Booking your flights too far in advance can cost you.

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Are you already planning next year’s summer vacation? When you buy your flights, you may want to keep them for a while. Booking too far out can cost you more than just money. American Airlines recently Tell me why podcast, Vice President Brian Zenotins gives insight into how airline scheduling and planning happens. The news was not good for travelers who wanted to book their flights as early as possible.

While it may seem like a good idea to lock in a fare and date to plan the rest of your trip, the downside may not be worth it. below, Off the Road explores how and why airlines do their programs and what it means for travelers.

A passenger is sitting in the plane

According to the American Airlines VP, how the airline handles flights

According to Zonotins, American Airlines currently releases scheduled schedules 100 days in advance. The carrier released the schedule 90 days before Covid-19 changed the world. In most cases, travelers should feel safe using this 100-day window. Once the official schedule is released, the carrier is unlikely to make any significant changes to the flights offered. Any major changes will occur before the 100-day window closes.

A young man looking at the airline schedule

What about over 100 days?

This is where things start to get more dangerous for travelers. According to Zonotins, American Airlines sells out flights 330 days in advance. This is far from their schedule set in stone and is known as a Placeholder schedule. Before the outbreak, the placeholder schedule was a relatively accurate forecast of what the set-in-stone schedule would look like as those tickets approached the 100-day window.

People watching flights with canceled flights in the background

Unfortunately, now that the world is still recovering from the pandemic, the placeholder schedule is becoming less reliable. When Xenotins is indicated as the main news American Airlines will cut more than 30,000 flights this November Take off, seen as a big change in the airline’s schedule. But according to VP, the airline industry has been operating this way since the outbreak.

Canceled flights

Why not change the placeholder schedule?

According to Zonotis, American Airlines will still use the 2019 schedule as a placeholder. Many other airlines are doing the same. Because the world works differently now, the placeholder proved less reliable than expected using the 2019 schedule.

“We’d love to have a better placeholder out there, but unfortunately, to have a better placeholder, you need to know what schedule you’re actually flying, and we won’t know that until we build the actual schedule. . You have to go through the process to find out what flights are,” Zenotis said during the interview.

Chicago, IL, July 27, 2017: An American Airlines plane on

So, why aren’t placeholder flights on the right schedule? Znotis suggests that when the carrier knows for sure that a flight will not be available on the reservation’s schedule, they will remove it as an option. But, under uncertain conditions, they still sell the flight. The uncomfortable reality we all have to come to terms with this winter is that the aviation industry doesn’t know if it will have enough support. Zenotis noted that the carrier won’t know how many aircraft, pilots, mechanics and ground crews will be available to support the schedule until closer to the 100-day window.

Airport staff are piloting a plane.

What does this mean for travelers?

For travelers, it’s best to book flights up to 100-days in advance, whenever possible. Doing so will greatly reduce the chance of flight disruptions, especially on American Airlines. This not only reduces the chance of a canceled or rescheduled flight, but also saves travelers some money.

Offroad Travel recently reported the best time to book flights for the most cost-effective. Almost all of the best deals happen when you book less than 100 days in advance. The only exception is 129 days before departure when the prices are cheaper for European trips. For the best times to book flights and flights to other regions, read more here.

A traveler wearing a Santa hat and looking at the flight board

Travelers have faced many problems this summer. However, booking flights at the right time, reducing your chances of lost luggage and knowing your passenger rights can help ensure you’re getting the best deal and everything goes smoothly.

This article originally appeared on Off-Road Travel. For the latest breaking news affecting your next trip, please visit: Traveloffpath.com

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Disclaimer: Current travel laws and restrictions Subject to change without notice. Travel decisions are ultimately your responsibility. Before you travel, check with your consulate and/or local authorities to confirm your citizenship and/or any changes to travel requirements. Off-Road Travel does not support travel against government advice.

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