It may not seem like it yet, but things are about to change when it comes to travel. This applies to both travel prices and high temperatures.
“This time of year is really the best time of year to go almost anywhere,” said Haley Berg, chief economist at the travel platform.
Crowds thin, prices in some destinations drop from peak season prices, and airfares also drop significantly as fall approaches.
“Airfare drops so significantly from the summer through September and October that you can take one of those big, long, expensive vacations for about 30 percent less almost anywhere, no matter where you’re headed,” Berg said. He also said it’s a great time to hit bucket list destinations.
On the other hand, travel consultant Dave Hershberger, president of Prestige Travel in Cincinnati, Ohio, agrees with postponing a trip to a few weeks later.
“There are many destinations where if you go a little outside the high season you will get good value and a better experience,” he said.
Here are some ideas for the next few months that will cost you a lot less, but also have a better time:
Disney World
Disney parks will be less crowded now that most kids are back in school, Hershberger said.
Walt Disney World Resort midweek theme park tickets in September are almost as low—starting at $109 for a one-day, one-day park ticket to Animal Kingdom.
And flights to Orlando and other popular Florida destinations are also cheaper. Fall fares drop by about $80 for a ticket to Orlando and Miami, Berg said.
Albania
Hopper’s fall travel preview shows that fall travelers are likely to save more than 30% on airfare by avoiding peak summer travel. But prices in Europe are still quite high, so it might make sense to choose a destination that is increasingly attracting visitors with its great value, such as Albania.
Beach lovers flock to Albania for its beaches on the Adriatic Sea, but the mountain scenery and wild Vjesa River have also won over visitors, though less so than the Albanian Riviera.
Albania remains a popular and affordable European destination this summer and will be even cheaper in the fall.
“The price is lower, but there are more offerings,” Berg said. Albania’s tourism boom: How it established itself as a popular European destination
Repositioning cruises
Cruise lines move their ships from one area to another as the seasons change.
This means some great deals for travelers looking to take on the ‘open sail’. (it is a journey that departs from one port and arrives at another).
“Instead of moving empty ships, they sell those ships to the public, often at a relatively low price. In addition to the savings, passengers can also enjoy itineraries that are not normally sold,” said Aaron Saunders, senior editor at Cruise Critic.
For example, Norwegian Epic’s 13-night transatlantic cruise in October stops in Rome, Cannes, Ibiza, Cartagena, Spain, and Ponta Delgada in Portugal’s Azores before arriving in Port Canaveral, Florida. The cruise starts at $688 per person (or $53/night).
Japan
Maybe it’s time again to take that long road trip you’ve been thinking about. Mount Fuji can be seen in the distance behind the Tokyo skyline at dusk.
Japan attracted a record number of summer visitors, thanks to a weak yen and reduced demand for Asian destinations following long-term pandemic restrictions. While demand in Japan remains strong and the yen recovered from a 38-year low against the dollar in July, pushing for a pricey trip to Asia in the fall could mean significant savings.
According to data from Hopper, round-trip airfares to Japan this fall are down an average of 33% from summer 2024 prices, and prices this fall are down 21% from the same period last year.
“If you’re going as a couple or as a family, $500-$600 in savings is significant, as are the smaller crowds because most of America and Europe are going back to school and work,” Berg said.
Hopper sees Japan as a family-friendly destination with cities that are easy to navigate by public transportation and inexpensive entertainment and dining options.
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Fall is a great time to explore the Sangre de Cristo and Santa Fe mountains in New Mexico.
Hershberger also mentioned Santa Fe as a good choice for fall, “because for them it’s kind of between seasons.”
At Santa Fe hotels, the crowds start to thin out in the fall, and it’s easier and cheaper to find what you want.
There are still plenty of events going on in September and October, and the Georgia O’Keeffe City Museum and the International Folk Art Museum are just two of the many attractions for art lovers. Fall scenic drives and outdoor recreation are also readily available.
US National Parks
Again, if you can plan a trip to the U.S., people “in the fall are very crowded in the U.S. national parks, so that’s always a good option,” said Hershberger, who also considers visiting a national park a great travel experience.
Some of the United States’ amazing national parks have become so popular in recent years that they’ve begun to require reservations for specific peak times, especially during the busy summer months. But this slows down with the onset of autumn.
At Yosemite National Park, Californiawhich required reservations every day during peak summer seasons, reservations are now only required on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. Summer reservation requirements for popular areas of Washington’s Mount Rainier National Park, first introduced this year, ended Sept. 2. Airfare to Seattle, where the airport is about a 90-minute drive from Mount Rainier, drops significantly from summer to fall, Berg said.
