Travelers looking to save big on flights this fall will want to take note of National Cheap Flights Day on Aug. 23, which signals the start of low airfare opportunities through early October as we delve into the off-peak travel season.
Travelers will likely start to see cheaper flight prices as airlines look to maintain steady bookings during the slower travel period, with Aug. 23 offering some of the highest deals at up to 20 to 30 percent off international flights and 9 to 10 percent off already discounted domestic flights, Tom Spagnola, SVP of supplier relations for CheapOair, told Travel + Leisure.
While the next 30 days will offer the best deals, according to Spagnola, rates should continue to stay low through the first week of October. CheapOair predicts averages of up to 9 percent lower rates on international flights and 7 percent lower rates on domestic flights throughout the period.
Spagnola also said travelers can expect even greater deals on domestic routes this year thanks to the addition of basic economy cabins on various U.S. carriers.
Some of the top domestic fares listed currently on CheapOair’s site include round-trip flights starting at under $200.
For example, you can book a round-trip flight in September from Philadelphia to Orlando for $100, from Dallas to Los Angeles for about $120, from New York City to Fort Lauderdale for about $128, or from New York City to Orlando for about $132.
There are also several routes for under $150 round-trip, including $134 round-trip fares from Chicago to Las Vegas, $160 round-trip flights in October from New York City to Miami, $162 round-trip flights in October from Chicago to Los Angeles, and $195 round-trip flights in September from Atlanta to New York City.
Some of the longer routes also include flights from New York City to Las Vegas for $224 round-trip, and flights from New York City to Los Angeles for $267 round-trip.
Since these are real-time fares, CheapOair updates the best available deals about every four to five hours, so you’ll want to check back on their site for even greater savings.
Spagnola said travelers will also find prime deals to international markets including Europe, Latin America, and Asia.
While CheapOair will have many of the deals on its site, you'll also want to follow airlines on social media for special sales and promotions.
Spagnola also recommends going for bookings on Tuesday for some of the best deals, since airlines will be forecasting their openings for the rest of the week, and avoid flying on Fridays and returning on Sundays if you want to score better prices.
Some examples of current international deals include round-trip flights from Los Angeles to Manila for $401, and from Los Angeles to Taipei for $454.
CheapOair is also offering Travel + Leisure readers an extended discount of up to $13 off each flight per passenger, offered for up to four passengers to give you a total savings of $52. To use the added discount, which is available through 11:59 p.m. Aug. 27, enter the offer code CFD52 into the promotion code section when making your booking.
To book: cheapoair.com