According to the "Fall Travel Forecast" released by Expedia and Hotels.com, the surge in travel demand seen over the summer is projected to continue into the cooler months, with the travel brands showing year-over-year search increases for fall getaways. According to Expedia, flight searches for fall are up 15 percent, while hotel searches increased 20 percent compared to fall 2022. The good news: As temperatures drop, so do prices, providing plenty of opportunities for budget-savvy travelers to score a getaway for less.
As non-peak season, fall is consistently one of the best times of the year to get away for less, with average ticket prices (ATPs) for domestic flights 10 percent lower than they were during the peak summer months, and international ATPs around five percent cheaper. For the biggest flight savings, Expedia recommends taking off the week of October 24, when domestic ATPs are nearly 20 percent cheaper than the summer average, and international ATPs are roughly 15 percent cheaper.
Now is the perfect time to lock in a fall escape; on average, the sweet spot for booking domestic flights is around 30 days in advance, while international travel should be booked as early as possible. These are just a few of the destinations where ATPs are currently 20 percent cheaper or more compared to summer:
- Domestic: Juneau (35 percent cheaper); Denver (20 percent cheaper); Chicago (20 percent cheaper)
- International: Oslo, Norway (40 percent cheaper); Tokyo, Japan (20 percent cheaper); Florence, Italy (20 percent cheaper)
When kids go back to school, DINKs—aka couples with "double incomes, no kids"—are packing their bags. According to Hotels.com, 70 percent of DINK travelers say they prefer to vacation in the fall when they can fully enjoy hotel amenities and entertainment. This coincides with a 90 percent drop in searches for family-friendly stays during September in the Hotels.com app.
- New York City, Paris, London, Las Vegas and San Diego are among the most searched destinations for couples traveling this fall on the Hotels.com app.
- DINK travelers are going big and planning weeklong fall trips this year, on average seven days.
- 70 percent of DINKs say they don’t have kids because they like having more disposable income for things they enjoy. For almost half (44 percent), this extra cash goes toward travel, luxurious hotel stays, and eating out.
- Nearly three-in-four couples (73 percent) believe they go on nicer vacations than their friends with kids.
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