SEATTLE, Oct. 12, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Expedia®
released its seventh annual report in partnership with Airlines
Reporting Corporation (ARC) revealing travel hacks including the
best time to book airfare, when to travel and other tips to help
travelers navigate booking a vacation in 2022. The insights arrive
just in time, as research conducted by the online travel brand
found that one in five Americans are seeking savings tips and more
than a third (38%) are willing to be flexible with their travel
plans in order to save money on their next trip. *
The key to cost savings in 2022 comes down to knowing what day to
book, how far in advance and what day to travel
Flight booking tips
Based on data from ARC's massive
online global airline sales database, average ticket prices for
flights (ATPs) hit their lowest levels of the last 12 months during
December 2020 and January 2021. Since then, ATPs have steadily
risen and are nearly back to pre-pandemic levels. ATPs specifically
for international flights have also grown but remain on average 35
percent lower compared to 2019.1
With ATPs leveling off, the key to cost savings in 2022 comes
down to knowing what day to book, how far in advance and what day
to travel.
Optimal Booking Window2
- Domestic flights prices usually start to increase 21 days
before departure, while prices for international flights start to
increase 28 days before. The sweet spot to book a domestic flight
is between 28 – 35 days in advance, while international flights
should be booked three to four months in advance for the lowest
prices.
Ideal day of the week to book3
- The ideal day to book a flight is Sunday, not Friday. For
domestic flights this can save travelers around five percent, and
for international flights the savings are nearly 10 percent.
Ideal day of the week to travel4
- The ideal day to start a domestic trip is Friday, not Monday.
This will yield savings of more than 15 percent.
- For international flights, the cheapest day to start the trip
is on a Thursday, not Tuesday, to save more than five percent.
- In summary, for both domestic and international flights, it is
generally cheaper to start the trip during the latter half of the
week (Wednesday through Saturday) compared with the first half
(Sunday through Tuesday).
Best month to travel5
Travelers planning
their 2022 trips can also unlock huge savings by being flexible and
choosing the right month to travel:
- For domestic flights, the ideal month to depart is January when
travelers can save more than 10 percent versus traveling in
June.
- For international flights, August is the ideal month, where
travelers can save almost 20 percent, versus traveling in
December.
Splurge and go premium6
Tickets in premium
economy have never been cheaper. In 2021, premium economy ATPs cost
almost 290 percent more than economy tickets, whereas in 2020 they
were 365 percent more expensive. Pre-pandemic, in 2019 average
prices for a premium economy ticket were a whopping 430 percent
more expensive than economy. For the quarter of Americans (26%)
wanting to upgrade their flight if they can afford it*, there has
never been a better time than now.
Tips for saving on accommodations
While domestic lodging rates dropped in 2020, throughout 2021
prices rose due to the high demand for domestic travel and remain
slightly higher compared to 20197.
Based on Expedia data, here are some simple tips to unlock
savings on accommodation:
Ideal day of the week to book and stay8
- For domestic holidays, the lowest average daily rate (ADR) for
accommodation tends to occur on Mondays where travelers could save
more than 15 percent versus booking and staying on the most
expensive day, which is Friday.
- For international trips, book and stay on a Tuesday not on a
Thursday to save nearly 10 percent.
Down-star to save
Travelers can stretch their dollars
further by choosing a lower star-rated hotel. Travelers can save
almost 45 percent on average, by simply opting for a 4-star
property over a 5-star, while down-starring to a 3-star from a
4-star can save travelers around 30 percent.7
Car Rental Tips9
Road trips and drivable
destinations are expected to maintain their popularity into the
coming year, so Expedia crunched the data to help road warriors
obtain some savings.
- The best day to book a car is on a Saturday for domestic trips
and Sunday for international car hires.
- Meanwhile, a Monday pick-up tends to be the cheapest for
domestic bookings, while Tuesday is best for international
trips.
Flexibility is a solid investment7
As
unpredictability associated with the pandemic remains, flexibility
will remain a priority for travelers. Refundable lodging rates are
around 15 percent more than non-refundable and allow travelers to
make changes to their trip or cancel without penalty before a
specified date.
Bundle and save10
Travelers can
unlock deeper discounts by simply booking their flight and hotel
together with Expedia, rather than booking separately. On average,
U.S. travelers can save up to 10 percent by bundling their flight
and hotel together in one transaction.
Loyalty pays off
When it comes to booking travel,
membership has its privileges. By signing up for Expedia Rewards,
travelers will receive benefits as soon as they join, including
access to member-only prices and earning Expedia points on every
trip. Silver and Gold members who book Expedia VIP Access hotels
can also score extra perks such as room upgrades or spa credits,
where available.
Additionally, travelers who shop with the Expedia Mobile App
will not only have the ultimate travel companion at their
fingertips but can also unlock up to 10 percent savings with
mobile-exclusive hotel deals, as well as earn double Expedia
Rewards points on every App booking. Travelers will also benefit
from helpful alerts on their travel itineraries.
"Every year, the Expedia ARC report serves as the ultimate cheat
sheet for saving on travel," said Chandreyi
Davis, vice president of brand marketing for Brand Expedia.
"It offers an insider view that not only empowers travelers to make
sound decisions but also lets them get more value out of every
trip. At Expedia, our hope is that in 2022 these tips will help
travelers go big and plan incredible trips."
It is important to stay up to date with the latest government
and travel advisories. For the latest information, Expedia's new
COVID-19 Travel Advisory tool helps travelers search for
travel advisories around the world, including regulations for
destinations, and safety and health guidelines, or visit Expedia's
COVID-19 Travel Guide.
About Expedia Group
Expedia Group, Inc. companies power travel for everyone, everywhere
through our global platform. Driven by the core belief that travel
is a force for good, we help people experience the world in new
ways and build lasting connections. We provide industry-leading
technology solutions to fuel partner growth and success, while
facilitating memorable experiences for travelers. Our organization
is made up of four pillars: Expedia Services, focused on the
group's platform and technical strategy; Expedia Marketplace,
centered on product and technology offerings across the
organization; Expedia Brands, housing all our consumer brands; and
Expedia for Business, consisting of business-to-business solutions
and relationships throughout the travel ecosystem. The Expedia
Group family of brands includes: Expedia®, Hotels.com®, Expedia®
Partner Solutions, Vrbo®, Egencia®, trivago®, Orbitz®,
Travelocity®, Hotwire®, Wotif®, ebookers®, CheapTickets®, Expedia
Group™ Media Solutions, Expedia Local Expert®, CarRentals.com™, and
Expedia Cruises™.
For more information, visit www.expediagroup.com. Follow us on
Twitter @expediagroup and check out our LinkedIn
www.linkedin.com/company/expedia/.
© 2021 Expedia, Inc., an Expedia Group company. All rights
reserved. Trademarks and logos are the property of their respective
owners. CST: 2029030-50
About Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC)
An
industry leader in air travel intelligence and omnichannel
retailing, ARC provides platforms, tools and insights that help the
global travel community connect, grow and thrive. ARC enables the
diverse retailing strategies of its customers by providing flexible
settlement solutions, innovative technology and access to the
world's most comprehensive air transaction dataset. In 2019, ARC
managed more than $97.4 billion in
transactions between airlines and travel agencies, representing
more than 302 million passenger trips. For more information, please
visit www.arccorp.com.
Data sources
*This study was conducted on behalf
of Expedia by Northstar Research Partners, a global strategic
research firm. The survey was conducted online from August
27th–September 6, 2021, across North and South America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific using an amalgamated group of
best-in-class panels. The study was conducted among 12,000
respondents across 12 countries, amongst adults who are planning
domestic or international travel in the next 18 months.
1 Price development
information is based is on average round-trip ticket prices for
January through August for 2021 & average round-trip ticket
prices for January through December for 2020 and 2019, sourced from
ARC's global airline sales database.
2
Best time to book recommendation is based on average round-trip
ticket prices for January through August for 2021 & average
round-trip ticket prices for January through December for 2020,
sourced from ARC's global airline sales database.
3 Best day of the week to book recommendation
is based on average round-trip ticket prices for January through
August 2021, sourced from ARC's
global airline sales database.
4 Best day of the week to depart
recommendation is based on average round-trip ticket prices for
January through August for 2021, sourced from ARC's global airline
sales database.
5 Best month to depart recommendation is based
on average round-trip ticket prices for January through December
for 2019, sourced from ARC's global airline sales database.
6 Information is based on average
premium and economy round-trip ticket prices for January through
August for 2021 & for January through December 2020 and 2019, sourced from ARC's global
airline sales database for 2021.
7 Based on lodging demand on Expedia.com for
travel between Jan. 1, 2021 –
Dec. 31, 2021, and compared to the
same timeframe in 2020 and 2019.
8 Based on lodging demand on Expedia.com
for travel between Jan. 1, 2021 –
Dec. 31, 2021
9 Based on demand on Expedia.com for travel
between Jan. 1, 2021 – Dec. 31, 2021
10 Based on the average savings for
package bookings with Flight + Hotel on Expedia.com from 1 January
– 31 June 2021. Savings will vary
based on origin/destination, length of trip, stay dates and
selected travel supplier(s). Savings not available on all
packages
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