D.C. was just ranked among cities with the best low airfare nationwide, and travel experts say now is the time to book to get the best summer travel deals.
The city was recently ranked seventh on a top 10 list of U.S. destinations from Going.com, including Tampa, Los Angeles and Hawaii, with the most low-cost flights.
Going.com’s travel expert Katy Nastro said D.C. is featured on the list because of a number of local airports competing for passengers.
“There is a lot of opportunity to find great airfare deals out of D.C.,” said Nastro. “The city has two major airports that are only about 25 miles from the city, that’s Reagan National and Dulles, as well as BWI Thurgood Marshall Airports. Check out fares to all three airports.”
Nastro said potential passengers are in the “goldilocks window,” the optimal time for travelers to find the cheapest airfare for peak domestic and international flights during the summer.
“If we really want to save, definitely be looking now in terms of summer travel,” she said. “There is a lot of opportunities to find cheap flights out of D.C.
“Utilizing the ‘goldilocks window’ is going to be your best friend,” Nastro said. “Typically, for peak season travel like the summer, if you want to go domestically, look three to seven months out.”
For travelers who want to fly internationally, like on a $300 round-trip flight to Dublin, Ireland, or a $200 range ticket to Cancun, Mexico, Nastro said it’s best to book those flights four to 10 months in advance.
According to Nastro, low fares are in abundance for local passengers who want to fly out of D.C.-area airports.
