Some flights have risen in price by 50%. Here’s how to find savings

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After the post-holiday lull, travelers quickly move into spring break and a busy summer.

And if you’ve been watching flights lately, you’ve probably shaken things up a bit. Or a big push if you’re hoping to fly to the Asia-Pacific region.

Here’s what to expect for airfares during the peak tourist season, as well as some tips on how to get a better deal when demand is high.

U.S. domestic fares are now about 20% higher than last February, when demand was still weak, according to Hayley Berg, an economist at travel site Hopper.

Economy class fares from the UK are up 36% year-over-year, according to Flight Center UK, which includes domestic and international flights.

The sticker shock is real.

However, in the US, domestic airfare is actually quite close to pre-pandemic prices — just about 4% higher than in 2019, data from Hopper shows. But today’s prices continue to scare consumers for two reasons, says Berg.

First, it’s been a long time since we’ve seen prices for 2019. And second, to rebuild their networks with fewer planes and fewer staff, airlines have changed their schedules and reduced the number of flights. They also cut regional capacity in ways that hit certain routes and airports harder.

“So while the national average looks pretty normal to us compared to pre-pandemic prices, for many travelers, a route they may have used for years to a smaller, more regional airport may be two or three times. more expensive than they were paying before the pandemic,” Berg said.

U.S. domestic fares are forecast to exceed pre-pandemic prices as spring and summer travel heats up, but are expected to be lower than last year’s peak.

“We expect in May, when prices usually reach the peak of summer prices, [domestic] Airfare will be about $350 for a round trip ticket, which will be about 10% higher than in 2019 but lower than in 2022,” Berg said.

It’s a good news.

Bookings through Flight Center UK are up over 2200% for Vietnam.

No luck when it comes to international tickets.

“International is generally more expensive than before the pandemic and more expensive than last year,” Berg said.

Some regions are experiencing much sharper growth than others.

A region that will really break the bank? Asian-Pacific area

“Prices are skyrocketing and will continue to rise until capacity really picks up,” Berg said.

Demand is high for the latter region, which is widely lifting Covid restrictions and opening its doors to foreign visitors. Berg said that compared to 2019, tariffs in Asia have increased by about 50%, sometimes more, and in Europe by about 15%.

Unmet demand for Asian destinations means a flood of bookings now that they are fully open. Bookings from the United Kingdom via Flight Center UK to Malaysia and Vietnam are up over 2200% from the start of last year when both countries were still closed to foreign tourists.

Flight Center UK shows that fares for tickets to Thailand have increased by 50% compared to last year.  The resort island of Koh Samui is popular with tourists.

Data from the UK Flight Center shows that economy class fares to Vietnam are up 25% from last year. It is the cheapest of the company’s most popular destinations in Asia. Tariffs to Thailand increased by 50%.

Highest year-over-year fare growth, according to Flight Center UK? Fares to New Zealand, which was also closed at this time last year, rose 81%.

In the good news column, “there are definitely more deals this year,” said Scott Keyes, founder of travel website Going, formerly known as Scott’s Cheap Flights.

Europe (particularly Portugal and Ireland), Hawaii and Florida have been “outstanding cheap flights” over the past few years, he said.

When it comes to international fares, he offers what he calls the “Greek Island Trick”.

If Santorini is your dream, consider booking an international flight to Athens, where tickets from US cities can be under $500, and find a more affordable regional flight or ferry to the island.

“By splitting a trip from one route into two, you can save $1,000 or more on a big international trip, whether you’re traveling to the Greek islands or somewhere else,” he said.

For international travel, Berg says the most expensive flights are on Friday and Saturday. If you fly to Europe on Monday for spring break, you can save an average of $140 on a ticket, or about 20%, she says. A domestic flight in the middle of the week can save up to 33%.

Even when some variables are fixed — spring break dates, for example — “there’s still a lot you can do, including not waiting until the last minute for bookings, keeping destination flexible, and adjusting exact travel dates,” Keys said.

Returning a day early can save you a lot, or if you’re really looking for a good deal, modify your search by looking at where cheap flights are and then selecting your destination.

If you’re coming for spring break, “you really should be booking it right now,” Berg said.

For summer holidays in May, June and July, Berg advises travelers to start tracking these fares now. Planning ahead is key, even if you don’t book right away.

Waiting until the last minute often means missing out on the lowest fares, Berg says.

So you might be booking too early, Keyes says. According to him, there is a “Goldilocks window” for flights.

This is 1 to 3 months before travel for US domestic flights and 2 to 8 months for international flights. For peak seasons, it’s more like 3-7 months for domestic and 4 to 10 months for international.

Airfare expert Scott Keys bided his time to secure a deal for a flight to Las Vegas in what he calls

Keys said he was eyeing flights to Vegas for a childhood friend’s wedding in late March. For several months, tickets cost $400.

“But I was patient, and a few weeks ago — right in the middle of the Goldilocks Window — the fare dropped to $76. I booked as quickly as I could. Today, the fare has gone up again to $350.”

Waiting is often the best strategy, Keyes says. Just be sure to take advantage when there is a big price drop.

“Air ticket is the most volatile thing that people regularly buy. Today’s expensive flight is tomorrow’s cheap flight, and vice versa,” he said. Keyes recently watched the same flight from Atlanta to Amsterdam go from $800 to $300 and $1,300 for three consecutive days.

So are potential travelers keeping more eye-popping fares at home?

No, says Berg.

“So far, it seems like there’s still this huge demand for travel.”