South Africans who have not booked their flights for the December holidays stand to pay substantially more than they would have around the same time last year, according to at least two prominent travel agencies.
According to Gerald Engelbrecht Klitzke from TheBoyz, it is already too late to get a good deal on flight prices for the upcoming holidays. “With fewer flights available, fewer seats are available, and the demand is still there. So, the prices have rocketed.” “We always recommend that flight bookings for peak season periods are confirmed as early as possible to avoid any disappointment, or to avoid paying a premium for airfares,” Webb stated.Webb said Flight Centre’s booking data showed the average lead time for booking domestic flights within South Africa was 43 days, about one and a half months.
Engelbrecht Klitzke said that The Boyz always recommended that customers buy their tickets eight months in advance.Travelstart also advised that travellers book their flights for peak holiday periods as early as possible. “Consider opting for mid-week flights or a departure outside of popular travel times,” Travelstart said.