Brian Kelly breaks down the news from the International Air Transport Association.
Aviation industry executives gathered in Dubai this week for the International Air Transport Association's annual general meeting and said airfares are set to keep rising in the coming months despite record revenue forecasts.
The trade group's price forecast, first reported by The Associated Press, said global inflation and a long recovery from the widespread groundings during the pandemic, as well as additional costs and expenses, including higher fuel prices, will push up passenger ticket prices in part.
Brian Kelly, founder of The Points Guy, appeared on “Good Morning America” on Tuesday to explain the key things American travelers need to know and how to continue saving as much as possible.
“There's good news and bad news today. The good news is that airfares are down 9% in the U.S. and are back up to pre-pandemic levels,” Kelly said of current fares. “The bad news is that airlines are still making record profits, and that's because they're crafty. They're finding ways to add fees on top of what we're already paying. Most of the major airlines are now raising the price of checked bags.”
Expert tips to save on airfare as prices continue to rise
“If you fly with the same airline and check your bags once a year, I would highly recommend partnering with that airline on a co-brand. [credit] “This card can save you hundreds, even thousands, of dollars,” Kelly said. “Why pay hundreds of dollars in baggage fees when you can save yourself and everyone else with a $95 credit card?”
Flexibility is key to finding a good deal, and Kelly reiterated the Goldilocks method people should use to find the best booking window: not too far in advance, and not too last minute.
“There's a sweet spot: anyone who wants to find cheap fares needs to learn how to use Google Flights,” Kelly said, adding that the app helps people easily comparison shop, set alerts and reverse engineer flight booking plans.
He recommended another site, points.me, describing its ability to use miles instead of cash as “kind of like Google Flights for award flights.”
“If you have Amex points or Chase points, they can show you how to transfer your points. International frequent flyer programs offer the best value,” he said.
Other tips to find the best fare:
Kelly also noted that the timing is slightly different for domestic and international travel.
“International airfare takes 2-3 months [out] “At the very least,” he says, “when you start booking international flights last minute, prices skyrocket.”
