Travel Deal Tuesday Promises Bargains

Black Friday is over, Cyber Monday looms but on deck is Travel Deal Tuesday for those still seeking bargains on flights and hotels.

Travel app Hopper says Tuesday, Dec. 3, will be the biggest of the three Thanksgiving-related shopping days and, for the travel industry, will be the biggest volume day for airfare and lodging discounts.

But this is nothing new.

While the day itself might have a flashy new nickname, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving has always been a great day to reap savings, a time when people have completed summer vacation and Thanksgiving travel but haven’t quite given thought to the next travel season.

“Before it even had a name, airlines were already discounting flights on this day,” said Liana Corwin, Hopper’s consumer travel expert. “It’s a really great incentive to get folks thinking about travel.”

This year, Hopper is forecasting discounts on destinations like Tokyo, Sydney, Beijing, Iceland, Costa Rica, Cape Town, Montreal, and London. In addition to airfare, Hopper is expecting major savings on hotels. Hopper will have exclusive hotel rates lined up with savings ranging from $50 – $150 off hotel bookings.

“Travel companies are able to incentivize consumers by offering amazing deals,” said Hayley Berg, Economist at Hopper. “Our data shows that on Travel Deal Tuesday last year, consumers planned 80% more trips than on Black Friday and 40% more than on Cyber Monday. As more consumers shop, it will likely incentivize travel providers to offer bigger discounts for 2019.”

Experiences are becoming a sought-after gift this holiday season, according to the market intelligence firm Mintel, which found in a recent survey that 50% of US consumers preferred experiences over tangible gifts, up from 17% the year earlier.