CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — It’s the first day of spring—reminding many travelers to spring into action to book those summer vacations.
But with the uncertainty of the economy, flyers are more frugal than ever. Fortunately for those of us who like to fly on the cheap, there’s never been a better time—thanks to the battle of the budget airlines duking it out for your dollar.
Southwest, Frontier and Spirit Airlines want you! These low-cost carriers built their business on cheap fares and few frills—with added charges for everything from better seat choice to water—but are coming up with various ways to fetch your business.
Recently, Southwest fans were surprised to learn the carrier is moving to assigned seating and doing away with its wildly popular two-free checked bag policy.
Frontier was quick to jump on Southwest, offering new bundle packages featuring an assigned seat and checked bag with no upcharges by taking advantage of its promo code.
Also, Spirit Airlines is fetching more customers with more flights out of Charlotte, including ‘Sun and Fun’ destinations like San Juan, Punta Cana, L.A., Saint Thomas and more.
When is the best time to book the cheaper fares? Travel experts at Going say February saw a 4% drop in airfare prices.
Moving forward, avoid traveling on the busiest weekends like Memorial Day and the 4th of July. It is recommended that you book three months ahead for domestic flights, and four months ahead for international flights.
Flights to Asia appear to be the cheapest international destinations, with one flight from San Francisco to Japan being under $600!
Also, a reminder if you are traveling this summer, the Real ID requirement takes effect on May 7, meaning you must have a Real ID or passport to fly domestically.
