Travelers Need to Plan to Find Best New Year’s Eve Rates

Halloween is still weeks away, but New Year’s Eve travel plans require advance planning, and the timing may be right for agents and consumers to come up with a strategy for finding the best rates.

According to Expedia, travelers in the U.S. should book New Year’s Eve travel 21-30 days in advance to save around 5 percent on airfares. “This is one instance where planning too far in advance might actually hurt you.” Travelers who book more than 90 days out paid the most, almost 10 percent more than average ticket prices, Expedia said.

After reviewing booking data from previous years, Expedia found that the cheapest time to book is between November 26 and December 5, while the most expensive times are prior to September 27, and booking too late (December 20-26).

According to Expedia, right now, the lowest average coach ticket prices for New Year’s Eve festivities are Seattle, $309; Salt Lake City, $341; Phoenix and Denver, $342; and Tampa, $347.

Trending cities for New Year’s Eve 2017 are Philadelphia, Hong Kong and Bogota, Expedia said.