The leaves and temperatures aren’t the only things coming down. As summer fades into autumn, airfare is falling, too. And you have “shoulder season” to thank.
Shoulder season is the period of time between summer vacation and the busy holiday season when fewer people are traveling. If you are able to get away while everyone else is back at work or school, you can benefit from smaller crowds and lower prices.
Domestic round-trip airfare is trending about 8% below September 2023 levels and 7% below October 2023 levels, according to a recent report by booking app Hopper. The lower demand airlines see during shoulder season leads to lower prices.
If you want to take advantage of these affordable fares, you need to book at the right time. For domestic flights, you want to book between 21 and 52 days before your trip. For international trips, you want a longer lead time of about 50 to 101 days before your flight.
If you are considering a getaway to see the fall foliage, you should be booking mid-October domestic trips and late-October or early-November international trips now.
Pumpkin spice and sweater weather aren’t the only things having a moment. Here are a few more stories that can help you make the most of falling flight prices:
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