November 20th 'best day to book Christmas breaks'
Wednesday, 16 November 2011 10:49 AM
Continental markets are a popular Christmas attraction
Savvy travellers hoping to bag a bargain Christmas break this year have been encouraged to make their booking on November 20th.
Travel search site KAYAK studied data from last year and revealed that international flights from the UK booked on this date were on average eight per cent cheaper than those reserved throughout the rest of the month.
Furthermore, bookings made on November 20th were nearly a fifth (19 per cent) cheaper than transactions carried out in the first two weeks of December, while consumers who booked in September this year may have paid up to 28 per cent more.
Annie Wilson, KAYAK's UK managing director, said the research contradicted the idea that the best flight deals and prices become available at the last minute.
"As our data shows, factors such as airlines scaling back on capacity mean it's no longer guaranteed that this is the case, leaving some people stung with few options and a pricey ticket close to Christmas," she added.
Offering some tips for people looking for a good price on festive getaways this year, the travel search site recommended doing some research, speaking to friends and looking at fares from the year before.
Travellers can also set up price alerts to ensure they are up to date with changing costs and the latest deals.
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