CHONGQING (CQNEWS) -- The week after the Tomb-sweeping Festival, the tourism market is welcoming a peak of bookings during the May Day holiday. According to Qunar's big data, since April 6, the bookings for flight tickets to popular cities during the May Day holiday has been increasing day by day, up 40% daily; The average price paid for air tickets has equaled that of 2023, and it is expected that the number of passengers during the May Day holiday will reach another new high.

“When will be the ticket price will be lower? Are there any possibilities that the ticket price will tumble? How can we do to book cheaper tickets? Are there any cities to which the flight tickets are much cheaper?” In response to the concerns of passengers, Qunar Big Data Institute provides travel advice through big data analysis and industry experience.

After the Tomb-sweeping Festival holiday, many travelers have started making travel plans for May Day holiday. According to Qunar data, since April 6, the number of flight tickets to popular cities during the May Day holiday has rapidly surged, with daily bookings exceeding that of the same period in 2023. Popular destinations include Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Kunming, Xi'an, Chongqing, and Haikou.

Many scenic spots in Chongqing are also actively preparing for the upcoming May Day holiday. The Mexin Wine Town scenic spot has launched an online "scenery + wine" half-price package, and will hold a "Flash Mod Themed by Worker's Song" and "Long Table Banquet with go-around hotpots" during the holiday. At that time, builders and workers from various positions in the scenic spot, together with tourists, will sing the song of workers, dance the dance of workers, and try the unique hot pot in the scenic spot.

In terms of price, the average price paid of domestic flight tickets during the May Day holiday in 2024 was 990 yuan, slightly higher than in 2023 and about 60% higher than the off-season (March). Among popular cities, the average price paid of flight tickets from Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Nanjing, and Tianjin is relatively high, while the average price paid of flight tickets from Kunming, Chongqing, Wuhan, Changsha, Qingdao, and Zhengzhou is below the average line.

When are flight tickets cheaper? On the Qunar platform, among tickets for the morning of May 1 available this week, the price of tickets of most routes is about 30% off; the tickets of some flights of the popular routes such as Beijing-Chengdu and Shanghai-Kunming have risen to full price; economy class tickets of popular tourist routes such as Shanghai-Dali and Beijing-Dali have been sold out and economy class have been upgraded to full price business class.

Xiao Peng, a researcher at Qunar Big Data Institute, said, "There is a strong demand for travel during May Day holiday this year, and there may be insufficient tickets for some flights. It is recommended that passengers with travel needs buy tickets as soon as possible, and tickets of non-popular routes can be purchased at a 50% -60% discount. For those who have no idea about travel destinations, they can wait to get a great deal after on April 17 when the train tickets are on sale. Cheap tickets are mostly available on connecting flights, but attention should be paid to connecting time to avoid missing flights. When calculating prices, the infrastructure fuel cost for the two flights should be included."

Will the flight ticket prices during the May Day holiday will tumble this year? Last year during the Golden Week of National Day, the flight ticket prices tumbled 1-2 days before the holiday, and some passengers lost money at half of their air fares before travel. The main reason why passengers are hesitant to book in advance is their concerns about price reductions. Xiao Peng said, "The ticket prices will be adjusted based on the actual sales of flights. When the tickets are not sold as scheduled, airlines will lower prices to attract passengers and increase the passenger load factor. Based on the bookings during the May Day holiday this year, it is impossible that flight ticket prices of popular routes departing from big cities will tumble, and only a few routes’ flight tickets may be cheap."

"Moreover, it is not possible to piece together the holidays after this year's May Day holiday, so passengers will return in the same period. It is recommended that passengers buy return tickets in advance. To buy cheaper tickets, passengers are advised to buy tickets after comparing the prices on multiple platforms. Learn the policies about ticket refunding and changing before buying. If the itinerary cannot be determined, you can buy insurance on ticket refunding and changing to avoid risks and losses. To avoid traffic jam during holiday rush, it is recommended that passengers go to the airport in advance to leave sufficient time for check in," said Xiao Peng. (Translated by Hu Chuanmin, Fathom Language Limited)