Expedia Shares 2024 Air Travel Hacks and Travel Trends
Expedia released this week its 2024 Air Travel Hacks Report, revealing data-backed strategies for saving money and reducing stress for air travel.
Regarding the stress of air travel, Expedia conducted a survey among 1,000 US air travelers from August 23-29, 2023. The results were surprising, as air travel apparently ranked as the leading cause of stress. In fact 55% of Americans find it more daunting than filing taxes or visiting the dentist.
But here are some tips and tricks to make the process less stressful:
- Domestic airfare should be booked 28 days before departure; travelers saved up to 24% compared to those who booked at the last minute, surpassing the 10% savings travelers saw on average in 2022.
- International airfare should be booked around 60 days out (and no more than 4 months out) for optimal availability and savings (around 10% on average). Last year, the sweet spot was closer to six months out.
- Sunday remains the cheapest day of the week to book flights, while Fridays are most expensive. On average, travelers saved up to 13%.
- Fly before 3 p.m. to minimize the impact of delays and cancellations. Flights departing after 3 p.m. statistically have a 50% higher chance of being canceled than earlier flights.
The report also reveals that average ticket prices remain nearly flat compared to last year and flight cancellation rates have improved (1.7% of flights compared to 4.1% in 2022). The latter is a positive trends for travelers that cited finding a good deal (61%) and worrying about disruptions (28%) as big contributors to stress.
Expedia also shares that the most popular destinations in the United States for 2024 are New York City, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas. The most popular international destinations are Cancun (Mexico), Punta Cana (Dominican Republic), and Mexico City (Mexico). The fastest growing destination, according to Expedia flight demand data, is Beijing (China).
Check out the full details of the report.
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