Travelocity Reveals Money-saving Strategies for Holiday Travel

SOUTHLAKE, Texas, Nov. 3, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Along with being among the busiest travel times of the year, the holiday season can also be one of the most expensive. With a few tips from the experts at Travelocity, travelers can beat the holiday crowds and still find a great fare.

Good news for travelers is that according to data from Travelocity, average domestic airfares for the holidays have barely increased over the past year, with fares up only about 2% from 2013. Average domestic daily hotel rates have actually decreased 4.2%, falling from an average of $200 in 2013 to $192 per night for the upcoming holiday season.

"After seeing some fairly significant increases in airfares and hotel rates for the 2013 holiday season, steady airfares and lower hotel rates for 2014 are both great news for travelers," said Courtney Scott, senior editor for Travelocity. "But savvy travelers who plan ahead can save even more, keeping money in their pockets for an even happier holiday."

Best Times To Book

While it is generally a good rule to book as early as possible to take advantage of lower advance purchase fares and a wider selection, exactly when to book is often a mystery. However, Travelocity's Booking Barometer indicates that travelers should look to book their holiday travel by November 12^th. After that, airfares historically begin to increase. For travelers unable to finalize plans by that date, past trends show that a second window opens about two weeks prior to Christmas Day, when airfares temporarily drop before increasing in the days leading up to December 25^th.

For travelers looking to take an international excursion for the holidays, the Travelocity Booking Barometer shows that international fares have historically declined steadily all the way up to the week before Christmas.  Choices may be more limited, but travelers who wait to book and are willing to be flexible and spontaneous can experience an international holiday at a bargain price.

Cheapest Days to Fly

Together with knowing when to book – knowing the best days to travel can save even more money.

For the 2014 holiday season, the cheapest days to fly are Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Travelers departing on December 24^th and returning on December 27^th will see airfares averaging over 50 dollars less than if they were to depart just a day earlier. Compared to the most expensive day to depart during the holiday season – December 19^th – the same travelers would save over $150 per ticket.

"If travelers can be flexible with their plans, even by a day or two on either end of the holidays, they can stand to save 10%, 20% or even up to 40% compared with the busiest travel days,"  said Scott.  "For example, departing early on Christmas Day could save enough money to pay for your holiday shopping, yet you will still get to your destination in plenty of time to celebrate with friends and family."

Travelocity's Winter Sale

Making travel even more affordable, Travelocity is kicking off its Winter Sale for hotels during the holiday season. By visiting travelocity.com/wintersale, Travelocity customers can find savings of up to 40% at participating hotels for stays between December 1 and February 15.

About Travelocity

Travelocity wants to inspire you to "Go & Smell the Roses" and is dedicated to being your kindred spirit – a travel companion and a travel instigator, roaming the world beside you while helping make your traveling experience memorable with innovative apps, competitive prices and 24/7 customer service. Based in Southlake (Dallas/Fort Worth), Texas, Travelocity is owned by Sabre, a global technology company whose innovative technology is used by approximately one billion people around the world to plan, book and get to their destination at a time and price that's right for them.

Contact:
Jina Michael
Citizen Relations
213-996-3786
[email protected]

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SOURCE Travelocity

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