Need a cheap flight? These are the last two 'deal zones' of 2019

If you’re not taking advantage of all your time off, do your self a big favor and go on vacation. (iStock)

If you wonder why more of us don’t take advantage of the dramatic airfare price drops during what I call the "deal zones," consider this: Only about 28 percent of American workers use all the vacation time they’ve got coming, so they may feel they don’t have time to fly. And those of us who do have plenty of time, thanks to retirement, aren’t sure we can afford to fly.

If you’re not taking advantage of all your time off, do yourself a big favor and go on vacation. And yes, it can be affordable – for almost all of us – if you stick to flying in the "deal zones." There are two left in 2019.

When are the last of 2019’s deal zones?

The remaining two "deal zones" are almost upon us.

• November Deal Zone: This falls roughly in the first half of the month, before people begin to fly for Thanksgiving.
• December Deal Zone: This begins right after Thanksgiving travelers return home, around Dec. 4, and continues through mid-December, when Christmas/New Year’s travel gets underway.

Are deal zones when you’re supposed to buy tickets, or when you’re supposed to fly?

Deal zones are for flying. Buy tickets ahead of time, at least a couple of weeks early for domestic and a month ahead for Europe. That said, deal zones don’t always follow the rules and you might snag a deal with a shorter lead time, but we strongly suggest you buy as soon as possible.

Deal zones occur during unpopular times to fly, and that’s true with these two because each falls right before popular travel holidays. (iStock)

Why do airlines have deal zones?

Deal zones occur during unpopular times to fly, and that’s true with these two because each falls right before popular travel holidays. Since many folks plan to use their money and time off on holiday flights, the airlines do whatever they can to lure us on planes during these slow periods, so, they slash their fares.

Got any examples?

These were found just this week; prices are for round-trip flights in the November or December Deal Zone (and in some cases, prices are good for both).

• Baltimore – Ft. Myers, $113
• Chicago – Miami, $59; New Orleans, $80
• Cleveland – Ft. Lauderdale, $60
• Los Angeles – Las Vegas, $49; Albuquerque, NM $117
• New York – Denver, $67; Wash DC, $119; San Juan, Puerto Rico, $112

Don’t shop on one airline’s website. Use a comparison site that shows multiple carriers, because no single airline always has the best price. (iStock)

What about Europe, does it have a deal zone coming up?

Europe has been in something of a deal zone for most of the fall, but it is especially cheap during the two deal zones. Plus, unlike domestic fares, Europe is a steal at Thanksgiving time. If possible, shop for Europe fares using a seasonal deal-finding tool, like FareCompare, that allows you to look at prices between Oct. 31 and Dec. 16. Chances are very good you’ll see lots of cities in Europe to choose from. Recent examples:

• Los Angeles – Paris, $310
• Miami – Madrid, $390
• New York – Athens, $365

Are there any tips for snagging the best deal zone fares?

Sure. Don’t shop on one airline’s website; use a comparison site that shows multiple carriers, because no single airline always has the best price. If you can be at all flexible with your itinerary, price flights for different days of the week because flights on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays are often cheaper than other travel days.

When is the next deal zone?

That would be the first deal zone of 2020 and it usually begins around Jan. 7, once holiday travelers have returned home. It then continues through mid-February until Valentine’s Day or Presidents’ Day (Feb. 17).