Only 10 days: The temporary trick that cuts flight prices abroad
A new study reveals an extremely short window of opportunity where flight prices to popular destinations in Europe drop by tens of percent, just before they jump again ahead of the High Holy Days.
Those who waited with their vacation or thought their pockets would be hurt by holiday costs will now discover a short but particularly profitable window of opportunity. The transition between the end of the summer vacation and the beginning of the holidays creates about ten unusual days where demand drops, resulting in bargain prices and less crowded airports.
Data from the digital travel agency SkyGini shows that booking with a difference of just a few days can cut the price of a flight ticket by tens of percent. For example, a flight to Rome this coming weekend will cost 395 dollars, but a week later its price drops to only 249 dollars — a saving of almost 150 dollars per ticket. Flight prices to Athens drop from 331 dollars to 227 dollars in mid-September (a drop of a third in price), and flights to Larnaca are discounted from 217 to 176 dollars.
However, this is a temporary and localized phenomenon. Towards Rosh Hashanah and the Sukkot holiday, prices jump upwards again, with the flight to Rome reaching 407 dollars. Gilad Arditi, co-CEO of SkyGini, explains that the combination of late August and early September creates a rare timing: "Those who are flexible and spontaneous can enjoy particularly affordable prices and a much more worthwhile vacation with much less crowding in the next two weeks."
