blog post

If you were one of the millions of North Americans who weren’t able to get away for summer vacation, not to worry.  The fall is the best time of year to catch a great travel deal.

I’m often asked when the best time of year is to get the best travel deals.  In my honest opinion, that time is now.   Otherwise known as Value Season, September through early December has some of the deepest discounts available offered all year. 

Here are a few primary reasons you may want to consider getting away this fall:

Low travel demand – Travel demand is directly related to when the masses are able to travel.  Most people are limited to school breaks including Spring Break, summer, and the holidays. 

Lower demand equals lower prices.  Planes, ships, and hotels need to be filled, so travel companies are quick to lower their rates during this time of year.  Even Disney, which rarely discounts its products, is known to go on sale during the fall for their resorts and cruise line.

Hurricane season – Even though hurricane season is usually thought of as being in August and September, the season is technically June through November.  Being half of the year, hurricane season is a definitely factor when it comes to making travel plans, that should never be an excuse not to travel during this time of year.

The Caribbean, Central America, and states along the Gulf and East Coasts are the most prone to hurricanes.   But, as those of us know who live in one of these areas, a hurricane isn’t guaranteed to happen.  Even if a hurricane or tropical storm occurs, it doesn’t have to hinder vacation plans entirely – the purchase of trip insurance can be a huge help when an occurrence does happen.  A cruise is one of the best vacations of choice during hurricane season because the captain can simply change its course and itinerary as necessary in order to avoid bad weather.

Other tropical destinations such as Hawaii and Brazil rarely, if ever, experience a hurricane.  Outside of Cyclone Season in the South Pacific, hurricanes and tropical storms are non-existent.

Fewer crowds and fewer kids – One of the best perks when traveling in the fall is that there are fewer crowds and fewer kids.  It’s almost like having the destination, hotel, or ship all to yourself.   

With fewer people, it’s a great time to enjoy the traditional family-oriented vacation destinations such as Disney World, Beaches Resorts, and most major cruise lines minus the over-crowded tourist population of mid-summer.   Fewer people also make the overall experience much more convenient since it equates to less time standing in line at the airport, hotel check-in, or pier thereby more time enjoying your vacation.

With these different factors and lower price, the overall value of traveling in the fall can be priceless.