No, it’s not just you. Flight prices are soaring to new heights. As a result, people have been forced to get creative to score affordable tickets, like the viral TikTok trend of going to a local library to book flights on a computer free of personal browsing history. (Whether the tactic actually works seems to be up for debate.)

If you’re in the midst of planning a destination wedding, you’re probably eager for tips that are legitimate, tried and true. That’s why we tapped three destination wedding industry experts for their insights, and what they shared is sure to aid your guests in finding flight prices that won’t break the bank.

Photo by Anna J. Ray

Macro Planning: Destination Selection & Timing Strategies

The following strategies are for couples in the early stages of their destination wedding planning. At this time, you have the most influence over how much you and your guests spend on flight prices. Here are the top things to keep in mind as you approach selecting your wedding’s destination and time of year:

Target High-Volume Hubs

As a general rule, the more airlines that service an airport, the more deals you can score on flights, so consider saying “I do” in locations with consistent routes and multiple carriers. “Places like Mexico, Jamaica, and The Bahamas tend to be more stable because of high travel volume,” says Anita Craine of A. Marie Events & Design, “which helps keep pricing more competitive and predictable for guests.”

Photo by Leslie Hollingsworth

Consider Shoulder Seasons

Just like the location is key, so is the timing. While the weather may not always be ideal during a destination’s shoulder season (the period between a destination’s peak season and off-season), pricing is often at its best. This is what many travel professionals would call the “sweet spot” where flight costs and resort rates drop simultaneously. 

“A wedding in May or early December versus a peak holiday weekend can mean $200 to $400 less per ticket,” says Destination Wedding Specialist, Dorothy Johnson with SunLover Travel DFW. “That’s real money, especially for guests flying in from across the country.”

Map Out the Guest Footprint First

Long before picking a resort, it is wise to consider where the bulk of your guest list resides. “For example,” Dana Braun of Aisle + Away Travel Co. says, “the couple may live in Florida and travel to the Caribbean often. But, if most of their family and friends live in Washington state, some islands may be incredibly difficult to reach both financially and logistically.”

Extend the Planning Runway

One of the single most powerful actions a couple can take is securing their date 12 to 18 months in advance. A longer planning period for guests means a better window to track flight fares, increasing the chances of scoring a good deal. “That runway alone can be the difference between a full room and a half-empty one,” Johnson says. 

Photo by Efege

On-the-Ground Adjustments: Re-Engineering the Weekend

Now, let’s assume you’re in the thick of destination wedding planning, having sent out invitations and secured your venue. Maybe at this point, you’ve even already gotten “no” RSVPs based on flight costs alone. Not to worry! You can still make strategic choices to positively affect how much your guests spend overall, offsetting the high costs of airfare.

Offset Airfare with Accommodation Value

If you hire a group travel agent, they can be wildly helpful in negotiating strong room blocks with diverse, tiered price points so guests have options. 

Deconstruct the Itinerary

Avoid the trap of overpacking the weekend schedule with mandatory events. “Not every event has to be a major hosted production,” Craine says. She recommends prioritizing the most important moments while keeping optional festivities light, flexible, and less financially demanding to minimize guest travel fatigue.

Eliminate Hidden Local Costs

Alleviate secondary financial friction by providing absolute clarity on ground transportation and airport transfers. Making the trip seamless to navigate on arrival helps balance out an expensive plane ticket. Our experts also say simply opting to cover ground transportation as a whole can be a huge relief for guests’ bottom-line costs, too. 

Photo by Kismet Visuals & Co.

Headache-Saving Guest Communication Tips

Publish a “Booking Window” Instead of Just a Date

Instead of just sharing a wedding date, Johnson advises that couples include an explicit booking window recommendation on their Save-the-Dates. “Something as simple as ‘flights are typically cheapest 6 to 9 months out, book early’ can save guests hundreds of dollars and dramatically improve attendance.”

Mandate Three-Letter Airport Codes

Precision on the wedding website is non-negotiable. “Some regions will have multiple airports, so three little letters will make a huge difference,” Braun warns. “Take Costa Rica, for example. If you just put ‘Costa Rica’ as the destination, you could have people flying into LIR or SJO. If your wedding is in Papagayo, guests flying into SJO will incur hundreds of dollars in additional transportation, as well as many more hours traveling.”

So, go ahead and close out of those incognito browser tabs. At the end of the day, outsmarting soaring flight prices doesn’t require urban legends or booking hacks; it just takes a little strategic communication and empathy for your guest list. By laying out clear airport codes, anticipating hidden costs, and giving your loved ones a generous runway to plan, you can take the financial friction out of the equation. Your guests will get to paradise with cash to spare, and you can get back to focusing on what matters most: celebrating your marriage in a place you love.