Planning to travel abroad next Spring Festival? Depart on this day to save the most!

For those planning to go abroad during the holiday, Skyscanner recommends departing on February 11 or February 17. (Provided by Skyscanner)

The travel price comparison search engine “Skyscanner” analyzed airfare prices before and during the 2018 Lunar New Year holiday and found that departing on February 11 is the cheapest, with potential savings of up to 11.6%; alternatively, departing on the 17th (the second day of the Lunar New Year) can be about 2% cheaper than the average.

Skyscanner pointed out that the next Spring Festival holiday runs from February 15 to 20. By taking three days off between the 12th and 14th, you can combine them with the weekend of the 10th and 11th for a total of nine days off; or take three days off between the 21st and 23rd, combining them with the 24th and 25th for another nine-day break.

For those planning to start their vacation from February 10, Skyscanner found that February 11 is the most ideal departure date. Compared to the average airfare during this period, traveling on this day could save you up to 11.6%, allowing you to cut down on considerable travel costs during the typically more expensive Lunar New Year travel season and also help you avoid peak departure times.

For those planning trips after February 15, airfares start to get cheaper on February 17. According to data, ticket prices on the 17th and 18th are approximately 2% lower than the average.

Skyscanner advises avoiding the three days of the 14th, 15th, and 16th, as these are when airfares are at their highest and most people are traveling.

Those who have just started planning their overseas trip need not worry about being too late. Based on analysis of popular travel destinations among Taiwanese travelers during the 2016 and 2017 Spring Festivals, for example, in Japanese cities, Tokyo tends to have relatively cheaper fares about three weeks before the holiday, Osaka about four weeks before, Okinawa about one week before, and Sapporo and Fukuoka about one to one and a half months before—when fares are generally more affordable.

Additionally, for those planning to visit Bangkok, Seoul, and popular European destinations like London, it’s best to plan early, as fare prices tend to rise over time according to past data. For Singapore and Hong Kong, fares are usually more affordable around three weeks before the holiday, but do note that these two cities also celebrate Lunar New Year, so additional planning may be needed for your itinerary.