How to Find Winter Travel Deals to Popular Places

Despite the fact that winter typically means less-than-ideal weather for taking a vacation in many parts of the world, it can still be tough to find cheap flights during the winter months. Why? One major reason is the fact that two big holidays for which people often travel fall right in the midst of the winter – and as anyone who’s tried finding deals on flights for Christmas or New Year’s can tell you, those bargain basement fares disappear pretty quickly.

Of course, even if you’re not traveling anywhere for Christmas there are other reasons why getting a good price on airfare during the winter can be a challenge. Sure, summer trips tend to dominate the discussion when people talk about vacation planning, but ask a skier what time of year they prefer for holidays and the winter is sure to be the most popular answer. On the other side of the coin, people who are surrounded by snow at home during the winter tend to fancy tropical getaways during those months in order to thaw a bit.

All in all, while you might assume finding travel deals in the winter to some of the most popular wintertime destinations would be a breeze because of the weather, it’s not always as easy as it should be. Here are a few tips to help you find winter travel deals to popular places.

Do Your Research & Book Early

You might think you’d need to have a full-time job that was all about watching airfare in order to know when the prices on airfare to your chosen destination go up or down – but you really don’t need to stare at the screen all day long in order to stay on top of changing fares. You just need to learn to use the tools available wisely.

Many of the airfare booking sites out there these days have the option to sign up for email alerts that aren’t just random – you can often sign up to receive specific fare alerts for only the routes or destinations you’re interested in. This is a huge time saver, but it’s also an excellent way to get a jump on a great deal if you’re waiting for the price to drop just a little bit more before you click the “buy” button.

Keep an Eye on Last Minute Winter Travel Deals

If you absolutely, positively must travel at a specific time in the winter, then taking a chance on finding a great last minute travel deal that’s exactly what you need probably isn’t the best idea. (You don’t want to get stuck explaining to Mom why you won’t be home for Christmas this year, after all.) But if your goal with a winter vacation is more like a simple getaway than a holiday-related trip, then you can save quite a bit with a last minute deal – especially if you aren’t picky about where you’re going.

In addition to email alerts for price fluctuations on specific routes, many of the booking sites also have an email alert system in place for last minute travel deals from a given airport. You can usually enter your departure airport and receive only updates about flights from that airport, which helps narrow your choices, but you also have to be prepared to leave quickly. While there are some last minute deals listed for 2-3 weeks from the email date, sometimes the best bargains are for that weekend.

Check Out Package Travel Deals

Independent travelers sometimes cringe at the idea of a package trip, and many package tours are less than ideal. But if you’re ready to break down a vacation package into its individual components and do a little math you could potentially save quite a bit by booking multiple parts of your trip in one go.

The major features of most vacation packages are the airfare and accommodation. Some will also include transportation, such as a car rental or airport transfers. Your first goal should be to determine as best you can what each of the individual components of the package would cost if purchased individually. Could you find a cheaper fare to the destination on a different airline or by flying on a different day? Is the hotel in the package offering the best deal? Are the “extras” included in the package things you value? These are just some of the things to consider when looking at vacation packages – and then if you find one that meets your holiday needs and is also a genuine deal, it’s that much sweeter.

photo by JodyDigger