Thinking about your summer travel plans? I just discovered the cheapflights.ca website that has all sorts of info about when to buy airline tickets. Generally, they advise 4-5 months in advance for the best fares. Most expensive time just about everywhere? The Christmas/New Year’s season. But there was some other useful information as well. I’m looking to depart from Toronto for some summer adventures, but they cover tons of other cities as well. Here’s what I found out:
From Toronto to Vancouver:
For summer travel, airfares are at their highest from mid-July through mid-August. Aim to buy: Mid-to-late February. (Good news for procrastinators: flights for the third week in July look to break with this pattern. You may find betters deals for the week by shopping in mid-April.)
Last-minute deals: There is a lull before the summer season kicks off, so look for a bargain when the calendar flips to spring.
When to fly: The second week of June
When to buy: The third week of March
Added tip: Get booking now for spring skiing. Early January is the prime deal time for flights in the first week of April.
To New York:
You don’t have to plan too far in advance to stretch your summer with a late-season trip to New York.
When to fly: The second and third week of September
When to buy: The first half of June
To Paris:
Autumn is a bargain window for a visit to Paris.
When to fly: The last week of September
When to buy: Between late May and early June
As for summer travel, the last week of July and the first week of August are pricey times to visit Paris and require advance planning. Aim to buy: February. The last week of June and the first week of July are better for late shoppers. Aim to buy: Mid-June.
Check Cheap Flights for best flight price info also available to Varadero, Cuba, Las Vegas, Beijing, Bangkok and morw.
