We’re already rounding
the corner into autumn, which means the end-of-year holidays will be here
before you know it! That means now is the time to start making your travel
plans for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve, according to new research
results just released by Google.
The company’s 2024
travel trends report, based on Google Flights data gathered over the past four
years, aims to help travelers navigate their trip options by providing fresh
insights into the latest travel leanings, as well as expert tips for securing
the most affordable flights.
How To Score the
Cheapest Holiday Flights
With flight prices
fluctuating constantly, it’s hard to know when prices will be at their lowest
for your planned trip. However, in compiling its data, Google Flights identified
some definitive patterns for the best booking windows, generally speaking.
- Domestic Flights: Historically, the
ideal time to book U.S. flights has been 38 days before departure.
However, the lowest prices are typically found anywhere between 21 to 52
days prior to takeoff.
- International Flights: For trips
abroad, the data suggests booking 101 days in advance. Fares tend to rise
within 50 days of departure, so it’s best to plan early.
Specific
recommendations for booking holiday travel include:
- Thanksgiving: Domestic travelers have
historically found the lowest airfare available 45 days before departure,
with some of the best deals arising between 26 to 59 days out. The prime
time to secure low fares for travel just before or after the Thanksgiving
holiday is early October.
- Christmas: Historically speaking, travelers
looking to fly around the December holidays scored the lowest flight prices
by purchasing 58 days in advance, with fares typically at their lowest
between 36 to 72 days before the flight. So, once again, this means the
latter part of October is ideal for finding holiday-period deals.
Midweek Travel May
Offer Additional Savings
While certain
myths about cheaper booking days persist, Google Flights data indicates that,
generally speaking, the day of the week you book doesn’t significantly impact
the price. Historically, the difference in cost between the cheapest day
(Tuesday) and the most expensive day (Sunday) is only 1.3 percent.
However, throughout
the year, travelers can certainly save money by choosing specific days to fly.
According to the data, flights on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday are generally 13
percent cheaper compared to those that depart on Friday, Saturday or Sunday. When
looking exclusively at domestic flights, this savings margin jumps to 20
percent.
Of course, the timing
of the holidays can disrupt that model depending upon which days they fall.
Thanksgiving, for instance, being always on a Thursday and this coming
Christmas being a Wednesday, could mess with that overarching pattern. A
company spokesperson told The
Washington Post that Google didn’t have specific data to answer the
question of whether it’s still cheaper to travel midweek during the holidays,
but advised using the “date grid” on a Google Flights search to see prices
compare on different days.
Forego Nonstop
Flights for Further Price Cuts
If budget is a top
concern, another option is to choose flights with one or more stops instead of nonstops.
The savings can be significant at about 25 percent on average, but it’s
important to consider that layovers increase both your travel time and risk of
disruptions, particularly during the winter months when weather-related delays
and cancellations are quite common.
Consider International
Flight Deals During Thanksgiving
For those looking
to bypass the traditional Thanksgiving rush in the U.S., international travel
may offer a reprieve from costly domestic airfare. Travel expert Scott Keyes,
founder of Going.com, pointed out that this travel period offers some of the year’s
best bargains on international travel and that even transatlantic flights are
priced on par, if not cheaper, with domestic flights during this period.
Your Best Bet
for Finding the Lowest Fares
With flight prices
fluctuating daily, the key to finding the best deals is to book early and stay
flexible with your preferred travel dates. Setting up price alerts for desired
routes and acting quickly when favorable fares appear can make all the
difference. And, for those who don’t mind a bit of an adventure, opting for a
layover or going for an international destination, rather than a domestic one, may
provide additional savings.
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