How fall can be a more affordable time to travel

Domestic travel was up 9 percent on Labor Day weekend, according to AAA.

If you stayed closer to home this weekend, that decision may have paid off.

If you’re looking to get away and lessen the load on your wallet, vacationing in the offseason might be the best time to travel.

If you haven’t used your vacation days this year, your procrastination and patience could pay off.

“Leverage that flexibility to make sure your dollar goes as far as it can this fall,” said Steven Guilday, director of travel for AARP Services.

Some money-saving tips for traveling outside the summer include:

• When it comes to airfare, prices drop 30 percent in the fall, compared to peak summer prices. Nightly hotel rates are down 20 percent on average with 50 percent less occupancy.
• To save money on domestic flights, try to book 30 to 60 days before departure.
• The best time to book a cruise is between January and March. The travel industry calls it wave season referring to the tidal wave of promotions available then.

“Other than booking during wave season, the best time to book is now, the very early autumn of the year,” said Guilday. “Before you want to cruise, you’re going to get a great deal, the other thing specific to AARP where I’m coming to you from. Our members get a $200 stateroom credit with Holland America. That goes a long way.”

Remember that prices will spike around Thanksgiving and Christmas. But fall remains the second-best time of year to travel cost-wise.

The cheapest time? January, when airfare and hotel prices plummet.