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While you might think that summer is the most popular time to travel, fall travel is also primetime for many people to hop a flight, get behind the wheel, or otherwise head off on an adventure.

After all, not everyone is tied to school schedules that dictate spring break and summer vacations. People looking for less oppressively hot weather, those without kids, or travelers looking for fewer crowds might choose to travel in the autumn. Any fall foliage adds to the allure.

Another reason to travel after August: Prices can be lower in fall for everything from flights to lodging because there is typically less demand. But it’s important to note that there can be a wide range in overall costs, depending on a number of factors, including the destination, exact dates, kind of trip (camping vs. classy hotel), and when you book the travel.

That last factor can play a significant role in the cost of fall travel, so here’s a closer look, including:

•   When to book flights for fall

•   When to book hotels for fall travel

•   How far in advance to book a rental car

•   When to book a fall cruise

Things to Keep in Mind

Fall travel encompasses a wide variety of trips. Here is some intel that can help you assess pricing and when to book:

•   Autumn can be the peak time for some types of getaways. For instance, New England for leaf peeping can be one of the best places to travel in fall. But it could be off-peak or shoulder season for other locations. Beach vacations or ski resorts aren’t likely to make the list of best fall travel destinations.

•   Understanding peak vs. off-peak gives you insight into supply and demand for travel. When demand is high, prices tend to go up. But when it’s low (that is, fewer people are booking flights or hotel rooms), prices tend to drop. This knowledge can help you decide where to travel in the fall and plan an affordable vacation.

•   You’ll also want to be aware of any special events that might be going on at your location. For instance, if you are dreaming of a fall getaway in Paris, you’ll want to avoid the days when the fashion shows are in full swing, sending costs soaring. People from all over the world flood into the city for these shows, meaning an affordable hotel room can be hard to find.

•   Using credit card miles or cash back can also be a part of paying for your trip. If you’re using miles, check for how the time of year may impact points needed. There might also be blackout dates to avoid.

Recommended: Where to Keep a Travel Fund

When to Book Flights for Fall

Knowing the right time to book flights for fall travel can depend on how you’re planning on paying for your flights. If you apply for a credit card to earn airline miles or credit card rewards, you’ll want to leave enough time to collect the miles from your welcome bonus and still have time to book your flights. Otherwise, it can depend on whether you are booking domestic or international flights.

Domestic Flights

Just as with summer travel, you’ll want to start watching flight prices a few months before your planned travel dates. Consider using a travel booking site (you may hear them referred to as online travel agencies, or OTAs), such as Expedia or Booking.com. Look for ones that offer comparisons to past results. That can give you an idea how the price today stacks up vs. historical price trends. If the current price is below historical averages, consider booking your flights right away. Otherwise, check back in a week or two. You may also find some sites that use predictive data analysis to say prices are likely to rise or fall, which can be very helpful info.

International Flights

Booking international flights can be a bit more complicated, because there are often a lot more moving parts on an international vacation. Hotels, activities and excursions, and other transport can be harder to arrange when you’re traveling overseas. Booking your fall travel at least a couple of months in advance can be a wise move. You can often snag a good price by booking early, and nailing down your ticket can help the other plans fall into place.

Also, if you need to get a visa for your international trip, you probably want to make sure that your flights are locked down several months before your trip. You may need your travel documentation to get that visa approval.

A budget-boosting move: When booking international travel, you are likely going to rack up a good number of miles and dollars. Being part of an airline points program or using an airline credit card can be a smart way to earn rewards.

Of course, there’s no harm in using your usual plastic and collecting those credit card rewards to redeem as you see fit. Perhaps you’ll get enough cash back to have an amazing meal as you travel, whether you’re headed for South Carolina or Singapore.

Booking Hotels for Fall: Advance vs Last-Minute

When booking hotels for fall travel, you may wonder whether you’ll score a better deal by doing so way in advance or last-minute. Some points to consider:

•   Both techniques can have their upsides. An early reservation may allow you to lock in a low rate before demand grows, sending prices upward. However, if a hotel has rooms lingering unbooked, it might discount them at the last moment in the hopes of filling them up.

•   Many hotels offer rates that have very lenient cancellation policies. So one way to make a hotel reservation can be in the form of book now, pay later travel.

You might save money on hotels by making a cancellable reservation at your preferred hotel. Then, regularly check on the rates for your hotel and other nearby hotels. If the price goes down, you can cancel your first reservation and make a new one at the lower rate. This strategy can combine the benefits of booking in advance and booking at the last minute. You can keep an eye on pricing and search for a better deal until your departure date, yet you still know there’s a room reserved for you if you don’t find a better price.

How Far in Advance to Book Rental Cars for Fall

If you will be renting a car on your trip, you can use the same strategy as outlined above. Most rental car companies allow you to make your reservation and then pay for it if and when you arrive on site. You can make an initial reservation and then monitor it over time to see if the price drops.

Bonus tip: When booking a rental car for fall travel, your credit card may offer car rental insurance. Check into that detail. If your card does carry this perk, you may be able to save money by declining the rental company’s insurance.

Recommended: How Does Credit Card Travel Insurance Work?

When to Book a Fall Cruise

It can be cheaper to book a fall cruise many months or even years before the date of the cruise. Cruise companies can offer lower prices on cruises with a long lead time, in the hopes of filling their ships. As the date of embarkation gets closer, it’s common for cruise prices to increase.

In general, you’ll find the best prices for cruising around the Caribbean, up to Alaska, or elsewhere if you book during the industry’s sale season, which tends to be November through March. That’s when holiday (Black Friday and Cyber Monday) and “wave season” discounts are usually offered.

However, it’s also common for cruise companies and travel sites that specialize in cruising to offer last-minute deals. So if you have the flexibility to travel at the last minute (maybe you’re sitting on some unused vacation days at work and have a slow week coming up), you can often score a great deal. Using a travel credit card can also help you earn rewards that you can use for cruising.

Best Time to Book Tours, Sites, and Activities for Fall

Are there specific tours or activities that are “must dos” for your fall vacation? A sightseeing Jeep ride or an exhibition at a museum that requires a timed ticket? By all means, you should book them in advance as soon as you know when and where you’ll be traveling. That way, you don’t have to worry about them selling out.

For other activities, you can consider waiting to see if there are any coupons or deals that come available. Also consider that many credit card companies have travel portals that allow you to pay for activities with credit card rewards. This can be a way to save money on your fall vacation while still packing in cool attractions and experiences.

The Takeaway

There isn’t a single best time to book fall travel — instead, the best timing will depend on a variety of factors, such as where you want to go, how you are traveling, and your comfort level with “fly by the seat of your pants,” unplanned travel.

Generally speaking, booking further in advance can get you good deals and provide you with the best choice. You can also take advantage of “book now, pay later” refundable or cancellable reservations for hotels, rental cars, and activities. Once those are secured, if the price drops, you can save money by canceling and rebooking at the lower rate.

Whether you want to travel more or get a better ROI for your travel dollar, SoFi can help. SoFi Travel is a new service exclusively for SoFi members that lets you budget, plan, and book your next trip in a convenient one-stop shop. SoFi takes the guessing game out of how much you can afford for that honeymoon, family vacation, or quick getaway — and we help you save too.

Photo credit: iStock/AleksandarNakic

¹See Rewards Details at SoFi.com/card/rewards.

**Terms, and conditions apply: This SoFi member benefit is provided by Expedia, not by SoFi or its affiliates. SoFi may be compensated by the benefit provider. Offers are subject to change and may have restrictions, please review the benefit provider's terms: Travel Services Terms & Conditions.
The SoFi Travel Portal is operated by Expedia. To learn more about Expedia, click https://www.expediagroup.com/home/default.aspx.

When you use your SoFi Credit Card to make a purchase on the SoFi Travel Portal, you will earn a number of SoFi Member Rewards points equal to 3% of the total amount you spend on the SoFi Travel Portal. Members can save up to 10% or more on eligible bookings.

Gone are the days of cheap pandemic-era flights. America is back to traveling, and the airlines know it. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index, airfare prices rose a whopping 26.5% between February 2022 and February 2023.

Flying can be so expensive these days, you might hesitate to plan a vacation at all. But with a little research and consumer savvy, you can lock in a great airfare with a few clicks. Here are some tips for finding cheap airfares, including:

•   How to compare airfares

•   How to find the best airfares

•   How to book cheap airfares

•   How not to fall for airfare myths

Know the Average Flight Cost for Your Trip

To start your hunt for the best airfare, you’ll need a baseline. Whether you’re heading cross-country or to the other side of the planet, begin researching how much your flight costs on average.

To get an idea of airfare costs for your next adventure, consult an online travel agency (OTA). Booking sites such as Expedia, Kayak, and Google Flights provide metasearch travel engines to compare prices of various airlines. These scour the Internet to bring you the best deals.

To begin, type in your preferred departure airport and destination in the OTA search engine, and a target date for travel, if you have one. The results can give you an overall idea of what major airlines are charging, and how much you’ll have to dip into your sinking fund for airfare.

In addition to targeting your range of travel dates, you can get more granular and zero in on the number of stops you’re willing to make, the class of service you want to fly, and other details. This will give you more intel so you can start comparing airfares.

Recommended: A Guide to How Credit Card Travel Insurance Works

10 Tips for Booking the Lowest Airfare

How can a flight to Miami that costs $250 on a Tuesday jump up to $350 by Friday? Plane fare fluctuations can be maddening, especially when low airfares seem to rise for no discernable reason.

Whether you crave a lavish sojourn overseas or a minimalist camping trip a couple of states away, there are tricks to saving on airfare. Here are 10 ways to stop your getaway funds from flying out of your bank account.

1. Set Up Price Alerts

Some people don’t have the time or patience to hunt for discount airfares — constantly checking prices with multiple airlines, hoping they drop from one day to the next.

Luckily, there’s an app for that. Several of them.

Certain travel websites and apps, such as Hopper, Skyscanner, and Kiwi, offer to set up price alerts. You provide the destination and dates, and they will send you an alert whenever the airfare drops.

Many price alert services will allow you to set up searches for flexible dates or from multiple airports. Some can even advise how far in advance to book or on which days you should book in order to get the best deal.

There’s typically no obligation to buy, so you can decline any offer and wait for a different one. Price alerts can do the work for you, so you can get back to earning money for that all-inclusive resort.

2. Travel During Off-Peak Seasons

Airfares can vary due to supply and demand. Airlines know when most people travel and will raise their fares during peak travel seasons.

If possible, avoid booking flights during July and August, traveling instead in May to early June or late August through mid-October. You can typically avoid the high cost of summer travel that way. January and February tend to be slow travel months and traditionally yield good flight deals, too.

Airfares tend to skyrocket in December, especially around the holiday season and New Year’s. Also, be wary of traveling during certain weeks in March and April, when many K-12 schools and colleges go on break. If you aren’t bound by a school schedule, you will likely find better rates by varying your dates a bit.

3. Be Flexible with Dates

Speaking of dates: If you can be fluid with when you depart and return, that will usually give you some wiggle room to score the lowest airfares. With many OTA websites, you can choose an “I’m flexible” option when searching, which can reveal the price difference between flying back on a Tuesday versus a Sunday. Depending on how business and vacation travel demand fluctuates, you might find a sweet spot where you can snag a cheap airfare.

4. Reap the Rewards from a Travel Credit Card

There are many travel credit cards that offer airline reward points for every dollar you spend, so you can earn a free flight or upgrades in the future. Consider signing up for a credit card with an airline you use frequently or that has a hub near you.

Some airlines offer credit cards with large signing bonuses — up to 75,000 miles or more under certain conditions. But be careful: Those “free” points aren’t free if you can’t pay off your card balance every month and wind up spending your hard-earned bucks on interest charges.

5. Book on the Best Day for Your Route

Here’s a little calendar intelligence about nabbing the best airfare: Some days can offer lower prices than others:

•   Mondays and Wednesdays can be the cheapest days to fly domestically and internationally, ringing up at 12% to 20% less than weekend flights.

•   Sundays are often the most expensive day to leave for a trip.

•   The day you book a flight doesn’t matter very much. Research shows you only stand to save 1% or 2% on ticket prices that way.

6. Know How Far in Advance to Book

You probably know that last-minute travel can be dicey. And when it comes to air travel, not only do you risk high prices, but you could be shut out entirely.

It’s usually best to book travel between one and five months in advance to secure the seats you want at the best price. If you are going really far afield (Australia, anyone?), it can be wise to start hunting a full nine or even 10 months in advance.

7. Save on Last-Minute Fares

Here’s an exception to the above rule: If you are a person who’s super spontaneous (you might even say you fly by the seat of your pants), you might be able to fly cheaply too. When there are empty seats on a plane, airlines may promote last minute deals to fill them.

Betting on last-minute airfares is risky though — prices can soar with demand or tickets can sell out. If you’re the Best Man in a destination wedding, best to book your flight in advance, even if you are trying to cut the costs of being in a wedding. But if you happen to have a slow work week ahead and unused vacay days, the stars might align in your favor.

8. Book Through the Airline

Travel search engines like Expedia can be a great way to find cheap airfares, but when it comes to booking, sometimes it’s worth double-checking prices directly at the airline’s website.

Booking directly through an airline may save you time and hassle if a flight gets delayed or canceled. If you book through a third party and there’s a problem with a reservation, an airline will often pass you back to whichever OTA processed the purchase.

Worth noting: Some airlines, like Southwest, don’t allow OTAs to list or sell fares.

9. Shop for Nearby Airports or Cities

You may be able to save on airfares by broadening your airport search. If you’re willing to drive a bit more, sometimes flying in or out of a smaller, out-of-the-way airport or from a nearby city can save you money. As you search for cheap airfares, allow the results to show additional airports within a certain radius of your destination to see if that alters pricing.

10. Save on Fees

Airlines can tack on a lot of fees for extra perks — checked baggage, reserving your seat in advance, and in-flight amenities. You can save on fees by:

•   Becoming a frequent flyer. Enrolling in an airline’s frequent flyer plan or signing up for an airline credit card can award you free checked bags, free advanced seat selection, upgrades, and other benefits.

•   Packing light. To avoid checked-bag fees, invest in the biggest, airline-approved luggage piece that can fit in the overhead compartment. You may need to scour the airline’s website to get the dimensions that are accepted. Then, for your “personal item,” choose a roomy but squashable bag or backpack that can fit under the seat.

Recommended: Credit Card Rewards 101: Getting the Most Out of Your Credit Card

3 Myths About Booking Flights

There are several myths surrounding ways to find the best airfares. Don’t fall for them. Here are examples:

1.    Buy your tickets on a Tuesday. According to Google Flights, when comparing fares bought on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday to those bought on a weekend day, “prices have only been 1.9% cheaper on average.” In short, good deals are not reserved for a specific day of the week.

2.    Shop incognito. There is no evidence to suggest that your searches are being tracked and that the intel gathered is being used to raise your airfare. Clearing your cookies and your cart or shopping in incognito mode will not unlock access to lower airfares.

3.    Save with a Saturday stopover. In the past, when business travelers with expense accounts filled airline seats, airlines would offer deals if you stayed over on Saturday instead of flying home Friday night for the weekend. But with so many discount airlines and non-business travelers, this no longer necessarily holds true.

The Takeaway

No one wants to blow most of their travel fund just getting to and returning from their destination. By comparing airline ticket prices, setting up price alerts, and being flexible with your travel plans, you can likely land the best flight deal. You’ll spend less of your time in the skies and leave more for sightseeing, shopping, and fun activities, which after all is the whole point of traveling.

SoFi Travel is a new service offered exclusively to SoFi members. Earn 2x rewards when booking with your SoFi Mastercard or debit card. Then apply those rewards to your next trip when you book through our travel portal. SoFi makes planning a getaway fast, easy, and convenient — perfect for people on the move.

Photo credit: iStock/Mikhail Davidovich

¹See Rewards Details at SoFi.com/card/rewards.

**Terms, and conditions apply: This SoFi member benefit is provided by Expedia, not by SoFi or its affiliates. SoFi may be compensated by the benefit provider. Offers are subject to change and may have restrictions, please review the benefit provider's terms: Travel Services Terms & Conditions.
The SoFi Travel Portal is operated by Expedia. To learn more about Expedia, click https://www.expediagroup.com/home/default.aspx.

When you use your SoFi Credit Card to make a purchase on the SoFi Travel Portal, you will earn a number of SoFi Member Rewards points equal to 3% of the total amount you spend on the SoFi Travel Portal. Members can save up to 10% or more on eligible bookings.

Travel, as you may have heard, is big business. The tourism sector accounted for 10.4% of the world’s GDP before the pandemic, and it’s on the rise again. But who really benefits from our vacation mindsets and liberal spending? Thinking about that, and making decisions based on the answers, is the first step toward becoming a responsible tourist.

The way you travel the world — from where you stay to where you shop — matters. Below we introduce the tenets of “responsible tourism.”

Recommended: Apply for an Unlimited Cash Back Credit Card

What Is Responsible Tourism?

The responsible tourism movement aims to minimize and even reverse the negative effects of travel, from overcrowding and pollution to the erosion of cultural identity. A responsible tourist will make choices based on what’s best for the long-term success of the community they’re visiting.

Conscientious travelers will want to keep the following goals in mind:

•   Minimize negative economic, social, and environmental impacts

•   Generate economic benefit for local people while supporting improved working conditions

•   Honor natural and local heritage

•   Make connections with local people that foster a deeper understanding of the culture

•   Take into account people with disabilities

•   Be culturally sensitive overall

Responsible tourism was first defined by U.K. professor Harold Goodwin as part of the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development. It differs from sustainable tourism, which focuses more on conserving natural heritage and biodiversity. Both movements offer blueprints not only for tourists, but for business operators, governments, and local residents.

And remember: The negative effects of tourism, while more pronounced in poor countries, are also felt in many American communities.

Benefits of Supporting Local Economies

What travelers spend in local communities ideally benefits both locals and travelers. Most travelers are eager to help out the places they visit. And if tourists play their cards right, they’ll experience fewer crowds and a more authentic experience.

Before the pandemic, the travel sector employed 1 in 10 people around the globe. As the World Travel & Tourism Council reminds us, “[B]ehind every job in travel and tourism, there is a face, a story, a family and sometimes a whole community’s livelihood.”

Jobs in tourism offer chances at economic success to all sorts of people, including women and young people. In fact, women are employed in tourism at almost twice the rate of other sectors. And in some areas, wildlife tourism can help protect that wildlife through preservation programs and the creation of conservation jobs.

8 Ways to Support Local Economies

So how can you know if the money you spend is benefiting locals? You can start by avoiding chains of all sorts. Read on for more ideas.

1. Book Locally Owned Accommodations

Chain hotels and Airbnbs run by property managers mainly benefit their global headquarters. Plus they can damage the local culture by driving gentrification.

Instead, opt for a locally run or family-owned inn, B&B, or small hotel. You’ll be contributing directly to the local economy, as you learn more about the place and its idiosyncrasies.

2. Eat in Local Restaurants

After enduring a long flight and arriving in an unfamiliar place grumpy and hungry, you may be tempted to pop into a familiar coffee or food establishment that you know from home. But buying food from global chain restaurants doesn’t support the local economy — nor does it expand your palate, which is one of the great benefits of travel.

Recommended: Apply for a Rewards Credit Card

3. Consider an Off-Season Visit

Travelers tend to overrun popular destinations during peak season. And in a tourism-dependent economy, their absence during low season can cause places to all but shut down. Instead of contributing to the tourist crush, try booking for a less coveted time.

Instead of summer travel to a northeastern U.S. beach town, try holding off till the fall, when it’s still balmy but emptying out.

4. Hire Local Cars and Drivers

Who knows the place you’re visiting better than a born-and-bred local? Rather than renting a car (likely from a global chain), hire a knowledgeable local driver to help you get around. You’ll learn the lay of the land and enjoy lots of insider tips and anecdotes for good measure. And you’ll put money directly into a local family’s pocket.

5. Take Trains Over Planes

Flying is one of the least sustainable parts of travel. In fact, it’s one of the least sustainable human activities, period, contributing to 2.5% of the world’s carbon emissions. Sure, when you globetrot, you need to fly to get somewhere. But why make it worse by then taking a bunch of small, enticingly cheap flights within your host country? Instead, set your sights on trains and buses, which have a much lower impact than even the shortest flights.

6. Buy Local Souvenirs

You want to go shopping, and locals have stuff to sell. What could be easier? The challenge comes in avoiding massive commercial shops and purchasing items from local artisans in craft markets and tiny, proprietor-run boutiques.

It’s also important to be aware of illegal souvenirs and avoid them at all costs. These include anything made of protected animals or trees, such as souvenirs made from poached ivory, animal skins and furs, rosewood, seashells, and hummingbirds, for just a few examples.

7. Volunteer With or Donate to Local Causes

Before heading to your destination, do a search for what donated materials might be needed by local charities. Then reserve some space in your luggage (which you can then refill with your locally purchased handicrafts). For some guidance on what to bring where, check out the destinations guide from the nonprofit Pack for a Purpose .

8. Share Your Experiences on Social Media

Once you’ve experienced responsible travel for yourself, spread the word! Using the popular #responsibletravel hashtag, share pics and details of the local establishments where you stay, eat, and shop — you may inspire others to do the same. This way, you can go on changing the world through others.

Tips for Being a Responsible Tourist

Read up on responsible tourism ahead of your trip. The fresh mindset you’ll be left with can help you get more out of your travels. Then make a few reservations in advance at local haunts.

Once you arrive, every time you open your wallet, think: Am I benefiting the local economy? Am I contributing in a positive or negative way? Keep it positive, and your destination will thank you.

The Takeaway

Enjoy your time away from home by keeping in mind the basic tenets of responsible travel: Respect local culture, minimize your waste, shop locally, and try to keep your footprint small. The whole world will benefit in the end.

SoFi Travel has teamed up with Expedia to bring even more to your one-stop finance app, helping you book reservations — for flights, hotels, car rentals, and more — all in one place. SoFi Members also have exclusive access to premium savings, with 10% or more off on select hotels. Plus, earn unlimited 3%** cash back rewards when you book with your SoFi Unlimited 2% Credit Card through SoFi Travel.

Photo credit: iStock/FilippoBacci

**Terms, and conditions apply: This SoFi member benefit is provided by Expedia, not by SoFi or its affiliates. SoFi may be compensated by the benefit provider. Offers are subject to change and may have restrictions, please review the benefit provider's terms: Travel Services Terms & Conditions.
The SoFi Travel Portal is operated by Expedia. To learn more about Expedia, click https://www.expediagroup.com/home/default.aspx.

When you use your SoFi Credit Card to make a purchase on the SoFi Travel Portal, you will earn a number of SoFi Member Rewards points equal to 3% of the total amount you spend on the SoFi Travel Portal. Members can save up to 10% or more on eligible bookings.