Hopper Predicts Domestic Airfare Prices Will Drop 25% in August. You May Want to Book Fall Travel Soon
KEY POINTS
- Americans have been paying higher travel costs in recent months.
- However, domestic flights may be up to 25% more affordable in August and September.
- Booking tickets sooner rather than later may help you save money on your vacation.
Here comes a steep discount.
Over the last few months, airfare prices have been high. Many Americans have gotten used to paying higher everyday costs in addition to higher travel prices. But relief may soon be near. Hopper, an airfare price comparison app, predicts that domestic airfare prices will drop significantly in August.
Hopper, a mobile app that helps people find cheaper airfare prices, just released its Late Summer (Q3) Travel Index Report. The report outlines what consumers can expect regarding airfare prices in the coming months.
According to the report, domestic airfare prices could drop as much as 25% -- meaning prices would be in line with 2019 rates.
In August, prices could reach as low as $286 for round-trip domestic bookings. Hopper predicts domestic airfare prices will be at or below $300 through late September before rising again in October and November.
Domestic flights are expected to average $368 per round-trip ticket in December -- meaning booking tickets sooner rather than later could be advantageous. Lower airfare prices could bring some relief to your wallet and could help you stretch your vacation budget further.
Why are prices likely to decrease? In the spring and summer, travel demand was at an all-time high. Jet fuel prices were also much higher than usual. For these reasons, consumers were forced to spend more money to travel by air.
But seasonal travel patterns and lower jet fuel prices will likely result in lower airfare prices in August and September.
Now is the time to begin planning fall and winter travel
What does that mean for your fall and winter travel plans? You may be able to save some money by booking your airline tickets in the coming weeks.
If you're able to buy tickets before prices increase again in October, you may be able to keep more money in your bank account.
Even if you cannot book your tickets right away, now is an excellent time to start planning your trip details so you can start saving up.
Tips for scoring an airfare deal
With higher everyday costs, we're all looking for ways to spend less. You probably want to score an airfare deal for your upcoming trip.
We've previously discussed some of our favorite strategies to score cheap plane tickets. One of the best ways to save money on air travel is to use online apps and online tools to your advantage.
Hopper is one app that you can use to score cheap tickets. The app monitors airfare prices and uses historical data to help predict the best and most affordable times to buy tickets.
You can also use tools like Google Flights to search airfare prices across multiple airlines.
If you're booking travel plans soon, consider using a travel credit card to pay for your trip.
With the right rewards credit card, you can take advantage of built-in travel protections like trip interruption and trip delay coverage and earn valuable rewards on your spending.
If you're looking for a new credit card, check out our list of best travel credit cards.
Our Research Expert
Natasha is a freelance writer who specializes in personal finance, credit card, credit card rewards, and travel hacking content.
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