Most of us want the best deal possible on airfare.
Especially if you’re traveling internationally, a round-trip ticket can sometimes rival the price of your monthly rent or mortgage. It’s no wonder that so many people want to learn how to find cheap flights.
The challenge is knowing whether you should buy a plane ticket today or wait for an even better deal.
That’s what a listener of the Clark Howard Podcast wondered.
Should I Buy My International Plane Tickets Now or Wait?
Should I buy my overseas plane tickets now or wait for cheaper prices?
That’s the question Clark faced on a 2023 podcast episode.
Asked Pavel in Nevada: “I will be traveling to Prague from Las Vegas in early November. I found a deal for $922 round-trip via Amsterdam. Should I buy or wait? I really don’t like the layovers and much prefer one-stop flights.”
Pavel may be able to find tickets for much less if he just waits, Clark thinks.
November through February represents off-peak travel season in Europe (and cheaper fares). The average high temperatures in Czech Republic range between 47 and 37 degrees from November through February. The days are short as well, making it a less desirable time to visit.
There are “shoulder season” sales in March for flights to Europe, Clark says. But that’s “the exception.”
“You don’t want to get too far ahead of the calendar in booking. It would be much to your advantage to wait for a sale on fall airfares,” Clark says. “If you book this far ahead, you’re not getting the advantage of the off-peak fare sales that will occur.”
This fall, expect to find round-trip tickets in the $400s if you’re traveling from a giant East Coast airport such as New York, Clark says. Perhaps you’ll find tickets for $500 from the Midwest and $550 from the West Coast.
When Will You Find the Best Deals on Airplane Tickets This Year?
Flying to Europe (or perhaps to some other international destination) this fall or winter? Wait at least until May to find a better deal, Clark advises. But you may save even more if you have the patience to hold out until August.
“It could happen as early as early summer. But more likely August would be when you’d see sales that would cover the period from November to February,” Clark says. “And there can be just weird sales that come out of nowhere before that.
“But the most likely time you’ll see a better deal there is going to be the back half of summer. I would wait.”
Clark Encourages Everyone To Consider Traveling
“Revenge travel” was a term coined for the pent-up demand created by COVID-19 restrictions. Many families canceled vacations, especially international trips, for at least a few years.
However, once travel demand returned, airlines had already offered early retirements to pilots and faced a staff shortage. It led to a period of sub-par flying experiences.
Clark, who has traveled constantly since the COVID-19 restrictions ended, has noticed the industry normalizing in recent months.
“The planes that were always, always full — I’m seeing them not necessarily 100% full,” Clark says. “People are starting to clear waitlists when they weren’t before.
“Plus, the airlines responded to the demand and have put a lot more planes in the air. So there doesn’t seem to be as intense demand and more choices of airlines and flights.”
Clark speaks glowingly about travel. He even loves waiting at the airport gate, the boarding process and packing his carry-on bag.
“If you have not traveled in a long while and you’ve got the funds to do so, gosh, there’s a whole wonderful world out there,” Clark says. “Being able to travel is the greatest experience of my life other than my family.
“Go somewhere. Have fun.”
Final Thoughts
It can be difficult to know whether today’s airfare rates will be better than what you’ll see tomorrow.
To make your best guess, you may need to subscribe to emails from our favorite travel sites, watching for deals to your preferred destination. You may have to log prices every week (or day) and continually search for rates on Google and other travel sites.
However, Clark thinks that the trend will be your friend if you can wait another four to six months.
Some of the best prices for plane tickets in 2024 may materialize between July and September.
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