Now is the Cheapest Time to Book Your Winter Getaway Flights
If the thought of a long Scottish winter is giving you the blues, consider booking a flight to one of the world’s sunnier spots or head for a change of scene for Christmas with a difference this year. There are great deals to be had at this time of year and according to flight comparison site Skyscanner, now is the time to get flights at the best prices if planning to head abroad over the Christmas holiday period in particular.
Booking flights over the winter spell could see you save up to 29% on average fairs, especially if you follow Skyscanner’s guidance of booking flights around 13 weeks before you travel – that means taking a look now to ensure you get some of the best prices for trips over Christmas 2018 (yes it’s that close to the big day!)
It’s often assumed that travelling close to Christmas will lead to inflated prices and rip off deals, however travelling on Christmas Eve or Boxing Day are the cheapest days to travel during this time, just avoid Christmas day itself which is one of the most expensive travel times.
Other winter travel tips include:
Consider adjusting annual leave so you can travel on a weekday over a weekend to get the best deals.
It can be cheaper to use different airlines for outgoing and return flights, so check out all your options.
Is there another airport nearby? Compare prices for different routes/airlines to find the very best deal but don’t forget to factor in any additional travel either side.
Keep on top of the most current and best deals by taking time to set up e-alerts for flight comparison sites helping to maximise the chance of finding the top bargains out there.
Holiday destination inspiration
Here are the places to which the biggest savings can be made on flights at this time of year according to data analysed by Skyscanner (percentage savings comparing prices for Christmas 2017 and 2018):
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – save 27%
St Petersburg, Russia – save 21%
Penang, Malaysia – save 19%
Houston, Texas, USA – save 19%
Reykjavik, Iceland – save 19%
Vienna, Austria – save 13%
Male, Maldives – save 13%
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA – save 13%
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – save 13%
Frankfurt, Germany – save 13%
Melbourne, Australia – save 12%
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam – save 11%
Washington, USA – save 11%
Montego Bay, Jamaica – save 10%
Antalya, Turkey – save 10%
So why not swap traditional turkey for Vietnamese Pho, Jamaican Jerk or an Aussie barbeque this year, skip on the shopping rush and drunken office party in favour of a change of pace in one of Abu Dhabi’s luxury spa hotels, or head for a guaranteed white Christmas in St Petersburg – all sound good to us!