The Summer Month That’s Most Budget-Friendly for Travel
Written by
Kerra Bolton
Edited by
Jenna Klaverweiden
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Timing is everything for budget-conscious travelers considering a summer holiday.
While June and July are peak travel months, August often offers the best deals. Kicking off the late-summer shoulder season, August offers warm weather with fewer crowds and lower costs.
Here’s why August is the summer month that’s most budget-friendly for travel.
Shoulder Season Begins
Travel experts consider the period between late August and mid-September a shoulder season because it transitions between peak summer and fall travel. Prices tend to drop during that time.
“Generally, the later the summer gets, the cheaper travel will get,” said Steve Schwab, CEO of Casago, a vacation rental and property management company. “People generally need or at least prefer to have a little bit of time before school starts back up again to get everything in order, which is why vacations tend to dip toward the end of August. Also, August tends to be an extra hot and dry month in a lot of places, especially compared to June.”
Demand Drops
Mercedes Zach, a travel expert at ASAP Tickets, part of Trevolution Group, said the demand for flights and accommodations tends to decrease, driving down prices.
“As a result, many hotels, airlines and tour operators offer discounted prices in August to attract more travelers and stay competitive,” Zach said. “However, it’s worth keeping in mind that travel costs can vary significantly depending on destination. For example, beach destinations in tropical locations or large events in certain areas might still remain expensive throughout August.”
Europe Is More Affordable
Late August is also a prime month for budget-conscious travelers seeking a European holiday because prices decrease as locals return from their summer holiday. In addition, many attractions remain open but with fewer lines and lower costs.
“One of the most popular summer vacation regions that stands out with the best deals this summer is Southern Europe with Spain and Greece leading the way,” Zach said. “Cities like Barcelona and Madrid, and islands like Mallorca and Ibiza, usually offer more affordable prices in August after the peak crowds in June and July.”
Budget-conscious travelers should also consider coastal towns that are still warm but have fewer travelers towards the end of the month.
“Some overly popular Greek islands like Santorini and Mykonos can still be pricey, but places like Crete, Rhodes and Thessaloniki will typically get more affordable in late August,” Zach said.
Cheaper Transportation
After analyzing 40,000 airline routes over the summer months, Jesse Neugarten, CEO and founder of Dollar Flight Club, said the drop in demand could trigger fare decreases of 10% to 15% compared with June and July.
“For example, popular European hotspots such as Rome or Barcelona often shed a decent chunk off airfare after the busy July rush,” Neugarten said. “Domestically, places like Orlando and Las Vegas also become more affordable in August. Both cities have a large volume of flights and competing airlines. So, when fewer people are booking, prices naturally go down.”
For car rentals, Mark Mannell, CEO and co-founder of Car Rental Savers, said prices are lower after Aug. 15.
“We analyzed our total price of car rentals booked for the last three summers,” Mannell said. “The cheapest month to book a car rental based on our analysis is clearly August. On average, August was about 10% cheaper than either June or July.”
Mannell said travelers looking to take advantage of August deals should book well in advance.
“Some locations sell out in the summer and get very expensive at the last minute,” Mannell explained. “For places like Alaska and Yellowstone, we recommend booking as much as a year in advance.”
Best Deals on Off-Peak Destinations
Travelers who don’t mind destinations with the August rainy seasons or intense summer heat could score discounts for the August holidays.
“For travelers looking to visit Southeast Asia on a budget, August is also a great time, as it is part of the off-season and regions like Bali, Bangkok, Krabi and Vietnam can be significantly cheaper if you don’t mind occasional rain showers and humidity,” Zach said.
Due to the late-summer rainy season, all-inclusive resorts and flights to Mexico and the Caribbean could also offer lower prices in August.
“It often comes with heat and hurricanes,” Zach said. “However, it’s a good time to avoid massive tourist crowds and high prices.”
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