Labor Day airfares fall

With the price of almost everything going up these days, here’s a welcome surprise. According to Travelocity, Labor Day domestic airfares are down 1.2 percent and fall fares have declined by 3 percent compared to the same period last year.

Note that Travelocity specifies “domestic” airfares. International tariffs continue to climb. That’s where the action is these days, and, increasingly, where airlines are making their money.

Granted, 1.2 and 3 percent respectively don’t amount to a freefall, but the numbers are still good news. “If I knew where I was headed this holiday season I’d snap up my ticket as soon as possible,” says Amy Ziff, Travelocity’s Editor At Large. “We believe that travelers should consider taking advantage of the lower rates available right now.”

With Hurricane Dean moving into the Gulf of Mexico, a move that could affect petroleum prices, that’s not a bad idea.

Travelocity says fliers are widening their purchase windows, booking farther ahead (an average of two days farther ahead) than in the past. Packed airplanes this summer, surmises Travelocity, may have trained them to do that.

What kind of fare breaks are we talking about? Some domestic price drops are dramatic. Average Charleston, SC (CHS) airfares are down by 24 percent this fall compared to last. An average Atlanta (ATL) ticket costs 18 percent less. Phoenix is down by 9 percent. And the price of an average air ticket to sunny San Diego (SAN) costs 8.5 percent less than in the fall of 2006.

© Cheapflights Ltd Jerry Chandler