Travellers who resisted the temptation to get out of town during the Christmas holiday stand to benefit by booking getaways in January, the month described by travel website FareCompare.com as “the best deal zone of the year.”
January provides a window of opportunity for frugal travellers, a month when airlines lower prices to fill planes unlikely to have been booked to capacity, industry analysts say.
With more than 700,000 seats put on sale for WestJet flights, “January is always a good time to travel,” said Robert Palmer, a spokesman for the Calgary-based airline.
Both WestJet and Montreal-based Air Canada have launched seat sales to domestic and international destinations, from Montreal to Hong Kong.
The airlines’ release of discounted seats is an example of the multitude of travel deals available. A return WestJet flight from Victoria to Toronto leaving Jan. 21 and returning Jan. 25, for example, was priced at $554.56, including taxes and fees, on the company’s website Tuesday.
Non-refundable WestJet seat-sale flights for Canadian destinations must be booked and paid for by Jan. 12 for travel on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays until June 22, with some dates — known as blackout dates — excepted.
A sample international-travel seat-sale fare provided by Air Canada on Tuesday for a round-trip fare from Victoria to Paris was $798, taxes and fees included.
Tickets for Air Canada’s international flights must be purchased at least seven days before departure for travel on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays or Sundays from Jan. 13 to April 28.
Rick Johnson, travel adviser with Vision Travel in Royal Oak, said now is a particularly good time to get package deals to European destinations, but he advised consumers to act fast.
“We don’t have as much last-minute stuff as we used to, but it’s still there,” he said, noting early-booking incentives introduced by all-inclusive charter companies have proven immensely popular.
“Most of these [package deals] should have been booked back before the end of September, and most of them expire mid-February, so if you haven’t already booked them, you still have time.”
Johnson said charter companies — such as Air Transat, Sunquest, Signature and Sunwing — that offer flights to European and sun destinations “have become a victim of their own success” since they introduced lower- price guarantees. Such guarantees offer to match or beat cheaper prices being charged elsewhere.
In the cruise-ship industry, we’re sailing into “what is considered the wave season,” said Dave Frinton, co-owner of Nanoose Bay-based Cruise Plus.
“January to March are supposed to be our busiest months,” he said, noting that while there are always booking incentives to entice travellers, local booking patterns are all over the map.
“If there’s a really good deal on a price, it’s amazing how some people will just leave on short notice. People will go: ‘I’m finished with Christmas. I’ve got to get out of here.’ ”
In January, he said, “it’s miserable outside. It’s dark, so people want to get out. They either plan a trip, or just go on one.”
Frinton said consumers can expect to see “some short-term values” for sailings on the Mediterranean in the wake of the Paris terrorist attacks, or trips to France in general. “The Med has been a little soft, but I personally think people have short memories. They might stop for a while, but then they’ll go: ‘I’m OK.’ ”
Airfare deal-zone dates traditionally begin once New Year’s travel is over, and end in mid-February before prices rise for spring-break travel, according to FareCompare.Com.
Deals on destinations such as the Caribbean and Hawaii are harder to find, however, with so many sun worshippers still seeking an escape from colder climes.
Blackout dates and rising prices tend to coincide with holidays such as Valentine’s Day and the Mardi Gras festival, if you’re setting your sights on New Orleans.
The cheapest days to fly, according to FareCompare CEO Rick Seaney, are Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Fridays and Mondays, favoured by business travellers, are more expensive and popular.
Although it can be exasperating and time-consuming, affordable airfares can be found through extensive research and price comparisons on multiple websites or on travel apps. The best bets are often an airline’s own website.
According to industry analysts, your chances of scoring a cheap airfare increase if you have time and date flexibility (avoid popular flying days), are willing to take the red-eye or early-morning flights with layovers, and can book weeks in advance.
Keep in mind that Tuesdays, the day after airlines commonly file new sales, triggering competition, are often the best time to find deals.
