Travel Experts Reveal Why Autumn is the Perfect Time to Book a Holiday – and How to Get the Best Off-Season Deals
As the leaves start to fall and the crowds wind down, experts explain why autumn is the right time to book a holiday
Autumn is the ideal time for savvy travellers to plan a holiday. With fewer crowds, cooler temperatures, and reduced prices, it’s the perfect opportunity to escape and unwind while taking advantage of off-season deals.
Whether you dream of a beach retreat, a city break, or a nature-filled escape, this less touristy season offers fantastic savings and a more relaxed experience.
Dawn Morwood, Co-Director of Cheap Deals Away UK, uses her travel experience to offer some insightful tips for Autumn travel. She explains why, as the seasons change, there are benefits to travelling in cooler months and how to make the most out of booking a holiday to beat out the post-summer blues.
Why Travel in Autumn?
Cooler Weather
Although the summer sun is a joy in itself, higher temperatures mean more discomfort, especially if you’re going on holiday in a big city where you’re walking a lot. That, with the added fact that many places, especially in Europe, don’t have air conditioning, is enough to keep people from travelling until the temperatures start to drop. Other activities like hiking, taking public transportation, and sightseeing are much more pleasant when the temperature outside is cooler.
Fewer Crowds
Although big crowds might signify that a place is important and offers a lot to do, just the thought of pushing through thousands of people or waiting in line for hours to see certain experiences can be exhausting. As children go back to school and people finish up their summer holidays, you’ll start to see museum attendance go down and beaches clear up.
“If you can get in one last warm weekend at the beginning of autumn, you’ll see that there are much fewer people around, especially in beach towns”, says Morwood. “On top of finding prime spots on the beach, you’ll also find that you don’t need to wait for a seat at popular restaurants and bars”.
More Affordable Flights and Accommodations
As fewer people book holidays in Autumn, hotels still aim to fill their rooms. The same goes for airlines that would rather sell a ticket at a lower price than not sell one at all. When the travel season is at its peak, airlines and hotels ramp up their prices to match demand, but as the weather cools down, you’ll start to see special rates for off-season locations.
“Start looking at autumn flights in the summer time to see the difference in price between the hot months and the months leading up to winter holidays, to help you understand when the best time to book is”, advises Morwood.
How to Get the Best Off-Season Deals
Book Midweek Flights
Airlines typically offer lower fares for flights departing on Tuesdays and Wednesdays since these days tend to be less popular for travel. By avoiding the weekend rush, you can save a significant amount on airfare. Additionally, airports tend to be less crowded, making for a smoother and more stress-free travel experience.
“This is a great way to use your holiday days because if you book a Wednesday or Thursday flight, you only have to take two or three days off and still have the weekend”, says Morwood. “Most people try to fly out during the weekend, which is why flights are so much more expensive, so it’s worth taking a few extra days off to save money”.
Use Travel Deal Websites
Sites like Skyscanner, Kayak, and Google Flights aggregate prices from multiple airlines and travel platforms, allowing you to compare and find the best deals. Many of these sites also offer price alerts, so you’ll be notified when fares drop, ensuring you don’t miss out on a bargain. By using these tools and taking the time to scour the internet yourself, you can save both time and money on flight bookings.
By using websites that let you save and monitor trips, you will get notified right away if prices drop. “This means you can make a tentative travel schedule, then, the minute you find a flight deal within your budget, you can plan the rest of your holiday around it”, says Morwood.
Consider All-Inclusive Packages
Booking all-inclusive packages is a convenient way to bundle together flights, accommodations, meals, and activities, often at a lower price than booking each separately. These packages simplify the planning process and eliminate surprise expenses, so you know exactly what you’re paying upfront. This option is especially beneficial for families or groups looking to get the most value for their money.
This is a tip that should be followed all year long but is especially helpful as prices drop after peak tourism season ends. As prices surge around the world, saving a bit of money so you can still have a holiday is still an option if you book an all-inclusive package. You may even find availability at high-end all-inclusive resorts that you wouldn’t be able to afford in peak season.
Morwood states that “all-inclusive packages are a great way to travel if you don’t mind the lack of flexibility and just want to see somewhere new without worrying about planning it all yourself”.
Last-Minute Deals
If you have the freedom to get time off of work without much notice, then tracking certain trips and seeing if they will offer last-minute deals is a great way to snag a cheaper price on flights and hotels. Booking websites will often offer these deals when airlines and hotels think they won’t sell out of seats and rooms.
Last-minute booking platforms allow travellers to take advantage of unsold rooms and flights, often at a fraction of the original price. While it requires flexibility in your travel plans, scoring a last-minute deal can lead to huge savings, especially for spontaneous adventurers. These deals can be perfect for quick getaways or for travellers who enjoy making decisions on the fly.
Dawn Morwood, Co-Director of Cheap Deals Away UK, comments:
“Finding the right time of year to go on holiday can be hard if you don’t have the right tools to find the best deals. The best thing you can do is weigh the pros and cons of waiting to take a holiday during the cooler autumn months versus the hot summer months, then decide whether or not you want to try it out. Based on my experience, autumn is quickly becoming a popular time to book a holiday.
“If you aren’t tied to obligations like school and have a flexible work schedule, then autumn is the perfect time to book a holiday where you’ll see fewer crowds and beautiful autumnal scenery. With the help of modern technology and online platforms that can predict price drops, you should be able to book the holiday of your dreams for less than you think this season”.
