights as high as $1,364 per ticket, Berg said. While that sounds like a high price, a trip to Shanghai is $500 cheaper than it was a few months ago, he said. A flight to Bangkok is about $450 cheaper than it was in July.
European cities never go out of fashion regardless of the weather. Bookings to London, Rome, Paris, Barcelona, ​​​​​​​​and Madrid are big draws for fall travelers, according to KAYAK.
“Our cultural programs in Italy are always very popular in the autumn, including Croatia, Turkey, and Portugal – especially the Azores – all of which have a rich culture and beautiful places to visit, especially at this time of year,” James Moses, president of Road Scholar, a non-profit education group, told Yahoo Finance.
“Now that the summer visitors have come and gone, now is the perfect time to take in the museums, cultural centers, and archaeological sites of this amazing region.”
Read more: How a travel credit card can help you save on your next summer vacation
Where there are deals
If you’re looking for a bargain, check out this site, where Hopper found that airfares have dropped significantly since the lazy days of summer:
Seattle: down 36%
Percentage: 31%
Portland, Ore.: 31%
Los Angeles: 31%
San Francisco: 30%
Boston: 30%
Here are the European regions with the lowest rate of decline:
Percentage: 36%
Brussels: 34%
Berlin: 33%
Amsterdam: 33%
Stockholm: 33%
Prague: 32%
Total: 32%
While you are walking
The hard and fast rules of travel remain. Try to travel during the week — on a Tuesday or Wednesday — to save about 20% on domestic airfare, Berg said.
And take the first flight of the day because distractions are real. He added: “If you can get out early, you’re better off.”
In general, flights departing after 9 am are twice as likely to be delayed than those departing between 5 am and 8 am.
Stay tuned for the best prices
If you know where you want to fly to and from, install a flight price tracker. You will receive an email or text message alerting you when prices rise or fall. Major travel apps, such as Hopper, KAYAK, and Skyscanner, offer flight schedules, as does Google Flights.
Search the KAYAK tool for “best time to travel” to find out when you can get the best deals. I wrote from Washington, DC, to Santa Fe for four days, and decided to make my trip in November. And I am.
“We recommend going to Santa Fe in November because the airfare is $408, the weather is cool with an average temperature of 41°F, and it’s less than normal,” the site said. “If you’re looking for another month to visit, October is a great choice. Enjoy beautiful fall foliage, art galleries, and the Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta. October has a low temperature of 50°F but expect a 14% high during the flight.
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Domestic travel starts to pick up in October as consumer demand moves into the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, peaking in the second week of December, Berg said.
Overall, prices will remain below 2023 levels for the rest of the year.
Stick to rewards and loyalty points
Frequent flyers, loyalty hotel rewards, and credit cards should be used and go farther to make travel more affordable.
A rewards credit card that doesn’t charge foreign exchange fees is a must if you’re leaving the US. Always ask for your purchases to be paid for in the local currency to get the best deal.
Read more: Cash back or points: Which credit card rewards are the best?
Consider the health benefits
If the cool price of travel this fall isn’t enough, how about these new finds? Good walking experiences are good for your mental and physical health, including reducing the signs of aging, according to a new study published in Science Daily.
Bottom line: Going to new places is relaxing and helps keep our bodies fit. Combine this with the benefits often offered by meeting new people, the magical highs of being immersed in nature, the physical rewards of hiking, biking, and even old-fashioned walking. Hitting the road has all the health benefits your doctor has been urging you to promote.
I don’t know about you, but I didn’t need an audit report to tell me that.
Kerry Hannon is a Senior Columnist at Yahoo Finance. He is a professional and retired professional, and the author of 14 books, including “Managing at 50+: How to Succeed in the New World of Work” and “Never Too Old to Be Rich.” Follow him on X @kerryhannon.
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