Is September the best month to travel?

With fewer people travelling through the month of September, hotel prices drop as well as airfares… there really is no better time of the year to travel! So if you're planning an escape before the year is out, it is time to start planning your September travel plans.



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Shoulder season — generally April through mid-June, and September through October — combines the advantages of both peak- and off-season travel. In shoulder season, you'll enjoy decent weather, long-enough daylight, fewer crowds, and a local tourist industry still ready to please and entertain.

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September is a very popular travel month in the United States. In early September, Americans visit their family members on Labor Day or plan outdoor and adventure activities during the last weekend of summer. Later in the month, several places around the country are at their peak for fall colors attracting visitors.

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June to August is a very popular season with travellers since the days are warm across the country. During these months, the southern states like Texas and Florida are hot and even slightly tropical, while the northern states like New York and Washington experience warm days and cooler evenings.

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Airfare for domestic trips in September and October is averaging $211 a ticket. That's down 29% from average prices for trips in June, July and August. Known as “shoulder season,” airfare typically drops in the fall as demand cools off after the busy summer months.

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According to research published in the Journal of Happiness Studies, the ideal length of a vacation is exactly eight days. As the researchers noted, a vacationer will feel an increase of happiness over the first several days of vacation, with that feeling peaking on the eighth day, The Times-Picayune explained.

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Historically speaking, the lowest crowds can usually be found right when kids go back to school. The end of August into early September, for example, is usually a pretty good time to go in terms of crowds. Just after Christmas and New Year's vacations, in early to mid-January is usually another good time.

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With fall just settling in and the hassles associated with summer travel dwindling, September is the perfect time for a getaway. By this time, most tourists will have made their way out of popular destinations, and airfare and hotel rates will start to slide.

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But January takes the cake as the least expensive month to book flights and travel. January, February and even early March travel booked in the first month of the year will give you the cheapest results as you're beating the spring break crowd.

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Consider seasonality before booking Lower demand for late summer and early fall travel means you may be able to get lower airfare by traveling in September or October. In fact, according to Berg, you can save an average of $118 off domestic airfare if you wait and travel in late August or early September.

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Generally, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday are the cheapest days to fly, while Fridays and Sundays are pricier, according to travel deal site FareCompare. Leisure travelers tend to fly on the weekends, either starting their vacations on Friday or taking a long weekend Friday to Sunday.

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By almost all metrics, the Sunday after Thanksgiving is pretty much the worst day of the year to fly. In 2019, 2021 and 2022, it was the busiest single day of the entire year in terms of U.S. passengers, based on TSA passenger data.

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