It might sound contradictory, but scoring affordable airfare during the holidays is possible.
Below are our top strategies and pointers for finding cheap holiday flights:
1. Don’t Wait
Really — purchase your tickets as soon as you can. Google Flights data suggests the ideal window for domestic travel is 21–74 days before departure. For holiday travel, aim to book even earlier. If you’re heading home for Thanksgiving, try to secure your flight in early October. For Christmas travel, the latter part of October is generally the sweet spot to book.
2. Shop Around for the Best Deal
When comparing airfare, don’t just trust the carriers’ own sites. Check tools like Google Flights, Priceline, Momondo, ITA Flight Matrix and Skyscanner to weigh prices among different airlines. You might also find cheap holiday flights by casting a wider net across multiple search engines.
3. Use a Flight Tracker
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Checking fares constantly can be draining. If you don’t have time to monitor prices multiple times a day, let apps do the heavy lifting. Flight tracking services will notify you when fares drop for your chosen dates, times and destinations.
4. Fly on the Holiday Itself
Many travelers avoid flying on Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year’s Day — which can produce surprisingly good deals for those willing to travel then. Flying on the holiday doesn’t necessarily mean skipping the celebrations. You could leave very early and arrive in time for dinner, or coordinate with relatives to celebrate on the following day. If everyone’s on board, you’ll benefit from lower prices and less-busy airports without sacrificing the holiday.
5. Fly Early and Look for Layovers
Getting up for a 6 a.m. flight after holiday festivities may not be appealing, but early flights often carry lower fares than mid- or late-day departures.
Nonstop flights usually cost more than journeys with one or more connections. If you can tolerate switching planes and waiting in another terminal, choosing a flight with a layover can trim a significant amount off the ticket. Just be sure to leave ample connection time to avoid missing subsequent flights.
6. Check Fares at Nearby Airports
The largest airport isn’t always the least expensive. Look into alternative departure or arrival airports to find better pricing. In some cases, you can fly into one airport and return from another to maximize savings.
7. Know When to Fly
If lowering costs is your goal, avoid Sunday travel. This guidance is valid year-round but especially during holiday periods. Wednesday is typically the cheapest day to fly, and flying on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday can be about 13% cheaper than departing on Friday, Saturday or Sunday, per Google Flights.
8. Extend Your Trip
Shifting your travel a day or two before or after the holiday can sometimes yield lower fares. For instance, if you’re expected to work the Monday after Thanksgiving, ask about working remotely, using a vacation day or taking unpaid time off so you can fly home Monday night instead.
9. Ship Your Presents to Avoid Baggage Fees
Airlines’ baggage charges have increased and can add substantially to the total cost of your trip. If you’re flying for Christmas, consider shipping gifts directly to your family when purchasing online. Ask relatives to do the same for you so you won’t need to worry about hauling presents through the airport.
10. Use a Rewards Travel Card
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There’s no denying that holiday travel is costly. Still, you can offset some of the expense by charging travel to a rewards credit card. Some travel cards give cash back while others accumulate points you can redeem for future trips. If you already have points saved up, use them to help pay for your holiday airfare.
