Winter airfare deals you can't miss
Even if you’ve just returned from a holiday vacation, you might want to start thinking about your next trip.
That’s because January is often regarded as the best time to get a good deal on a plane ticket. After the holidays, most people aren’t thinking about travel, which is why airlines offer up deals and discounts to encourage bookings. In fact, Fare Compare, a price comparison site, says that the cheapest days to fly this winter will be from Jan. 9 to March 16, when prices drop as much as 40% from holiday fares.
Aer Lingus
If you’re ready to book, Aer Lingus is running a mega sale from now until Jan. 16. Some of the highlights include up to 50% off on flights to European cities like Malaga and Lanzarote in Spain, and Faro and Lisbon in Portugal. There are however, two caveats. All flights must originate in Ireland, and all travel must take place between April 30 and September 2018.
Still, some amazing deals can be found. If you travel in April, a round-trip flight from Dublin to Madrid will cost about €101.00 ($120 USD), and a ticket from Dublin to Naples, Italy can be found for just €108.00 ($129 USD).
There is also an assortment of North America-bound itineraries to choose from, including a round-trip ticket from Dublin to New York City in April for just €416.34 ($497 USD).
Virgin America
Bargain hunters can also find some deals on domestic travel. Until Jan. 2, Virgin America has marked down six cross-country flights. Travelers can snag a one-way ticket from New York to San Francisco for just $119. A one-way ticket from New York to Las Vegas starts at $157, while a one-way ticket from Newark, N.J., to Los Angeles will cost around $139. That’s a round-trip, coast-to-coast flight for under $300.
All flights must take place between Jan. 16 and Feb. 14.
Keep an eye on Hawaii
Traveling to Hawaii used to cost an arm and a leg, but that may change in 2018. Southwest Airlines has announced that it will unveil cheaper tickets to Hawaii starting next year. The low-cost carrier hasn’t announced specific routes yet, but its presence on the island is expected to fuel competition and possibly lower prices.
But travelers may not have to wait for deals — there are already some bargains available for travel in January and February. AirfareWatchdog found this roundtrip flight from Miami to Honolulu for just $347, and a quick Google Flights search revealed several January and February itineraries from San Francisco to the big island for under $420.
In other words, it would be wise to set a price alert for Hawaii airfare on your favorite booking site. This way, when prices drop, you can lock in the deal as soon as possible.
Brittany is a reporter at Yahoo Finance.
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