Best Times to Fly Standby
By: Austin Harper (Guest Contributor)
Posted on October 25, 2019
2 min read
The nonrev life is a life of opposites. Delays mean a better
chance of getting on a flight due to re-bookings, you can (sometimes) be happy
to get a middle seat, and the best times to visit are often considered the
worst times to everyone else.
Knowing this, it is often a good idea to do the opposite of what "typical" travel blogs tell you. Nonrev travel is about sacrificing the beautiful summer in Europe for a slightly colder November. The benefits don't stop at lighter flight loads either. Off-season travel means lower cost of accommodations, smaller crowds and a better chance at securing a Business Class seat. I don't know about you but I would take a Business Class seat and an extra coat over slightly better weather and a middle seat in the back. But to each their own.
Flight loads can generally be estimated based on the weather and cultural activities. Think summer in New Zealand or the blooming of the tulips in Japan. Both are hard times to estimate flight loads.
The following information is meant to be used as guidelines and not as absolute fact. It is possible to find a business class seat to London in the middle of summer. However, if you want to reduce the amount of uncertainty as much as possible, plan your international vacations around these months.
Europe: May, November-March
May would be considered the shoulder season but still worthy of traveling to before the summer field trips commence. You don't want to be stuck behind a group of Lizzie McGuire look-a-likes at the Trevi fountain in Rome.
Cliff of Moher, Ireland
Photo by: Austin Harper
Asia: March-May, June-October wet season
Keep in mind that while you may be flying to Asia for vacation, Hong Kong, Tokyo, or Seoul, are HUGE business metropolises. Don't be surprised if the flight with open Business Class seats becomes filled up a day or two before the flight departs. I'm speaking from experience, unfortunately.
Hoi An, Vietnam
Photo by: Austin Harper
Caribbean: September-October
You may question this one on the surface because what do the Caribbean and pre-Halloween festivities have in common? Hurricanes. If you are interested in a particular island, check the historical reputation of hurricanes and you will find a fair amount of islands that are minimally impacted. I did this with Punta Cana in October of 2018. My girlfriend and I were able to stay at an all-inclusive resort on the beach for three nights at a total cost of less than $300.00. I've never found a better value than this in my entire travel career.
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
Photo by: Austin Harper
South Pacific: April-June, October
Remember that because the South Pacific is in the southern hemisphere, the seasons are opposite of the northern hemisphere. I traveled to New Zealand to do one of the "Great Walks" called the Kepler Track in October of 2017. We had no problems taking one of the first seasonal flights of the year and we were even lucky enough for Business Class on the way back to LAX.
Kepler Track, New Zealand
Photo by: Austin Harper
South America: This region is hard to determine the best time to visit.
Countries vary in weather so much due to their longitudinal location. I have personally taken trips to Santiago in April, Buenos Aires in May, Sau Paulo in June, Lima in October, and have never had an issue with a flight being too full.
Abancay, Peru
Photo by: Austin Harper
In conclusion, it's up to you to decide if traveling in peak seasons is worth the risk. Thanks to PERX, you are able to be more open with your planning. I hope you are able to find your next dream vacation soon! I know I am.
WRITTEN BY
Austin Harper
My name is Austin and I have worked in the airline industry
for a little over 3 years. Using my flight benefits, I have traveled to 5
continents and 19 countries through 67 airports on over 260+ flights. I love
collaborating with other "Nonrev" travelers on their tips, tricks,
and best stories. You can follow me on my Instagram @thestandbybystander
and subscribe to my blog at thestandbybystander.com
for nonrev tips, stories, and how to maximize credit cards for hotels and
international airport lounge access.