It’s well-known that the earlier you start planning for travel, the better deals you are likely to get. Last-minute bargains do happen, but are not as likely as savings from early booking.
AAA — the Auto Club Group reports that Georgian’s intending to travel this season have begun making arrangements for holiday travel plans earlier than usual due to the inflation we’ve been experiencing.
The organization wrote in a press release:
When AAA fielded a travel survey this past summer, 24% percent of Georgia travelers had plans to take a trip during the holidays. Of those, a little over half (53%) said they would book earlier than in years past, due to higher travel prices.
According to the survey, the majority (62%) of Thanksgiving travelers will finalize plans by the end of the month. Meanwhile, the share of those finalizing Christmas plans are evenly spread out between now and the end of November.
When Thanksgiving travel plans would be finalized:
- 24% before September
- 38% September
- 33% October
- 5% November
- 0% unsure
When Christmas travel plans would be finalized:
- 9% before September
- 27% September
- 25% October
- 25% November
- 11% December
- 3% unsure
“Travelers expecting to fly this Thanksgiving should start locking in those plans now,” said Debbie Haas, Vice President of Travel for AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Airline staffing shortages have resulted in fewer flights and higher prices. As we get closer to the holidays, airfares are likely to get even more expensive as flights fill up. Our best advice is simple. Book early. This will increase the odds of finding the flight you want at a competitive price.”
To view the entire survey follow this link.
AAA’s Advice for Booking a Flight
AAA gives the following advice for those who plan to fly for the holidays.
- Book early for the best combination of availability and price.
- Book a direct flight that leaves early in the morning. Afternoon and evening flights are more susceptible to delays/cancellations due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances. Connecting flights multiply the risk of something going wrong.
- Consider traveling a day or two earlier than planned. Even if you face delays, you are still likely to arrive on time.
- If your flight has connections, build in a couple hours in between flights. This way, if your first flight is delayed, you are less likely to miss your second one.
Travel insurance
“With all the unpredictability with air travel, we are seeing more and more passengers opt for travel insurance,” Haas said. “Travel Insurance is such a valuable resource for air travelers, because it provides financial benefits for lost or delayed luggage, flight cancellations, even flight delays of as little as three hours.”
