Discount airfares will have you dreaming of January travel

Although fares are higher during the busy holiday travel season, we are already seeing deals for the slow season, which begins just after the new year. You can find some seriously discounted prices for travel in January and early February.

We found fares from Dallas to Newark. N.J. for as low as $99 round trip for a nonstop flight for a two-night trip. This fare was only available departing Jan. 11 or 19, but most flights after Jan. 4 ranged from $107 to $192. You could take your pick of dates and fly for less than $200 round trip.

During January, we found nonstop flights to Denver, Chicago and Atlanta for as low as $99 round trip; San Diego for as low as $167; and San Francisco for as low as $187.

If you will need a hotel, be sure to check package rates. When you combine air and hotel into a package, the rates can offer a savings over purchasing separately. This is especially true during slow seasons, such as between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and in January and early February.

At press time, we booked a two-night trip from Dallas to Washington, D.C. and found a package for $230 for Jan. 16-18 that included round-trip airfare and two nights at the Washington Plaza. The rate was per person based on double occupancy at a 3 1⁄2-star hotel. The airfare alone on these dates was $194 for a nonstop flight, so bundling with the hotel was just $36 more per person.

We often see package rates come down even more during a fare sale. Most sales start on Tuesdays, and I suggest waiting until late Tuesday or early Wednesday to purchase fares. This gives competing airlines time to match fares, so you’ll have more flight options.

My other advice is to start monitoring fares as soon as you decide to take a vacation. We do see great fares pop up that aren’t part of a systemwide sale, and if you’ve been monitoring fares, you’ll know when you see a good price.

Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday are usually the cheapest days to travel within the continental U.S. If you want a three- or four-night vacation, check prices for departure on a Saturday and return on a Tuesday or Wednesday. This can be much cheaper than a Friday-to-Sunday trip, which are usually the two most expensive days of the week to fly.

We looked at package rates for departure on Jan. 23 with return Jan. 26 and found rates starting at $342, per person based on double occupancy, at the Holiday Inn Suites in Clearwater, Fla. with a nonstop flight into Tampa on American. The total price for two was $684 with a bundled package, vs. $766 if you had purchased airfare and hotel separately.

With so many U.S. cities offered at a discount in the slow season, you’ve got a lot of vacation choices. And although airfares can be rock-bottom, bundled packages might be even more of a bargain.

Another thing to consider when checking package rates is that usually all taxes and fees are included, except if the hotel charges a resort fee. When you check hotel rates, the initial rate you see usually does not include taxes and fees.