LIHUE — Holiday traveling is notoriously hectic and expensive but planning has never been easier with high-tech aids. Dolly Wijas, owner of Kilauea Travel, says to keep in mind that cheap airfare during the holidays is more or less a
LIHUE — Holiday traveling is notoriously hectic and expensive but planning has never been easier with high-tech aids.
Dolly Wijas, owner of Kilauea Travel, says to keep in mind that cheap airfare during the holidays is more or less a fallacy. One fare may be cheaper than the other, but it’s a rising tide with peak prices across the board from Dec. 19 through Jan. 4.
“In general, fares go up,” Wijas said.
The airlines block discounts and low fair specials during peak periods when most people are traveling, she said. The planes are full and the prices are premium — so planning a trip before and after the busy and expensive period.
Basically, the reason for higher prices this time of year comes down to the old fashioned rule of supply and demand. Christmas time is one of the most traveled holidays of the year, so seats are always sought.
But there is a way to soften the financial blow if you’re traveling. According to the Holiday Cheap Flights Index, tabulated by CheapAir.com, a week-long trip that begins Dec. 23 will be significantly cheaper than a holiday that begins over a weekend.
The report recommends avoiding travel on Dec. 29 and Jan. 5.
Priceline.com booking data says that Christmas Day and Christmas Eve day are the cheapest days to fly during the holidays.
The most expensive days to fly are Dec. 20-22, and weekends following Christmas and New Year’s are nearly as expensive.
Cheryl Michioka, owner Mokihana Travel in Lihue, said holiday inter-island flights are different in that more people are flying on Dec. 24 than the flights to and from the Mainland. Dec. 25 is still the best day to fly in terms of seat availability.
“And if you are going back to the Mainland on the first week then you will be competing with the college kids and it’s one of the most expensive times,” she added.
The most common problem with buying tickets online is that customer aren’t always aware of restrictions, Michioka said. The information is there but not always read as people click their way through a purchase.
Sometimes they pay full price each way for a round-trip ticket, she said.
A family may not be aware they are booking a child to fly alone on a flight when it is not allowed.
“A lot of people like to book online but when they run into problems they call the travel agency when it’s often too late to help them,” Michioka said. “We have a lot of people come back to us after they purchased a non-refundable ticket online and lost money.”
The rule of thumb remains that the earlier you book a flight — the more you will save. BBB notes that flights on the morning of a holiday tend to have lower rates and the lines may be shorter.
The reason that travel agencies can still be cheaper is that they get most of their airfares at wholesale prices, Michioka said. That means the agency fees are already worked in and they don’t assess another ticket fee that can reach $75 when buying online or direct from the airline.
“That is already included in our price and only when we sell a non-wholesale or published air ticket do we charge a fee,” Michioka added. “Our system will give all airline flights in-and-out, with the cheapest rates and wholesale rates.”
Having the right apps or websites can help track a desired flight and price to wait for the optimum time to purchase. The apps also aid in finding alternative flights on the go in the event of a cancellation.
Michioka says the online sites won’t hold a reservation though and you have to buy the ticket to get the price.
“As an agency we can hold a reservation and price for a few days and still be looking for a better deal,” Michioka said.
Wijas said a human travel agent is more helpful in selecting from the options and is more resourceful with constructing more convenient or affordable routes that aren’t in the online algorithms.
