Forget about the fact that Wal-Mart and Target erected their school supply displays before the last firework exploded on the 4th of July. Take a look at the calendar and you will see that there are more than six weeks of summer vacation left before most kids head back to class.
For many families, that leaves plenty of time to get in another trip or two before the end of the season. In fact, if you’ve waited this long to take flight on a summer vacation you stand to save a pretty penny. According to travel insiders, late August is primetime for cheap airfare, especially if you travel on less popular days of the week, such as Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday.
If you are flying domestically, you know you’ve landed a great deal if your airfare doesn’t exceed $150 for a round-trip flight lasting less than an hour. A good deal for flights lasting one to three hours should be in the $250 to $275 range, while coast-to-coast flights should be less than $400. Those are prices to shoot for while booking a late summer getaway; however, prices will vary depending on the cities you are flying in and out of.
For international flights, travel experts warn not to pay more than $1,000 for a round-trip ticket from East Coast cities to Europe. A decent deal from Chicago to Europe during the month of August should run about $1,200 round-trip. Meanwhile, round-trip tickets to Europe from the West Coast should set you back between $1,300 and $1,400. If you have to pay more you likely aren’t getting the best deal possible.
Another way to save on summer airfare is to opt for an overnight flight. You can also reap big savings if you add in a layover or two rather than trying to snag a more convenient non-stop flight. Finally, if you pack light and are able to fit all of your belongings in a carry-on instead of a large bag that needs to be checked in, you can avoid hefty luggage fees.