Seasonal Travel
Tuesday, May 12th, 2009
Let’s imagine that we live in an ideal world, where every family has the time and budget to travel whenever and wherever they choose. Given such optimum conditions, you’d still want to know where to look for high value and low prices. You’d also want to know the best time to travel. Let’s see where this takes us.
One of the universal realities of travel is prices fluctuate almost constantly, so timing is everything. Sometimes even a mere one day difference can significantly affect the price you pay. There are, however, a few “tricks of the trade” that can save you lots of money. For instance, traveling on holidays (Christmas Day, the 4th of July etc.) can save you a bundle. “Dead Week” - falling between Thanksgiving and the beginning of the Christmas travel season - is a time relished by seasoned travelers, because it delivers the cheapest travel prices, far fewer fellow tourists, and some of the best overall travel conditions. For European travel, “Shoulder Season” - April, May, early June, September, and early October - offers much better prices than peak season, along with decent weather, fewer crowds, and a local tourist industry eager to please.
Here’s a sampling of regions around the world and the most cost-effective times to go:
Asia The airfare trends for places like Singapore, Bangkok, and Hong Kong are similar – high between May and July and very high in December. The cheapest airfares fall between March and May and again in August through October. Hotel rates fluctuate wildly all year long, so make sure that choosing the cheapest flight doesn’t coincide with the costliest accommodations.
Mexico, Maui, The Caribbean and Coastal California. Dead Week can yield significant discounts for these great locations, as well as mid-April when the weather starts heating up but the resort crowds are relatively sparse.
Alaska .The height of Alaska vacation season falls in June, but you’ll find plenty of bargains in April, October, and during Dead Week.
South America. Using Brazil as an example, the price of a vacation in Sao Paulo can be as much as 75 percent higher in December (the beginning of summer south of the Equator) than June. Consequently, June, September, and October combine much cheaper airfares with average temperatures between the 50s and 70s. The December price jump for Buenos Aires, Argentina is even more extreme. Flights priced under $1000 in February can hit the $3000 mark by December. For the cheapest airfares and pleasant temperatures in the 70s, go in February and April.
Australia.In Sydney the best deals are in May and September. August brings low airfares but high hotel prices. In Melbourne you’ll find good deals in January, April, and October, with prices peaking in March.
Iceland.A unique destination where you won’t be crushed by crowds and the climate is moderated by the warm Gulf Stream, so it’s not as cold as you think. You’ll have all the daylight you could want during the summer, when the sun never fully set.
South Africa. April through August is the best time for the cheapest fares, best accommodations, and thinnest crowds. You’ll also miss the most hot, humid weather.
