Bring on Fall Travel Says Cheapflights.com

BOSTON, MA--(Marketwired - Aug 23, 2016) -  While shorter days and cooler nights hint that summer is winding down, Cheapflights.com, the online leader in finding and publishing travel deals, says there's no need to fret. In fact, if planning a vacation is on your radar, it's time to rejoice. For those who can get away, September is truly a great time to travel thanks to smaller crowds, milder temps and cheaper airfares and accommodations. And, with airfares continuing at a five year low, travel this fall will be especially affordable.

To help keep you in travel mode, our team of experts has pulled together a list of 10 value destinations to stretch your vacation season. The average airfares to these destinations are all more than 15 percent lower than they were at this time last year.

Below are five of the destinations with the biggest savings in airfare for travel this fall along with details on what to see and do on the cheap, or even better for free, once you arrive:

• Auckland, New Zealand (Average airfare down 28%) - Set between two harbors, New Zealand's largest city is the ultimate marine playground, with the sea influencing everything from cuisine, industry, culture and design to leisure pursuits and sports activities. Auckland is an all-around value destination with plenty of budget backpacker accommodations and many places for quality cheap eats like fish and chips at the Auckland Fish Market, tacos from The Lucky Taco food truck and bahn mi from Viet Sandwich. The weekend farmers market in Takutai Square serves excellent inexpensive breakfasts and produce. There are also a plethora of free attractions, like admiring art at the Auckland Art Gallery and walking along Auckland's waterfront. Take a short ferry ride from downtown Auckland to Waiheke Island, which boasts white sandy beaches, historic sites, a thriving food scene, an eclectic mix of artists and some of New Zealand's most coveted vineyards and wineries.
  
  
• Rome, Italy (Average airfare down 26%) - The capital of Italy is home to 16 percent of the world's cultural treasures, according to Rome's official tourism bureau, making it an ideal place to immerse yourself in culture. Many of these must-see sights like the Basilica of St. Peter in the Vatican, The Forums and The Trevi Fountain are free. And iconic venues like The Colosseum (tickets are EUR 12) and the Sistine Chapel (tickets are EUR 16) are inexpensive to experience. If you work up an appetite exploring, cheap and delicious pizza and pasta are around every corner. Look for mensas, cafeterias that cater to students and workers but allow anyone in to eat. Gelato and granita are inexpensive treats that are irresistible at any time of year. No matter where you eat, be wary of coperto, a fee for sitting, which is often on menus but can also show up as an expensive surprise on restaurant bills.
  
  
• Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (Average airfare down 25%) - This lively metropolis is the perfect place for those seeking a summer shopping and spa vacation. Indulging in foot and back massages at local spas all over the city is so budget friendly, visitors could afford to go every day. Ho Chi Minh City is also one of the best places for fashionistas to get tailor-made clothing like re-creations of runway fashions, a remake of a favorite dress or an ao dai, a traditional long, fitted silk dress worn over pants. After a day of pampering and shopping, you won't have to go far to find cheap eats like banh mi from street vendors or pho at Pho 2000, a chain of cheap pho shops.
  
  
• Nashville, Tennessee (Average airfare down 24%) - With live music, unique festivals and events, culinary excursions, family fun, new exhibits and plenty of outdoor beauty, Nashville, Tenn., knows a thing or two about fun. Nashville's entertainment district downtown is extremely walkable with major attractions like the Country Music Hall of Fame, Ryman Auditorium and Honky Tonk Highway within a matter of blocks from each other. The free Music City Circuit bus line serves many downtown destinations, including First Tennessee Park, Frist Center for the Visual Arts and The Gulch. One-of-a-kind experiences you can only find in Music City include the longest continually-running live radio show in history, The Grand Ole Opry. Admire the studio where hits were recorded at RCA Studio B, or dive into the history of American music at the Country Music Hall of Fame. Be sure to catch songwriters in the round at The Listening Room, the celebrated Bluebird Cafe, or at one of Nashville's many other music venues. The honky tonks on lower Broadway are classic Nashville establishments and never have a cover fee. Musicians Corner is a free music festival series on Saturdays in Centennial Park, featuring emerging artists and songwriters in a family-friendly environment.
  
  
• Dublin, Ireland (Average airfare down 24%) - Dublin, Ireland is a compact city with loads to do and explore for free and an ideal place for those who like strolling museums and seaside villages on the cheap. Visitors can walk to attractions in the city center or hop on a Dublin Bike. Free attractions include the National Museum of Ireland, Natural History Museum, National Gallery, IMMA - National Museum of Modern Art, and the Science Gallery. A great way to see Dublin's top attractions (and get to the front of the line) is to purchase a Dublin Pass, a one-day, two-day, three-day, or five-day pass that includes admission to more than 25 attractions and a hop-on, hop-off bus tour (EUR 49-EUR 99 for the adult pass). Take advantage of the Summer of Heritage 2016, a popular series of free guided tours that runs until September 4. After exploring Dublin, visitors can take a 20-minute train journey to one of the beautiful coastal villages along Dublin Bay (including Dalkey, Dún Laoghaire, Malahide, and Howth) or hit the beach like Killiney and Seapoint.

Rounding out our list of value destinations are: Barcelona, Spain (average airfare down 22 percent); Lima, Peru (average airfare down 20 percent); Seattle, Washington (average airfare down 19 percent); San Diego, California (average airfare down 17 percent); and New Orleans, Louisiana (average airfare down 16 percent). To read Cheapflights.com's complete list of 10 value destinations to stretch your vacation season visit www.cheapflights.com/news/10-value-destinations-stretch-vacation-season.

About Cheapflights.com, part of the Momondo Group
Founded in 1996, Cheapflights is a leading global flight comparison and deals publishing platform. It is now a market leader in the UK, U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand generating over $3 billion in global downstream revenue for its partners as it expands into numerous other territories. More than 120 million users visit its websites and apps each year, receiving more than two billion search results a month from across 900,000 routes. The 10 million strong opt-in subscribers to the Cheapflights newsletter receive the best deals from over 120 travel businesses - for whom it has driven more than $65 million in revenue this year. Together, the Cheapflights platforms generate enough bookings for its partners to fill a Boeing 747 every five minutes.

In 2011, Cheapflights became part of the privately owned online travel search and inspiration network, Momondo Group.

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