Hopper’s 2020 Travel Cheat Sheet

If you’re anything like us, traveling is high on the to-do list for the new year, and there’s no better time than now to start planning so you don’t break the bank.

You’ve probably already heard that watching early and being flexible leads to the best flight and hotel deals, but we know that sometimes you want a little more pointed guidance than that when getting started.

So, we’ve pulled together the ultimate cheat sheet for when to book your 2020 travel, no matter where that may take you this year.

How to Get the Best Deals on Airfare

First, let’s talk holidays. You know when you’ll have time off, and when your family is expecting you home… there’s no excuse for not getting a good deal this year!

Table 1: Hopper’s recommendations for when to book your 2020 holiday flights.

If You Can’t Wait for the Holidays

Want to book something ASAP?

• This month, we project a 1.6% decrease in domestic round-trip flight prices to $196 compared to December levels. 

• Flight prices this January are projected to be down 11% compared to 2018 levels, and reaching the lowest levels since before 2013.

• Hopper’s six-month forecast for consumer airfare shows prices remaining low in January 2020, then rising in February through the end of June to meet spring and early summer travel demand. 

• Jet fuel prices dropped -2.3% in the most recent month of reporting data compared to the previous month, to $1.81/gal. Prices remain -7% lower than the same time last year. 

How to Get the Best Deals on Hotels

Knowing the right day of the week to check-in can help you save anywhere from 15% to 47% on your hotel stay, depending on your destination.

To help you save even more, the team behind Hopper curated a cheat sheet to help guide your next trip to a top destination city.

Table 2: Ranking of the best and worst day to check into a hotel in each city, expected good deal price for each check-in day, and the percent savings if travelers choose the best deal day.

Happy new year, and happy travels!