Everyone wants to travel during peak summer or over the holidays … and airlines know it. That's why savvy travelers avoid the busiest travel times and save hundreds by instead traveling just before summer or just after it.
It's called shoulder season, and it's one of the best ways to save on travel. Instead of booking a trip a summer trip in July – when everyone, their mom, and their grandmother is trying to fly – aim for April and May – or maybe August and September, instead. With that small shift, you can pay half the price of peak summer airfare.
The savings go beyond flights, as hotels and even excursions are almost always cheaper when you avoid the busiest travel periods. And it's not just about dollar signs, either. When you travel in shoulder season, you're less likely to encounter long lines and big crowds at airports or attractions, and you'll miss the worst of the worst when it comes to flight delays and cancellations.
When is Shoulder Season?
It depends on where you're going, but it's right before – or just after – the peak travel season.
Here in the States or over in Europe, the busy summer travel period runs roughly from June through early August. March (thanks to spring break) and December (because of Christmas and the winter holidays) are also peak travel times. That means shoulder season runs from April into May and again from mid-August into November.
Time it right, and you can still get excellent weather and fewer crowds at your destination for a fraction of the cost.
Of course, shoulder season is, by definition, not the very best season to travel. The school year calendar makes it easiest for most people to travel during the summer months. And by the time you make it into October, the weather over in Europe is cooler than what you'll find in July – though that's not necessarily a bad thing. The same goes for April and May.
But with that comes way fewer crowds and drastically reduced prices. It's one of the easiest ways to make your next trip cheaper and easier.
Related reading: Struggling to Travel on the School Calendar? Our Best Tips for Teachers & Families
Fewer Crowds & Less Hassle
When you travel off-peak, shoulder season crowds await – and that's a good thing.
Just like the season itself, the crowds at the most popular travel sites always peak in June, July, and August. So in April, May, August, September, October, and November, you've got a better shot at feeling like you've got the place to yourself.
We see it year in and year out all across Europe. Iceland, for example, is extremely popular – especially in the summer. It's not unusual to be among hundreds of tourists at some of the most popular spots. But I've visited Iceland in April and October, and both times I found relatively good weather … and empty parking lots all over the even the country's most famous attractions.
I don't care how nice the weather is: I hate waiting in lines. Nothing sours my mood like waiting an hour during my travels. Shoulder season alleviates that concern. Restaurant reservations? No problem. Museum tickets? Come on in!
If you can get a few days away from school or some time off work during the fall, winter, or spring, you're going to find a much smoother travel experience and way fewer crowds.
Cheaper Flights During Shoulder Season
At Thrifty Traveler, we're huge proponents of what we call the Flight First Rule. It's exactly what it sounds like: Instead of deciding on the dates (and even the destination) of your trip first, plan your trip around the cheapest flight prices you can find.
Booking flights in the shoulder season is perhaps the best example of why this works. By shifting your dates of travel by a month here or there, you could spend less than half what you would by flying peak season. This is especially true in sought-after destinations like Italy.
This flight deal we sent Thrifty Traveler Premium members included all of the nonstop flights to Europe you can book in 2026 for less than $499. It was a stunning deal that included some fares in the $350s roundtrip from Boston (BOS) to Dublin (DUB) on Delta or JetBlue … but only in shoulder season.
Here's the Google Flights fare calendar for BOS-DUB, including some beautiful $357 roundtrip fares.
But fast forward a month into June and July, and the fares tell a different story …
Those prices in the peak summer months are close to double. Although it's worth noting that late July as the calendar starts to turn to August gets much, much cheaper.
That was the case for all of these flights in this Thrifty Traveler Premium flight deal.
I'll spell it out with another sought-after European destination: Italy.
These flights to Milan (MXP) in August and September – from San Francisco (SFO), no less – are in the $400s and $500s roundtrip! That's an amazing deal for those long journeys across the pond. But again, if you look for June or July instead, things are much nastier.
Read all our tips on how to find cheap flights!
Peak season means different things in different places, too. One good example of this is in Washington, D.C. during the Cherry Blossom bloom. This typically happens at the end of March and in early April – highlighting the capital in stunning flowers.
The green, cheapest dates in that image tell the whole story. It's about $80 more to go during Cherry Blossoms, but if you wait until just past peak season, you can save big.
Bottom Line
Everyone wants to fly during the peak travel seasons … and that's exactly why you're going to save hundreds of dollars by moving your trip to the shoulder season instead.
April through May and mid-August through October are all shoulder season for some of the best destinations across the Northern Hemisphere. Traveling during those months rather than July or over the holidays could get you half-off (or more!) peak season airfare.
Add in a smoother travel experience with fewer crowds, and it's time to rethink your travel schedule.
Hi I’m a member but have never had the opportunity to use it until now, I would like to fly from Msp to Rome .
Is there a direct? Also I saw in your article about flying business?
How do I find best fares may 15 to 23?
Thankyou!!