The best time to grab airfare is on a Tuesday or Wednesday. It's a known fact. Airlines check their stock and discount what they have too much of. Generally, the best deals are to be had in that 6-8 week pre-flight range.
If you're truly after a bargain, don't be scared to take a milk-run route. Meaning, one or two stops. Sometimes you can literally save hundreds off the direct flight. But then, and herein lies the gamble... What if a plane is delayed? How much money is your time worth? But sometimes, one extra stop for a $300 savings is... soooo worth it.
Also, the best way to grab a bargain, and be the hero at work too, is to GO when everyone else is coming back. So, lets say you work in hospitality... volunteer to work the long weekends. You'll make time and half pay, plus be the hero to the folks who don't have to work the long weekend. Then... you take off the day they get back and enjoy your own half price vacation. I'm sure it's like a 70% savings, if you factor in the fact you got paid extra for working... but never mind. I'll get to my point.
Easter 2011: Good Friday is April 22nd; Sunday the 24th. Most people will try to take off on the 21st to beat the crowds. Too bad for them if they are just trying to book airfare. Just about anywhere will be $800+ with those dates.
However... if you want to leave on Sunday the 24th, Westjet will take you from YWG to PHX for $98.99 (one way, plus tax). This is way lower than typical. Same dates to Orlando... $139. (Or Cheaper with the Air canada Facebook discount code - good until March 4) The hotels will also be cheaper because people will be checking out... not typically checking in. Rates will be 30% less, if not a better deal.
So if you were thinking about a quick trip somewhere exciting... think about going after the long weekend. Any long weekend. And when you see a great price, book quick. They can disappear just as quickly as the Easter Chocolate!
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Further to Maui
If you are thinking about taking your sweetie to Maui, Air Canada STILL has lots of great dates. You just have to go to Aircanada.ca and play around with dates. Lucky for us, they have a lowest price date tab on the top. And you can see why going a day earlier, or later can be real savings.
April 24th-29th, with the discount code, now comes out to $579.52 with taxes. That's for 5 days, but you can do 10 at the same price. A steal. And on one of the world's top rated airlines... you can't beat it. Then I would go to Expedia.ca and look around for hotel deals. Or hotel and car, if you are so inclined. That's when Maui can get as expensive as you want it to be. Sheraton, Westin or Marriott hotels run about $350 a night. Condos, and Canadian hotels like the Maui Coast can be $100-$200 per night. It's up to you to decide where you want to be, and how much luxury is enough.
I do want to mention that any of the above mentioned deals can be found through Canadian travel agencies. And each time I find something great that I want, I call my Travel Agent with the details (Especially flight numbers) and then get her to line it up. That way me, and my credit card, deal with someone I trust and SHE still gets a commission. So, it does pay to have a relationship established with your travel agent, and have her on speed dial, because as I said before, the clock is ticking.
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