Flying for the holidays? Better book it, experts say

SAN ANTONIO – If you’re not planning to fly by sleigh for the holidays, it’s time to buckle up and book it. Travel experts say airfares will start their annual ascent very soon.

“You don’t want to end up waiting to the last minute and find, not just expensive flights, but ridiculously expensive flights,” said Katy Nastro with going.com.

After a busy summer, the winter holidays could see record crowds. Airfares are tracking lower than last year, but still historically high.

Joseph McDonald said he’s yet to book his Christmas flight.

“The question is, “What rates are there going to be at this point?’” he said.

If grandma isn’t counting on you for turkey or pie, Nastro offered a suggestion.

“Thanksgiving is actually the best hidden time of the year to look to go international,” she said. “It’s not a holiday outside of the states.”

That should mean smaller crowds and less demand.

As of Tuesday morning, Nastro said a traveler could book a round-trip flight from San Antonio to Dublin for $555, to Montreal for $396, and to Panama City for $392.

For those wanting to stay stateside, she found December round-trip deals from San Antonio to San Francisco for $208 and non-stop to New York for $258.

To find the better deals, she suggests being flexible on dates if you can, signing up for price drop alerts, and checking out two one-way flights on different airlines.

“It might be cheap to fly to your destination on American, but cheaper to fly back on Delta,” she said.

If you miss the boat on holiday trips, all is not lost. Consider traveling in January and early February.

“Something amazing happens after the holidays,” Nastro said. “Fares drop by up to 80%.”

Bonus, so do the crowds.