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Nov 2, 2008 12:18 pm US/Central
Holiday Flyers Face Steep Fare Hikes
BOSTON (CBS) ―
Getting home for the holidays could be a real challenge for families this year, reports CBS station WBZ-TV in Boston.
In fact, the government says airfares jumped 8 percent in the second quarter. That is the highest they have been in the 13 years that those numbers have been tracked.
On top of that, there are fewer flights. This combination of events means travelers really need to plan ahead if they have any prayer of getting a decent deal.
On top of fares increasing 20 to 30 percent, Anne Banas of www.smartertravel.com in Charlestown also says there will be fewer non-stop flights.
"It's just not boding well for the consumer this holiday season," she said.
Her first piece of advice is to book early if possible. But even then, with 11 percent fewer direct flights this Thanksgiving season, travelers also going to have to be flexible.
When booking a connecting flight, Banas says to take a good look at the itinerary.
"You want to avoid connecting in busy airports. Airports like the three New York City airports," she said. "Atlanta and Chicago O'Hare are even more busy in the holidays."
She added, "You want to avoid airports that could be affected by snow delays or other weather like fog."
Next, try to book the first flight out in the morning.
That way if there are delays, you have a chance of rebooking later that day. Also try to be flexible on the days you travel so you have additional options.
As Banas explained, "The first thing you should think about is avoiding the most expensive travel dates, which for Thanksgiving, are the Wednesday before and the Sunday after. For Christmas time, you have a little more flexibility."
Airfares spiked with the surge in oil prices, but don't expect them to come down as oil falls. The airlines are still hurting.
"They are still losing money, so this is kind of a short term, stop gap solution to try and recoup as much as possible," Banas said.
One final tip is to sign up for "Flight Status Alerts", either through a travel agent or the airlines. That way, you will get updates on any changes to your flight on your email or Blackberry.
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