The end-of-year holidays
are fast approaching and, whether you’re planning a traditional trip back to
the family homestead or an escape to a sun-drenched beach, having the inside
track on when and how to book your holiday travel can save you substantial amounts
of stress and money. But, the windows for snagging fight deals for the upcoming
holidays, including Thanksgiving,
Christmas, Hannukah and New Year’s, are closing quickly.
One bit of good
news is that the holiday airfares out there have dipped across the board this
year, compared with the same period in 2023. According to Kayak’s holiday travel report, average
air travel costs around the Thanksgiving holiday have fallen six percent, while
the December holidays are coming in around nine percent lower than last year.
But, this cheaper pricing won’t last much longer and the closer we creep toward
each holiday, the more expensive things are bound to get.
Vintage suitcase with fall leaves and pumpkins. (Photo Credit: Adobe Stock/allari)
Tips for Booking
Thanksgiving Travel
In its own report on holiday
travel hacks, comparison site Hopper revealed that the best window for
booking Thanksgiving and Christmas flights was within the first two weeks of
October. But, luckily for the procrastinators among us, that doesn’t mean it’s
too late. For Turkey Day travel, Hopper says to book at least a month in
advance, meaning October 28 this year will be the absolute last day you can expect
to find affordable airfare for U.S. domestic flights, since Thanksgiving falls
on November 28 this year.
The travel app
reported that waiting beyond this deadline will see prices rise by anywhere
from five to 10 percent each day, “or by as much as $30 per day, in the
final two weeks before Thanksgiving as flights sell out and travelers scramble
to book last minute trips.” So, save yourself potentially hundreds of dollars by
booking those Turkey Day tickets before Halloween hits.
When to fly for Thanksgiving:
In terms of when
is best to travel for Thanksgiving, both in terms of securing the least
expensive airfare and avoiding the crowds, an ideal strategy is to travel on
the holiday itself. This could potentially save you hundreds of dollars on
airplane tickets and also make for the least stressful airport experience.
According to Hopper, most travelers will be flying either the Saturday prior (November
23) or the day before Thanksgiving (November 27) and returning home on Sunday,
December 1.
Meanwhile,
departing on Thanksgiving Day (November 28) and returning on Tuesday, December
3 is likely to result in fewer crowds and as much as 34 percent saving on
airfare.
Suitcase with Christmas gifts and a Santa hat. (Photo Credit: Adobe Stock/Viktoriya)
Tips for Booking
Christmas Travel
For Christmas
flights, Hopper revealed that pricing will be at its lowest point during the
final two weeks of October, which makes now the ideal time to book. Likewise,
Kayak’s data indicated that travelers will need to book at least two months in
advance if they hope to find affordable domestic airfare for any of the December
holidays.
But, come late November,
ticket prices will start to soar, rising by more than 32 percent in the last
three to four weeks before the holiday arrives. So, if you’re hoping to snag reasonably
priced seats (or find any seats at all still available), it’s wise to book
before the month is out.
When to fly for Christmas:
According to Hopper,
travelers’ best bet for Christmas travel is also to travel on the holiday
itself—either Christmas Eve (December 24) or Christmas Day (December 25)—if they’re
looking to avoid congestion and score cheaper airfare. Returning home on New
Year’s Eve (December 31) will also help accomplish both of these objectives. By
flying on the holidays themselves, passengers can save themselves as much as 34
percent on their plane tickets.
Conversely, the
worst days to depart on your Christmas journeys are Friday, December 20 or
Saturday, December 21, with return trips on either Saturday, December 28 or
Sunday, December 29.
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