Summer Fares Trending Downward

Travel Smarter! Sign up for our free newsletter.

By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Sign Up

Want to receive stories like this every day? Subscribe to our free Deal Alert newsletter!

Last month, I reported summer fares were affordable in spite of skyrocketing fuel costs and increased demand. Surprisingly, this month’s research proves prices are holding steady. Don’t play the waiting game, however.

I’ve been keeping a close eye on airfare trends, specifically tracking high-season fares for summer domestic travel on popular routes. In relation to last week’s fares, 71 percent of the current rates have either stayed the same or are cheaper. Standout values include some West Coast cities and major Hawaiian hubs, which yield savings of as much as 41 percent on San Francisco/Honolulu flights.

Though not as stellar, 58 percent of the tracked fares have decreased or remained the same in comparison to this time last month.

Travel Smarter! Sign up for our free newsletter.

By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Sign Up

The Waiting Game?

Booking airfares has never been a waiting game. Sure, the majority of current routes’ rates have decreased, but if finding affordable rates depends on how much expendable cash you have to play with at your destination, I’d advise you don’t place your summer vacation on such a volatile bet.
 

Get some help with the above airport codes here.
Resources

• Keep tabs on savings by enrolling in SmarterTravel’s daily Deal Alert to receive alerts on fare promotions.
• Don’t see your route in our chart? Check fares for your itinerary using SmarterTravel’s price comparison tool, another metasearch site, or an online travel agency.
• Find an airline-by-airline breakdown of additional charges in our SmarterTravel Ultimate Guide to Airline Fees.
• Check out SmarterTravel’s U.S. destinations travel guides for general tips such as when to go.

(Editor’s note: Because of its user-friendly flexible search tool, I’ve used Orbitz for researching the fare data in all benchmarking blogs. Note that the metasearch site doesn’t offer American Airline fares.)

Travel Smarter! Sign up for our free newsletter.

By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Sign Up