INDIANAPOLIS — The holidays may seem far away, but travel advisors say if you haven’t started planning, now is the time.
“We have far more travelers than I have ever had book trips a month and two months out — that’s not normal,” said Victoria Fricke, owner of Vic’s Vacations.
Fricke helps people plan vacations year-round, including holiday getaways. She says waiting until the last minute to book can leave you paying more and with fewer options.
“The room categories, maybe. The flights you really want, I think that’s a clear example of ‘early bird gets the worm,’” she said.
Fricke points to a New Year’s trip to the Dominican Republic as an example. The least expensive room is nearly $9,000, and Southwest’s most affordable flights are already sold out. Her advice: be flexible with your travel dates, destinations and expectations.
Katie Nastro, a travel expert with Going.com, says people are booking flights earlier than they did last year — sometimes a week or two ahead of schedule.
“People are getting a jump start on their winter holiday travel in an effort to really give them as many options as possible when it comes to flights,” Nastro said.
She recommends booking sooner rather than later, but notes that travelers can save money by flying on the actual holiday.
“On average, it’s about 15-20% cheaper. We want people to understand that even just one day can make a difference,” she said.
Nastro also suggests setting up flight alerts to track prices and take advantage of fare drops. Because airfare is so volatile, airlines will often refund the difference in the form of a credit if the price of your flight falls — just be sure to avoid basic economy tickets to keep that option open.
