HOUSTON — Why should you start looking for plane tickets now if you plan to travel this summer?
The short answer is the price to travel is going up, and it is expected to keep going up as we get closer to summer.
According to Hopper’s consumer airfare index the price of domestic tickets will increase 7 percent every month until June. Thanks to ongoing COVID restrictions, international airfare increases won’t be as steep, but they are expected to increase by 5 percent a month.
So what’s driving the increase?
As the omicron surge subsides it looks like Americans are itching to travel again. Hopper is seeing a lot more searches for plane tickets for President’s Day weekend and mid-March. This comes as the price of jet fuel continues to soar, while airlines are forced to offer cheap flights because of less demand. The airlines will have to make up that money when everyone starts to travel again.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t still find a deal. Experts recommend booking your flight no later than three weeks out if you are flying domestically, and four to six weeks for international travel.
Scott’s cheap flights says while the average price of a ticket may go up that doesn’t mean the deals are done. The site reports airlines are still offering big discounts to lure travelers back and business and first-class tickets are cheaper as companies continue to limit business travel.