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Google Flights released its annual tips for finding cheap Thanksgiving and Christmas airfare.
By Natalie B. Compton
The first signs of fall can trigger nostalgia over first days of school and colorful foliage. But they also should nudge would-be holiday travelers into action.
It’s just about time to start shopping for Thanksgiving and Christmas flights if you want to save money on airfare, according to a report that Google published on Thursday. The company’s 2024 travel trends announcement, based on four years of Google Flights data, shares insights on booking the cheapest flights, including the windows for finding the lowest airfare for holiday travel.
Your best bet for scoring a flight deal is to set up price alerts early and to jump on desirable fares when you see them. Here’s more shopping advice for holiday airfare based on the report.
Mark your calendar for October
If you’re eyeing domestic flights for Thanksgiving, the window for the best prices is 26 to 59 days from your departure date, according to Google data, meaning the end of September through the first days of November. Expect the lowest airfare 45 days before departure. (That’s Oct. 13 if you’re flying in the day before the holiday.)
For Christmas travelers, Google recommends booking sometime in the second half of October, to hit the low-fare window 36 to 72 days out.
International flight deals
If you can eschew the traditional stateside-Thanksgiving hustle, the holiday week is an excellent time for international travel deals.
Scott Keyes, founder of the cheap-flight alert service Going, said that, with so many people traveling simultaneously to be with family, it’s one of the most expensive weeks all year for domestic airfare — but one of the best times for finding international deals. For many routes, transatlantic flights can cost the same as or less than domestic ones.
Look at weekday travel
Avoiding travel on Fridays, Saturdays or Sundays could save you some cash on booking flights year-round. In general, according to the Google Flights numbers, flying on a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday has historically been 13 percent cheaper than over a weekend.
The holidays can complicate that equation a bit. With Thanksgiving on a Thursday and this Christmas on a Wednesday, is it still cheaper to book midweek vs. over the weekend? A spokesman for the company said it didn’t have specific data to answer that question but recommended using the “date grid” option when searching on Google Flights to see how prices change throughout the week.
In my own unscientific search, flights were cheaper leaving the Monday before Thanksgiving compared with the weekend before, though Tuesday and Wednesday were about as expensive as the weekend. For Christmas, flights were far more expensive the weekend before than flying even on Christmas Eve or the holiday itself.
A layover will save money but add risk
One last way to save on your holiday flights comes with a big asterisk: The Google Flights data shows that adding a layover to your trip instead of flying nonstop can save you about 25 percent on airfare — but keep in mind that more flights mean more time and more potential for headaches on your travel day. If winter weather delays your first leg, for example, you risk missing your connection.
We recommend a nonstop flight whenever possible, particularly during busy travel periods.
More travel tips
Vacation planning: Start with a strategy to maximize days off by taking PTO around holidays. Experts recommend taking multiple short trips for peak happiness. Want to take an ambitious trip? Here are 12 destinations to try this year — without crowds.
Cheap flights: Follow our best advice for scoring low airfare, including setting flight price alerts and subscribing to deal newsletters. If you’re set on an expensive getaway, here’s a plan to save up without straining your credit limit.
Airport chaos: We’ve got advice for every scenario, from canceled flights to lost luggage. Stuck at the rental car counter? These tips can speed up the process. And following these 52 rules of flying should make the experience better for everyone.
Expert advice: Our By The Way Concierge solves readers’ dilemmas, including whether it’s okay to ditch a partner at security, or what happens if you get caught flying with weed. Submit your question here. Or you could look to the gurus: Lonely Planet and Rick Steves.