
Take More Vacations: How to Search Better, Book Cheaper, and Travel the World

If the question were about long-term trends in airfare, average ticket price would be useful data. But the question they’re claiming to answer is when should you book a flight in order to get the cheapest fare. On this matter, average ticket price tells you almost nothing.
Scott Keyes • Take More Vacations: How to Search Better, Book Cheaper, and Travel the World
A mistake fare is when an airline accidentally sells a flight at a cartoonishly low price. Think New York City to Milan for $130 roundtrip, San Jose to Osaka for $169 roundtrip, or $225 roundtrip from Washington, DC, to Brussels. These are all deals I’ve personally booked. A number of factors can cause a mistake fare, including: Human error: When a
... See moreScott Keyes • Take More Vacations: How to Search Better, Book Cheaper, and Travel the World
Travel is good for you. Survey after survey shows that travelers are happier, healthier, and more productive than nontravelers.
Scott Keyes • Take More Vacations: How to Search Better, Book Cheaper, and Travel the World
“Frequent respites might be more important to preserve well-being than the duration of one single [vacation],” the authors concluded. Three one-week vacations may do us more good than one three-week vacation.
Scott Keyes • Take More Vacations: How to Search Better, Book Cheaper, and Travel the World
TOP FLIGHT SEARCH ENGINES Google Flights Kayak Skyscanner Momondo
Scott Keyes • Take More Vacations: How to Search Better, Book Cheaper, and Travel the World
Even the very notion that longer vacations are more relaxing is worth questioning. In 2013, Dutch researchers at Radboud University in Nijmegen published a study examining trip length and vacationers’ health and well-being. They surveyed travelers on longer vacations, 23 days on average, and found that well-being peaked on Day 8 and declined therea
... See moreScott Keyes • Take More Vacations: How to Search Better, Book Cheaper, and Travel the World
Though many people associate Southwest with just domestic flights, they began flying internationally after acquiring AirTran Airways in 2011. At time of writing, Southwest has expanded their route map to include Mexico, Belize, Cuba, Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and, most recently, Hawaii.
Scott Keyes • Take More Vacations: How to Search Better, Book Cheaper, and Travel the World
Most airlines (with a few notable exceptions, like Southwest) begin selling flights a year out from travel. If you want to take a flight on June 17, 2022, the absolute earliest you’d be able to book that flight would be June 17, 2021. And unless it gets sold out, you can theoretically book a flight up until a few minutes before takeoff. Fares will
... See moreScott Keyes • Take More Vacations: How to Search Better, Book Cheaper, and Travel the World
First, don’t let the complexity of finding or comparing flights drag you into nihilism. It can be tempting to throw up your hands when trying to benchmark flight options across dozens of possible factors.