Who knew saving money on travel could be so simple?!
Though the holidays are the most wonderful time of the year, they also have the potential to become the most expensive. Traveling to visit family and friends is a pricey proposition on top of all the other costs that tend to pile up during the holiday season, from holiday shopping to hosting parties.
Brace yourself: This year, air travel during the holidays is more costly than ever, according to Going.com. The average round-trip domestic airfare for Thanksgiving travel is a staggering $751, and for Christmas it’s $685—and that’s for just one person! The price really adds up for families, who may just decide to stay home.
But believe it or not, there is one little-known trick that can help you save big money on your holiday airfare, and it’s so simple that anyone can do it. Keep reading to find out the one thing you can do to save up to 30% on your holiday travel itinerary and other tricks to help you save during the most wonderful time of the year.
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What’s the one easy thing that will save you money on holiday airfare?
You’ve probably already heard that flying on the holiday itself can save you money, and indeed, Going.com reports the tactic can save you up to 30%. “Flying on the holiday itself continues to be the best bang for your buck when it comes to holiday travel,” says Going.com travel expert Kathy Nastro.
However, if you don’t want to risk arriving on Turkey Day just in time for dessert or on Christmas after the presents have been opened, you do have options. “Depending on where flyers are heading this year, just shifting their dates by as little as one day before can help save up to 19%, which can add up for families,” Nastro says. “If travelers are heading further afield or want to squeeze a bit more time from the holiday, we suggest to target the second-best days, which still can offer savings.”
The best travel days for savings for Thanksgiving (besides Thanksgiving itself, Nov. 27) by destination are:
- Midwest: Nov. 24 (13% savings)
- Northeast: Nov. 24 (6.9% savings)
- Southeast: Nov. 24 (13.4% savings)
- Southwest: Nov. 24 (19.9% savings)
- West Coast: Nov. 26 (4.6% savings)
And the best travel days for savings for Christmas (besides Dec. 25) by destination are:
- Midwest: Dec. 24 (24.8% savings)
- Northeast: Dec. 24 (25.5% savings)
- Southeast: Dec. 23 (20.7% savings)
- Southwest: Dec. 24 (18.8% savings)
- West Coast: Dec. 23 (17.2% savings)
How else can you save on holiday travel?
Flying on holidays or shortly before isn’t the only way to save on holiday travel. There are a few other key tips worth considering in order to get the most bang for your buck this holiday season.
- Book domestic Thanksgiving travel plans ASAP. The window to lock in the best price falls between 24 and 59 days in advance, or Sept. 28 to Nov. 2, but booking sooner is the better strategy.
- For Christmas travel, book domestic flights by early October. The window for the best airfare prices falls between 32 and 73 days out, or between October and mid-November.
- The week of Thanksgiving is one of the best times to travel abroad because fares quietly drop significantly. If you normally take a trip with your loved ones to celebrate the holiday, or you’ve been thinking about visiting family overseas, you might want to consider taking advantage of this little-known secret.
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Source:
- Going.com: Earlier Booking Trends Define 2025 Holiday Travel
