Shoulder Seasons

The Cheapest Times to Travel

Travelling in high season doesn’t only mean you’re paying the top price for your vacation. Beaches are fuller, queues are longer, tourist attractions are more crowded, and though the sun might seem appealing, travelling around to see the sights in the blazing heat can lead to exhaustion rather than relaxation. But tickets are at their cheapest in the low season for good reason. Monsoons, hurricanes and bad weather in general can make the bargains unappealing. Choose your vacation time with care and you can enjoy good weather, uncrowded resorts and still pay considerably less. Enter the shoulder season.

The shoulder season is a little-known term for a fairly straightforward concept. If you avoid visiting a destination at the same time as everyone else, prices are cheaper and your vacation is bound to be more enjoyable. The shoulder season falls at the start and finish of the high season, and many hotels, flights and vacations are reduced in price to tempt people to travel at slightly different times. The weather should still be good, something you can’t be sure of if travelling in low season, but you’ll pay less for avoiding the most popular times. A general rule of thumb for picking a shoulder season is to avoid school holidays and the “obvious” times to travel, but to keep as close to high season as you can.

Ski resorts, for example, open in late November, but see little traffic until the Christmas week. Head out in early or mid-December and not only will your package of flights and hotel be cheaper, but you’ll find the slopes less crowded, lift queues shorter and, usually, a substantial reduction on the cost of ski hire and lift passes. Alternatively, consider later March or April (be sure to check when Easter falls to avoid school vacations) when the resort is starting to wind down.

Or, if you want a vacation in the Mediterranean, consider late September or even early October. The weather can still be fantastic and you’ve far more chance of having a beach all to yourself. It’s worth considering booking such a vacation on a “last minute” basis if you want to make sure you are going to go somewhere that is still enjoying the sunshine. Check the weather forecasts as often as you can and pounce on a good deal when you find it.

For long-haul destinations, it’s wise to find out about the ins and outs of low seasons. The Caribbean, for example, suffers from huge storms in June and July, making it a serious low season time to visit, but if you look for islands off the “Hurricane belt” you should be able to pick up a great deal and still enjoy good weather. It is more counter-intuitive travelling long-haul than to Europe, but check the seasonality of the place to which you want to travel, and then try and go out just before or just after the peak periods.

Also be aware of festivals and local holidays – no matter where you’re thinking of going, prices will rise over the Christmas week and New Year. Remember events such as Carnival and Easter. If you’re not going to join in the fun, then it’s not worth paying the extra money.

For up to the minute travel news and deals, sign up to the weekly Cheapflights newsletter, which is packed with good deals all year-round.