Travellers delay their booking decisions and plan trips closer to their departure dates. [Courtesy]
Kenyans planning to travel during this August school holidays and other peak travel periods could save themselves from higher fares and limited flight options by booking their trips earlier.
Recent research warns that while travellers globally remain keen to fly in 2026, many are delaying their booking decisions and planning trips closer to their departure dates.
As demand increases around school holidays, weekends, public holidays and peak tourism seasons, seats on popular domestic routes tend to fill up quickly, leaving travellers who book at the last minute with fewer choices.
According to the data released this week by international travel agency CheapOair ̶ ¬ which helps compare and book flights from over 500 airlines, hotels, and car rentals ̶ 62 per cent of travellers are booking trips within 0–30 days of departure, pointing to a growing preference for short-term travel planning.
Search activity has also increased across major travel segments, with domestic weekend travel searches rising by 16.2 per cent, international family travel searches by 16.3 per cent and international group travel searches by 11.5 per cent.
However, the increase in searches has not translated into a similar rise in bookings, suggesting travellers are spending more time comparing options and waiting for better prices before committing.