Airlines are slashing prices to get you on board this fall

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If you missed out on summer travel due to exorbitant prices, your chance to go on that much-needed getaway has arrived as airfare dips a lot lower, according to a report from travel booking app Hopper.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

• Both domestic and international fares have dropped considerably from summer prices.
• Domestic trips in September and October are averaging $211 a ticket. That’s down about 30% from the summer months.
• Airfare to top international destinations, such as Europe, has also dropped 30% from summer peaks, saving you $330 off a ticket.
• The Federal Reserve is projecting a travel slowdown this fall, saying Americans are done splurging on “revenge travel.” Consumers had been making up for lost time after years of pandemic shutdowns.
• One thing to keep an eye on: Rising fuel prices. American Airlines says that fuel prices have “increased considerably” since July.

WHY PRICES ARE FALLING

• Demand drops with the temperatures in the fall. Most Americans schedule their vacations for summertime when schools are out.
• Airlines are slashing prices to spur travelers to schedule a trip during this off-peak season, before the busy Thanksgiving and winter holidays, Hopper says in its report.
• Spirit Airlines says the “steep discounting” and extra promotion costs will hurt its profit this coming quarter.

FALL IS BETTER

• Autumn has several travel advantages over the summer season. Not only will you pay less for airfare, but hotel and rental car rates are also down about 5%, according to Hopper.
• It’s still warm – but no longer scorching – in many sought-after destinations.
• You’ll find the sights less crowded. Plus your trip helps communities “benefit from a sustained economic impact and less strain on the places you visit,” one travel adviser says.
• Need some destination inspiration? We’ve got eight ideas for you, including several wine regions, a national park and a springtime spot in the Southern Hemisphere.
• It’s also not too early to buy your tickets for Christmas or other winter travel. Hopper’s lead economist, Haley Berg, says you probably need to book now for international flights. Domestic trips will probably be cheapest over the next four weeks.

OTHER TRAVEL TIPS

• If you’re still on the fence about whether to book a trip, consider our analysis on recent scientific studies that show merely looking forward to a future reward, such as a vacation, can be even more rewarding than the reward itself.?
• An updated Covid-19 vaccine will be available at pharmacies by the end of the week, as the threat of Covid and other respiratory illnesses creeps up. Here’s what you need to know about who should get vaccines for Covid, flu and RSV – and when to get them. (After all, you’re likely to be in more crowded situations while traveling.)
• Ever wonder why you have to walk so far to get to your gate? We’ve got the answer. On your long stroll, think about the bygone days of paper boarding passes.
• CNN Underscored has reviews of the best travel pillows and nearly 50 gift ideas for frequent travelers.

Do you have travel plans this fall? Where would you like to go? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Here are some other stories we're following today:

The cruise ship stuck on Greenland shoved off sooner than expected. Officials say a fishing research vessel unstuck the luxury ship this morning, ending the 206 passengers’ and crew’s unexpected extended stay at the Northeast Greenland National Park. Passengers tell CNN that, despite some frustration, morale during the unintentional grounding was "reasonably good," with one voyager saying her biggest concern was the ship’s alcohol supplies running dry. (BTW, the site where the ship was stuck is the single biggest national park in the world and consists mostly of the vast Greenland Ice Sheet. You can get a glimpse of it here and see how the world’s other breathtaking national parks measure up.)

Hurricane Lee is on course to lash coastal New England and Atlantic Canada as early as tomorrow night. The Category 1 hurricane is moving north from Bermuda with sustained winds of 85 mph that extend 90 miles from its center, according to the National Hurricane Center. Tropical storm warnings have been issued for the coast of Massachusetts, including Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. You can track the storm here.

The International Criminal Court opened a field office in Ukraine's capital today to help investigate alleged war crimes committed during Russia's year-and-a-half-long invasion. The ongoing war in Ukraine is a moment of huge responsibility for the ICC, its chief prosecutor said in Kyiv. The Ukrainians claim to have compiled evidence on more than 100,000 crimes by Russian invaders, which Moscow denies. The ICC issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and another top Kremlin official in March over the alleged forced transfer of Ukrainian children to Russia. It's still unclear how much the ICC can do though, as Russia is one of the few nations (along with the US) that does not recognize its jurisdiction.

President Joe Biden’s son Hunter was indicted today on three federal gun charges tied to a revolver he bought in 2018 and kept for about 11 days. Prosecutors accuse Hunter Biden, 53, of lying on the federal form needed to buy the gun by swearing he was not using or addicted to illegal drugs – though he was struggling with crack cocaine addiction at the time. The new charges raise the possibility that Hunter Biden will be facing a dramatic trial in the middle of his father’s reelection campaign. The indictment is also likely to give momentum to House Republicans’ impeachment inquiry into Biden in relation to his son’s business ventures.

Negotiators for American auto workers and the so-called Big Three US automakers are down to mere hours to avert a historic strike that could idle most domestic car manufacturing. Workers' current contracts with GM, Ford and Stellantis (which makes Jeep, Ram, Dodge and Chrysler vehicles) expire at midnight, and the United Auto Workers union plans to announce a targeted strike at key plants tonight if new contracts aren't agreed to. Read this helpful breakdown for what you need to know about the looming US auto strike.

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