Cheaper Memorial Day Airfares

By Author: Steve Robinson
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The good news is that cheap fares, whether cheap airplane tickets, cheap vacation packages, and discount travel packages over Memorial Day will cost a little less than last year, depending on how soon you book. Fliers will need to purchase their tickets as quickly as possible to find the best bargains.

Round trip domestic flights from May 23rd to the 28th are currently $341, including taxes, which is a 2 percent less than the same holiday period last year. The average price of an international round trip ticket is $981, or 1 percent less than 2012.

Airlines are starting to feel a little softening in demand for seats. To counteract that trend and to keep planes flying full, they are selectively lowering prices.

Airline ticket prices are expected to rise the closer we get to Memorial Day weekend, which is viewed by many as the start of the summer travel season. Last week average round trip domestic fares increased $10 compared to the lowest fares showing at the beginning of April. Prices are expected to climb by $23 for travel the week of May 19th.

The following are ways to save on airfares:

• Consider ...
... returning home before Memorial Day. Fares are typically cheaper returning home Saturday of the holiday weekend than on Monday or a day or two later. Departing on Thursday, May 23 and returning on Saturday, May 25th will cost, on average, $300 for a domestic round trip ticket. Prices jump up to $350 round trip for departures on Friday, May 24th with returns on Memorial Day.

• Look at possibly flying into and/or out of an airport that is not as popular, or as close as you might otherwise select. By not limiting yourself to the closest airport geographically you may find an airport a little further away that is offering better fares.

• Be open to traveling to another destination. New York is the Number 1 Memorial Day destinations for the third year in a row. Washington, D.C., is Number 3, and currently is offering very good airfares. The average ticket price to D.C. has fallen by 6 percent, to $286, which is the steepest decline in ticket price for any of the top destinations.
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