COLUMBUS, Ohio — With Christmas just a few weeks away, experts say now is the time to save if you know the right strategies.
We learned this week in the Consumer Price Report that airfare is up 3.2%, and Consumer 10 has more on how to save.
“This is really the sweet spot to get a good deal,” said Lindsey Schwimmer, a consumer travel expert at Hopper. “If you haven’t booked your Christmas plans yet, you’re going to want to book as soon as possible. Prices are only going to rise as we get closer to the holiday.”
Matt Schulz, chief credit analyst at LendingTree, agrees.
“The longer you wait, the higher those costs are going to go,” Schulz said, noting that ongoing demand and staffing issues at airlines have kept prices high despite lower fuel costs.
Flexibility can be the key to financial savings.
For those willing to adjust their schedules, Schwimmer recommends traveling on holidays like Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or New Year’s Eve.
“If you can be flexible and travel on the holidays themselves, you’re going to get the best bang for your buck,” she said.
Schulz adds that the same goes for being open to different destinations.
“Traveling on Christmas Day may mean better availability and potentially lower prices,” he said.
Schwimmer encourages travelers to use tools like Hopper’s price-monitoring app to track fluctuations and book flights when prices dip.
“Prices fluctuate constantly throughout the day and week. A price tracker ensures you get the best deal available,” she explained.
“The travel space is so competitive that websites are constantly offering new tools to help consumers find the best deals,” said Schulz. He recommends comparison shopping on platforms like Google Flights, Kayak and Expedia.
Consumer 10 even found a new tool from Google Flights that finds the cheapest options
For ultimate savings, use credit card rewards points, but for procrastinators, Hopper suggests booking on one upcoming date, Travel Deal Tuesday.
“Mark your calendar for December 3. It’s one of the best days of the year to lock in travel deals,” she said, noting that Hopper’s data shows more discounts on that day than on Black Friday or Cyber Monday.