Flights around the holidays can be some of the biggest travel expenses of the year. At a certain point — maybe while you're stuck in your Uber at the peak of holiday airport traffic — you might begin to wonder if there’s an easier and cheaper way to get to your destination.
One unconventional way to save is to celebrate an un-Thanksgiving — but if Grandma insists that Turkey Day can’t be celebrated any other time, you might have to be creative with which days you choose to fly.
NerdWallet analyzed the past three years of checkpoint travel numbers provided by the Transportation Security Administration, which tracks the number of passengers screened daily at U.S. TSA checkpoints. Because flight pricing is incredibly sensitive to demand, the most crowded days generally correlate with the most expensive days to fly and the least crowded days usually mean you can find savings or book a better flight (like a nonstop flight).
Cheapest days to fly around Thanksgiving
The cheapest day to fly around Thanksgiving is generally Turkey Day itself.
If you cannot travel on Thanksgiving Day itself, here are the three least-crowded days to travel ranked from least to most crowded for both pre-holiday and post-holiday departures. Because they're less crowded and likely less expensive, it makes them some of the best days to fly around Thanksgiving.
Pre-holiday:
Saturday before.
Monday before.
Tuesday before.
Post-holiday:
Wednesday after.
Black Friday.
Giving Tuesday.
Cheapest days to fly around Christmas
Because winter breaks are a bit more spread out, you have many more affordable options when it comes to Christmastime travel. Based on Hipmunk’s historical data, departing on Christmas Day or Christmas Eve makes for the most inexpensive flights, with median round-trip prices for domestic flights under $400. Most people choose to depart earlier, with 68% of people booking flights departing between December 21-23.
As far as return dates, it’s about equally as busy to depart on any of the four days after Christmas. On average, the cheapest itineraries (that aren’t super-short trips) are Dec. 24-28 or Dec. 25-29. The most expensive itineraries are those for the entire week surrounding Christmas, like Dec. 21-29, which has a median price of $547 on round-trip flights in the U.S.
When to book
The earlier, the better. If you can book in the first week of September, you could save an average of 19% on Christmas flights, or 12% of flights for Thanksgiving, compared to peak prices. For Thanksgiving flights, you might also find some lower prices from Halloween through mid-November. Check Christmas bookings again the first week of October or early December.
However, be aware that waiting could cost you your seat on a nonstop flight, or force you to fly at inconvenient hours as availability becomes more limited.
The bottom line
Play with dates in Google Flights or use the Southwest Low Fare Calendar. If you have the flexibility to work remotely or take time off around the holidays, it could save you $100 or more to fly on lower-demand days. The same goes if you’re trying to book a flight using your travel rewards. Many U.S. airlines offer different levels of award pricing based on demand, so you might be able to spend fewer points if you fly on the cheaper days.
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024, including those best for:
FAQs
According to Google Flights' 2023 insights, the best time to book a mid-December holiday flight is 71 days before departure. In many cases, the best day to fly will be further out from the holiday. If the holiday falls on a Monday, flying the Tuesday before will likely be cheaper than flying the Friday before.
What are the cheapest days to fly around Christmas? ›
Cheapest days to fly around Christmas
As far as return dates, it's about equally as busy to depart on any of the four days after Christmas. On average, the cheapest itineraries (that aren't super-short trips) are Dec. 24-28 or Dec. 25-29.
What's the cheapest time to go on holiday? ›
If you have the flexibility, choose a 'shoulder' month just before or after the school holidays or just before or after the season ends; you'll enjoy lower prices, less intense heat, and fewer crowds. As such, May, June, and October are among the best times of the year to take holidays.
Do flight prices go down on Christmas Day? ›
Scheduling your departure flight earlier in the week and your return flight later in the week could help you save. Likewise, flying on Christmas itself is sometimes cheaper. You can also look at some of the less desirable times—early morning, late night, and red-eye flights—that often cost a bit less.
Is it cheaper to travel on the holiday? ›
"You just see far fewer people traveling then," says Keyes. "And with fewer people, you can see lower fares and fewer disruptions," including delays and cancellations. So think about booking tickets to depart or arrive on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve or New Year's Day.
What is the best time to buy airline tickets for Christmas? ›
The first weeks of October are the cheapest time to book holiday travel, data shows. The best time to book Christmas flights is 71 days before departure, according to Google Flights.
What are typically the cheapest days to fly? ›
Tuesday and Friday flights can help you avoid the rush earlier in the week. Sundays and Mondays are the most expensive days to depart for domestic trips. If you can't fly on the cheapest days, flying on Tuesdays or Fridays might also be a good option.
What months are cheaper to travel? ›
Is there a cheapest month to fly? If you're looking for a bargain month to travel, January is best. Flights in February are a close second for being most affordable. At the other end of the spectrum, November and July are the first and second most expensive months to travel, on average.
What is the most expensive month to go on a holiday? ›
The main times to avoid are obviously school holidays, as prices will always spike during the times children are off (especially in the summer holidays between mid-July & end of August).
How far in advance should I book holiday travel? ›
Founder Scott Keyes has previously said that for domestic flights, the best time to book a flight is one to three months before your travel date, and for international flights, it's two to eight months prior. However, it's better to book earlier than later for the peak holiday season.
Do Flight Prices Go Down on Tuesday? The myth has been going around for years, but the truth is that flight prices don't go down on Tuesdays. To be fair, they did at one point in time, and savvy travelers could score a great deal late on a Tuesday night.
Do flights get cheaper closer to the holidays? ›
Winter: Travel around the Christmas and New Year holidays will usually cost more no matter what; otherwise, winter can be an affordable time to travel. For non-holiday travel, you can buy plane tickets a mere 26 days in advance and still get a good deal.
How long before a holiday is it cheapest? ›
When to get the best deals on flights. The best time to book your flights is usually 3 months before you travel, or 6 months if you're jetting off during the peak summer season. This means that January tends to be the cheapest month for bookings.
What is the cheapest day to fly in December? ›
Dec 24 This year, Christmas Eve is the best priced departure date option. Flying on this date will save you close to $120 over traveling on December 22. Dec 25 Christmas Day is another relatively inexpensive travel day this year. You'll save about the same as traveling on Christmas Eve.
How to save on holiday flights? ›
How to get discounts on flights
- Be flexible. Are you looking for the single best way to save money on airline tickets? ...
- Use points and miles. ...
- Travel in the offseason. ...
- Book at the right time. ...
- Set a price alert. ...
- Jump on fare deals. ...
- Purchase travel insurance in advance.
The study recommends travel on Christmas Eve or even Christmas Day as airlines tend to have a high number of seats available at a discounted price, with the least amount of passengers.
Where is the cheapest place to travel for Christmas? ›
Best Cheap Winter Vacations
- San Miguel de Allende.
- Santa Fe.
- Cozumel.
- Puerto Rico.
- Big Sky, MT.
- Banff.
- Martinique.
- Gatlinburg.
Flights departing on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day average 26% lower than peak prices during the Christmas season, according to the 2023 Holiday Travel Outlook from travel booking site Hopper. For a one-way, domestic airfare, the savings amounts to about $114 per ticket, according to Hopper.
Do flight prices go down on Tuesday? ›
Tuesdays may not be favorable for booking, but if you're hoping to score major savings, booking your departure on a Tuesday or Wednesday is a surefire way to do so. Mid-week flights offer the best deal prices in comparison to flights departing the rest of the week.
