Learn

Personal Resource Center
Back

How to Find the Best Holiday Flights

Whether you're traveling to a long-awaited family gathering or just seeking some much-needed relaxation, one experience unites holiday travelers: paying some of the highest airfare rates1 of the year.

The reason for pricey holiday plane tickets is as simple as supply and demand — more people are traveling, based on 2024 data2. And there's no sign it'll be any less busy this year. But there are some clever ways to find the best deal possible on your holiday air travel.


1. Pick Your Travel Days Carefully

It's tempting to pick travel dates based on work or school schedules, but you can save serious money by adjusting your arrival and departure around lower-demand travel days. In general, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday bookings are less expensive than weekends, according to U.S. News & World Report3 — and the savings jump higher for international flights. Of course, holidays can (but don't always) shake up that dynamic.

Thanksgiving

Airfare for Thanksgiving trips in 2024 averaged $298 per round-trip ticket, which was 10% higher than that time last year and 3% higher than the pre-COVID19 pandemic cost, according to GlobalAware4.  Black Friday, however, won the distinction of the best Thanksgiving weekend travel day, saving travelers $90 per ticket. It's also worth noting that, in keeping with year-round trends, the Tuesday and Wednesday before the holiday were both less expensive than flying the weekend before.

The best prices were found to occur 42 days before the flight. 

Christmas

Christmas travel prices vary more from year to year, depending on which day of the week the holiday falls on. A 2023 CheapAir.com analysis found that for the 2023 Christmas Day, the night before the holiday had some of the best deals. Travelers going on Christmas saved about the same. The same applied in 2024.

Holiday Travel Bonus Tip: Those less expensive travel days tend to align with smaller airport crowds as well. The best days for airfare above generally align with lower TSA passenger volumes5.


2. Book During the Holiday Airfare Window

There is such a thing as buying your holiday plane tickets too early. According to CheapAir.com data6, the best price window for holiday flights is between 74 to 21 days before you fly. As the holidays approach this year, be cognizant of planning ahead. 

Money icon
According to CheapAir.com data, the best price window for flights is between 74 and 21 days before you fly.

Because every data set is different, it's worth noting that data from travel app Hopper7 shows both airfare for both holidays is lowest between September 12 and October 20.

Holiday Travel Bonus Tip: Whatever you do, don't sit around waiting to book until next Tuesday. CheapAir.com suggests the day of the week you choose to travel on does make a difference in price. For the second year in a row, the cheapest day of the week to fly is Wednesday. Flying on Wednesday will save you $102 on average versus Sunday – the most expensive day to fly. Tuesday is the second cheapest day to fly, with savings of $99 on average versus Sunday.6


3. Be a Price Watcher

Plane ticket pricing fluctuates even within the prime booking window, and it's anyone's guess when to log on for the best deal — unless you have an algorithm on your side. Companies like Google, Kayak, Skyscanner, Hopper and others allow you to set up price tracking alerts. Share info on your travel plans, and you can receive a notification when prices drop or are likely at their lowest.

It can be worthwhile to keep price tracking even after you book. If the price drops, you may still be able to get in on the savings, depending on how much time has passed and the airline you're flying with. While the policies can get complicated, check out a detailed explainer from ThePoints Guy8 to find out how each airline handles price drops.

Holiday Travel Bonus Tip: While many travel sites that offer price tracking also sell tickets, consider going straight to the airline for your purchase. Ticket changes or other issues are often easier to manage9 through the airline itself, and you can save money in the long term by earning loyalty rewards.

You may be inclined to avoid holiday planning before you've decided on your Halloween costume, but when it comes to finding the best deal on a flight, it's prime time for booking. With the right timing and a little strategy, you can minimize your holiday travel costs now. That means by the time November and December roll around, you can focus on the holiday merriment.

Important disclosure information

This content is general in nature and does not constitute legal, tax, accounting, financial or investment advice. You are encouraged to consult with competent legal, tax, accounting, financial or investment professionals based on your specific circumstances. We do not make any warranties as to accuracy or completeness of this information, do not endorse any third-party companies, products, or services described here, and take no liability for your use of this information.

  1. Ivana Pino and Seychelle Thomas, "Average cost of flying in the U.S.," Bankrate, published November 8, 2024. Accessed January 16, 2025. Back
  2. Bureau of Transportation Statistics, "Airline Traffic Data," accessed January 16, 2025. Back
  3. Amanda Norcross, "The Trick to Finding Cheap Flights" U.S. News & World Report, published January 25, 2024. Accessed January 16, 2025. Back
  4. GlobalAware, "Holiday Travel 2024 Outlook" published September 15, 2024. Accessed November 15, 2024. Back

  5. Transportation Security Administration, "TSA checkpoint travel numbers (current year versus prior year(s)/same weekday)," accessed January 16, 2025.

     Back
  6. CheapAir.com, "The Best Time to Buy Flights," published October 19, 2024. Accessed January 16, 2025. Back
  7. Hayley Berg, "2022 Holiday Travel Outlook," Hopper, published September 12, 2022. Accessed August 15, 2023. Back
  8. .Jennifer Yellin and Caroline Tanner, "Airlines that offer you a credit if the price of airfare drops," The Points Guy, updated May 15, 2024. Accessed January 16, 2025. Back
  9. Clint Henderson, Sean Cudahy and Caroline Tanner, "The best time to book the cheapest airfare in 2024," The Points Guy, updated October 1, 2024. Accessed January 16, 2025. Back