We all know that it pays to travel outside peak season but the scale of potential savings on offer will make for pleasant reading for many. Because so many of us here in Ireland love to travel during the months of July and August, airlines experience a huge drop in demand from September to October — and flight prices drop as a result, in some cases by over 40%. KAYAK.ie has examined the booking prices for return economy flights to some popular destinations, revealing the savings travellers stand to make by delaying their holidays until September. To determine which locations offer the biggest shoulder-season savings, average flight prices during summer month July and August have been compared to those in September and October.
Autumn flights to Paris, Madrid and Rome offer the biggest savings on European flights for Irish holiday travellers.
Whilst September, with its mild weather, is still a great time to visit many top destinations, travellers can often find better prices because they’ve just missed peak season. This month, Irish holiday planners can save 41% on return flights to Paris, with an average price of only €92. Similar savings are found in Madrid and Rome, both of which see their flight prices reduced by 40% on return flights booked in September or October compared to July or August.
Long-haul autumn flight savings
Further-flung destinations such as Vancouver, Las Vegas and even New York also offer better value travel options in September and October, coming in on average 27% less expensive during this period than in summer.
With four and a half million people in Canada claiming Irish heritage, there is always a lot of movement between Ireland and Canada, and the good news is, there is a lot of movement in flight prices as well. Anyone planning to visit friends and family in Vancouver would be well-advised to hold out until autumn, as they can save a whopping 48% on return economy flights in September and October with an average price of €421, as compared to the busy summer months of July and August which saw average prices of €810. American cities such as Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York make up the rest of the top 5 destinations, each offering return flights around one-third cheaper compared to prices in July and August.
Depending on the destination of interest, Irish holiday planners can save huge amounts of money on their flight simply by delaying their travel plans.
Now that you know how much you stand to save by booking a bit later, why not focus your search even further? By selecting ‘flex month’ when you make a search, you can find the perfect day to fly to make sure you get the cheapest deal on offer.
Try it now, on KAYAK.ie.
Destinations considered for the analysis are the top 15 according to flight searches made on KAYAK.ie between 01.01.2017 – 30.08.2017 for travel between 01.07 – 31.10.2017. Data is based on flight searches made on KAYAK.ie between 01.01.2017 – 30.08.2017 for travel between 01.07 – 31.10.2017. Average flight prices are given for a one person for a return trip in economy class. All prices are subject to change, may vary or may not be available anymore.
