PENNSYLVANIA, USA — After COVID-19 put most vacations on hold last year, many people are booking multiple trips to make up for lost time.
If you’re planning on a winter getaway, to get the best deal on flights, you need to book now. Scott Keyes, from Scott’s Cheap Flights, shared travel advice with FOX43 including the best ways to find cheap flights for your next trip.
“Always book opposite seasons," he said. "In the same way that swimsuits are cheapest in the winter and heavy coats are cheapest in the summer, so is it with flights. You’re going to get your cheapest Christmas flights if you book them now."
The best time to book your flight is in the "Goldilocks Window," according to Keyes.
“This is a period in advance when cheap flights are most likely to pop up," Keyes said. "Not too early, not too late, right in the middle." For domestic flights, Keyes recommends booking 1 to 3 months in advance and 2 to 8 months if traveling internationally. However, the time of year you wish to take a few days off can impact when you should book your flight.
“Traveling during a peak travel period, like the middle of summer, like Christmas or New Year's, you want to add a few months to those recommendations," Keyes said. "It’s important to look at multiple websites and airlines before you book. Just because it falls in the Goldilocks Window doesn’t mean it’s the right flight for you."
When traveling on a budget, Keyes shared these three steps that will help you book a vacation that is just right.
“Step one, where are there cheap flights available out of your home airport? Step two, of those places that are cheap, which one interests you the most? And step three, what dates work for your schedule?” Keyes said.
Keyes also recommended looking at flight trackers, like Google Flights, Kayak, and Skyscanner, weeks before your desired vacation dates to check for best prices.