As the current economic downturn impacts holiday travel, agents and travelers can expect last-minute airfare sales and a decrease in overall transit, USA Today reports. Carriers are beginning to offer discounts on routes to less popular destinations as well as on flights that are scheduled on slow days.
After high fuel prices influenced airlines to cut hundreds of scheduled flights earlier in the year, the current recession is now diminishing the demand for flights. Meanwhile, the Air Transport Association (ATA) predicts that 43 million people will take flights during the holidays, 9 percent less than year. Consequently, airfare is expected to drop in January. Some experts told USA Today that prices may decrease so much that consumers will still save money after paying change fees.