Holiday flights are cheaper — how to book smart

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.

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 6 percent, while the December holidays are coming in around 9 percent lower than last year. You can also save money by booking strategically.

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 (Nov. 23) or the day before Thanksgiving (Nov. 27) and returning home on Sunday, Dec. 1.

Meanwhile, departing on Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 28) and returning on Tuesday, Dec. 3, is likely to result in fewer crowds and as much as 34 percent saving on airfare.

Tips for booking holiday travel

For Christmas flights, Hopper revealed that pricing will be at its lowest point during the final two weeks of October. 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 sooner rather than later.

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 (Dec. 24) or Christmas Day (Dec. 25) — if they’re looking to avoid congestion and score cheaper airfare. Returning home on New Year’s Eve (Dec. 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, Dec. 20, or Saturday, Dec. 21, with return trips on either Saturday, Dec. 28, or Sunday, Dec. 29.