Avoid a Holiday Humbug: Buy Your Air Tickets Now

By JANE ENGLE

By Jane Engle

Los Angeles Times

It’s too early to string lights, decorate the tree and bake fruitcake, but it’s not too soon to buy holiday air tickets – or at least start shopping for them.

That’s because, with record fuel costs and the biggest cuts in flight schedules in seven years, fares over Thanksgiving and the Christmas-New Year’s period are heading skyward. Fewer flights mean scarcer seats and higher prices.

The least expensive U.S. airfares for the November and December holidays, when checked Aug. 3, were running 30 percent higher, on average, than at the same time last year, said Mike Fridgen, director of product management for Live Search Farecast, which analyzes past patterns to predict fares.

Although airlines are still evaluating demand and later may put some holiday seats on sale, bargain hunters probably will lose by waiting, several experts said.

“We will see some specials for Christmas and New Year’s,” said Tom Parsons, chief executive of BestFares.com, which tracks travel deals, “but they will be for limited days.”

If you need to travel on specific dates and can find a tolerable fare, buy it now, he suggested. So far this year, Southwest Airlines has raised fares several times, and American, Continental, Delta, Northwest, United and US Airways have done so at least 15 times, said Rick Seaney, chief executive of FareCompare.com, an airfare search service. Seaney expects at least 10 more increases this year.

For holiday travel, “It’s going to be tough out there for people who really need less-expensive tickets,” he said. “It’s about getting a better bad deal.”

Prepare for sticker shock, especially if you’re headed for fun- and-sun spots or flying in or out of small or mid-size cities, which have borne the brunt of schedule cuts. Even big-city fares may surprise you.

In fact, the whole airline network is shrinking.

Airlines will operate 7.5 percent fewer domestic flights at Thanksgiving and 5.7 percent fewer at Christmas-New Year’s than they did last year, according to eSkyGuide.com, a global flight directory.

But don’t despair. Not every airfare has zoomed, and, by being flexible, you can often pare the price. Here are strategies:

Shift travel dates: Even small changes bring big payoffs. Consider flying on the holiday itself.

Use alternate airports: The Newark, N.J., airport, for instance, offers good public transit into Manhattan and sometimes lower fares than JFK.

Watch the market for changes in service that may result in lower fares.

Consider connecting flights: Although going nonstop is less stressful and reduces chances of being bumped or losing luggage, it can cost hundreds more than taking a one-stop flight, Seaney said.

soaring airfare

The least expensive U.S. airfares around Thanksgiving and Christmas are averaging 30 percent higher than last year.

Originally published by BY JANE ENGLE.

(c) 2008 Virginian – Pilot. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.