Saving with 6abc: 2 summer travel tips before booking your next flight
Airfare is up about 25 percent from this time last year.
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- If you're planning to travel this summer, we have a Saving with 6abc you cannot afford to miss.
The new buzzword is "travelflation," and one of the most expensive parts of your summer vacation will be your flight. Airfare is up about 25 percent from this time last year.
"That doesn't mean that great flights can't be available at any time, it's just you have to be a bit more strategic," said Katy Nastro of Going.com, which used to be Scott's Cheap Flights.
Nastro says don't procrastinate.
"So if you're looking to travel this summer and you haven't yet booked your flight, you definitely should get on top of that," she says.
Tip number one: especially for the peak summer travel season, buy your flight before what's called the "Goldilocks" or the "just right" window closes. For domestic flights, that's at least three months from your date of travel. For international, that's at least four months out.
"And that doesn't mean you can't find a great deal outside of those windows, it just means that the likelihood of finding a great deal readily decreases," said Nastro.
Tip number two: be as flexible as you can with your dates and destinations.
"There are days of the week to travel on that do typically afford you lower fares. And that's traveling on a Tuesday or Wednesday or Saturday," she says.
Nastro also recommends using what Going.com calls "the Greek Islands trick," using the Google Flights Explorer option for airports and cities close to your ultimate destination.
"It can typically save you hundreds of dollars, especially if you're looking to go to Europe," she says.
Say you're looking to go from Philadelphia to Greece but that direct flight is pricey, try flying to London and then taking a quick budget flight to Greece.
On the way home, if Philly is too expensive to fly into, try a nearby airport like Newark or Atlantic City.
And if your flight gets canceled or significantly changed or delayed, be aware that under federal law you are entitled to a full cash refund or a rebooking on a new flight.
