How to Save Money on Winter Travel

Winter vacations are an attractive option for many travelers thanks to lower airfare, fewer crowds and better hotel availability, but depending on the destination, prices can still be quite high, especially for those eager to book ski getaways or the like. Here are a few ways to snag super-cheap winter holidays.

Choose dates wisely. Traveling during the winter season presents one major obstacle: holiday prices. Avoid travel during the winter holidays of Thanksgiving and Christmas, and instead search for flights and lodging in January and February, when the travel industry often endures a slump.

Travel right after Christmas and New Year’s Day. Alternatively to the point above, extend your winter holiday break from work by traveling right after New Year’s Day when hotels see a dip in bookings, especially in destinations = popular for work conferences such as New Orleans, Orlando and San Francisco.

Go somewhere cold. Cold weather haters will have a hard time wrapping their heads around going somewhere cold during the coldest season of the year, but jetting off to Norway, Iceland or Canada will be substantially cheaper in winter compared with a mid-winter vacation in the Bahamas.

Take advantage of long weekends. Two federal holidays in two winter months (Martin Luther King Jr. Day in January and Presidents Day in February) present two opportunities for long weekend trips. However, booking far in advance will ensure better prices.