Plan in advance to get the most from your extended Labor Day summer weekend.
During the long Labor Day weekend tens of millions of Americans will hop on a flight, or a train, or get in their car to travel to a destination where they’ll squeeze the most out of the last days of summer. They will soak in the sun on our sunny shores, hike the trails in our purple mountains majesty, or antique hunt in quaint towns ready for their Hallmark movie moment.
And then there’s the folks who won’t be doing anything because they failed to do a bit of planning ahead. Don’t be a couch potato next year. Follow our tips and celebrate the end of summer like you deserve.
Book Flights in Early Summer for the Best Value
For the best deals on flights, start planning in the dead of winter. No one is thinking of Labor Day, so you may find remarkable prices. At about seven weeks out, that would be mid-Julyish, airlines will have an idea how many seats they’re booking and raise or lower prices accordingly.
Believe it or not, if you call a Travel Consultant, like the ones we have here at Fare Buzz, they can get you a better value than you could online. Try it, (888) 922-2222.
If you have airlines rewards points that don’t have blackout dates, you may nab a freebie. At least make sure you sign up for a rewards program or have a credit card that earns you points - you can start accruing for your next trip.
Since most people begin their travel on the Friday before Labor Day weekend, and end it on Monday evening, you can score the best tickets if your schedule is flexible. Tuesday is a great day for a budget traveller to fly, and try to take an early or late flight. You can nap on the beach.
Hotels Raise Prices and Sell Out Fast
About eighty-five percent of people plan to drive to their Labor Day destination and stay over in a hotel. Don’t expect to see any vacancy signs along the strip because it ain’t happening, so you are better off reserving your rooms during the dark days of winter.
Don’t limit yourself to a hotel room. By planning early, you can score a houseboat in Seattle or a groovy place in Manhattan via Airbnb or VRBO. You’ll guarantee your accommodations and you can daydream about it when another blizzard hits.
Rental Cars and Gas Will Cost You More
Because of the demand, you can be assured that you will pay more for your rental car, and if you wait until the last minute your family of six may be crammed in a little Kia instead of that family van you wanted. So, once again, get yourself organized and secure your rental car.
The price of gas is out of your hands, especially if we have a hurricane that disrupts shipments. The Friday of Labor Day weekend is the busiest day to buy gas, so try to fill up in advance if you’re taking a road trip. Use cash when you can since many gas stations are now giving a discount for cash sales. Rewards cards or paying with an app can also save you some bucks.
Let our Travel Consultants Plan for You
DIY travel arrangements have been conditioned into us for the last decade. While it can be fun to dream about your next vacation, it’s darn dreary work slogging through some travel site’s listings of flights and hotels. You leave it until the next day only to come back and find the prices have risen.
Fare Buzz has Travel Consultants that are on call for you. Tell them your travel desires, your budget and dates, then let them get it all arranged for you. Fare Buzz has spent years building relationships with travel providers, so our consultants have access to deals and valuable perks that you won’t see on a regular travel site.
Give them a call at (888) 922-2222 and don’t spend another Labor Day weekend wondering what everyone else is doing.
