Ellington

Students who are looking to travel on a budget this summer are in luck, as lowered airfares and stable gas prices are expected.

Earlier this month, Seattle-based company Farecast announced that airfare prices to destinations within the United States are down by 9 percent from last year, while travel to Europe is down by more than 19 percent.

Joel Grus, a researcher of Farecast, knows that many consumers are not looking to travel this season due to the recession.

As a result, airlines are having sales on tickets for destinations across the United States and Europe.

Around the world

Last summer, round-trip airfare to Europe cost an average of $1,300. This time around, however, it would be little more than $1,000 per ticket.

When traveling, consider taking a flight that stops at least once before your destination. Although a non-stop flight saves time, a multiple-stop trip can save you money. When traveling to Europe, consider spending a couple of days in New York. According to Orbitz.com, flying from Seattle to Zurich round-trip is $684 in mid-June. But to fly from Seattle to New York City is $237 on Delta and from New York City to Zurich is $472 on Continental, a total difference of just $25 for a trip to the Big Apple.

When searched April 26 at Kayak.com, round-trip airfare to London right after spring quarter costs $778 on Delta Air Lines.

“Destination plays a big role in airfare pricing,” Grus said, “but choosing the right destination from the city of origin will yield even bigger savings.”

Within the United States

If you want to gamble away some of next year’s tuition, try Las Vegas. Find great deals by booking a package. For example, four nights at a hotel and casino with airfare was just $216 at the Stratosphere Tower on the Las Vegas Strip when searched from Priceline.com on April 26. Web sites such as visitlasvegas.com or cheapovegas.com offer weekly deals, and are great for planning trips to the Strip.

If you prefer to work on your tan, try a Miami beach, where anything beats a rainy and cold Seattle. According to Grus, “Airfare [to Miami] is down 28 percent, and hotels are down 17 percent.” When searched on cheaptickets.com, a ticket to Miami in mid-August can be found for a mere $240.

Departure date

Another strategy for booking a cheaper flight is to wait, as airfare may decrease in price close to the departure date or, if you’re unlucky, increase. Last week, a search from Seattle to New York City during mid-June was approximately $280; now it is $259 on United Airlines.

For Pricleline.com users, a great tool called “Inside Track” not only lets viewers see the best dates to fly in a given month, but also lets you see the “historic prices” of the flight compared to last year.

Check online for deals and steals

UW graduate student Michael King advises students with a tighter budget to check the major Web sites first, then each airline site to find even lower fares.

“Whenever I’m flying anywhere, I check all the big travel sites first, like Expedia or Orbitz, and find the lowest rates,” King said. “And then, usually, if you go to those airlines’ individual Web sites, their fares are even cheaper.”

Stay flexible

Agent Dave Dworak of Student Travel Agency recommends that travelers remain flexible in their planning. A mid-week ticket is usually cheaper than a weekend or holiday ticket.

More importantly, people can save a lot by traveling during the non-peak summer months. Usually, it’s expensive to fly anywhere during the summer, but this year, most airlines are shortening the peak travel days and extending the “shoulder seasons,” the time right before or after the most expensive period of travel.

“This year, the summer shoulder seasons of May and September are extending into June and August,” Grus said. “If school schedules or other conflicts get in the way of shoulder-season trips, travelers are in luck and can still find inexpensive airfare in June and August.”

Transportation alternatives

But if flying makes you queasy, gas prices are at a low as well. This can make traveling on a budget easier.

Even though there has been a recent small jump in gas prices, they are still way below last year’s average at this time. Because of the ailing economy, consumers are keeping the demand steady, and, as a result, gas prices will likely remain stable throughout the summer, according to the motor and travel group AAA.

King said students with a tighter budget should take a road trip with friends, where the cost of gas can be split. And for an even better way to save, camping is one option that shouldn’t be overlooked.

Reach reporter Brain Farn at special@dailyuw.com.