It’s nearly October, which means that the holidays are right around the corner—and with them will inevitably come an increase in flight prices. So, consider this your PSA: The time to book your holiday travel is ASAP.
“Earlier this summer, travelers had their pick of affordable airfare. However, as we step into the next peak season, that same travel luck may have run its course,” said Katy Nastro, travel expert at flight-deal tracking website Going, in the company’s 2025 holiday travel release. “Prices are already higher than last year for the winter holidays, and with the economy top of mind for millions of Americans, it’s no wonder we are seeing earlier search habits. Wait too long to book, and the only thing you’ll be unwrapping is holiday stress, not savings.”
According to a recent holiday travel report from Google Flights, the average price of airline tickets tends to be at its lowest for domestic Thanksgiving trips 39 days before departure. With Thanksgiving landing on November 27 this year, the best day to book U.S. flights for Thanksgiving travel is October 19. Google notes that the low-price booking range for domestic Thanksgiving travel is between 23 and 51 days prior to departure. (Use a recently introduced Google Flights tool to help decide whether you should book your flights now or later.)
As for Christmas travel, according to Google, prices have historically been lowest 51 days before departure, meaning the ideal time frame for booking Christmas flights is in late October. The low-price booking range for Christmas travel is between 32 and 73 days before.
However, Going notes that Americans are searching an average of 15 days earlier this year than they did in 2024, which could skew trends of years past.
Unfortunately, regardless of when you book, you’ll likely experience a bit of sticker shock: Already, the averages for Thanksgiving and holiday-season domestic flights are up 10 percent and 7 percent, respectively, this year, according to Going. The average fares for Thanksgiving are running at $751 for domestic flights, while Christmas holiday flights are on average $685 round-trip this year.
The bottom line, according to Expedia Group travel expert Melanie Fish, is that “the closer it gets to your travel date, the more the odds of snagging a good deal decrease. If you haven’t already booked, do it soon.”
Going advises travelers to book holiday flights at least 21 days in advance: “Many airlines require a 21-day advance purchase requirement for the lowest fares. If booking occurs 20 days before the flight, the previous cheapest fare will expire, and the new lowest fare could be $100 to $200 higher,” the company stated in its holiday report.
Still need to book your holiday travel? Here’s your 2025 holiday season travel guide.
Tips for traveling during the holidays in 2025
The Greek island of Crete is a great option for winter travel.
Photo by Matthieu Oger/Unsplash
Go where others aren’t
As a general rule of thumb, the more popular a holiday destination is, the more expensive it is to get there.
While airfare to New York, Orlando, or Paris may be sky high in December, you’ll often find much better rates to nearby cities or less-obvious destinations.
Consider European destinations that are summer hot spots but shine during the winter as well, such as Provence, France, and the Greek island of Crete.
Similarly, if you want all the sparkle of the season without the shoulder-to-shoulder crowds, look to destinations that fly under the radar during the holidays. Instead of Paris, head to Strasbourg or Colmar in France’s Alsace region, where half-timbered houses and intimate Christmas markets make the whole town seem like a snow globe.
In the U.S., cities like Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Charleston, South Carolina, combine festive lights with local traditions—think farolitos (little paper bags holding lights) lining adobe homes or carolers wandering cobblestoned streets—without the frenzy of bigger hubs. Or consider northern destinations like Quebec City or Tallinn, Estonia, where cold weather and historic architecture create a postcard-perfect backdrop that seems delightfully unhurried. These spots capture the magic of the holidays but give you the space to enjoy it.
Better yet, airlines and hotels often offer deals to fill seats and rooms in places that aren’t oversubscribed, meaning your willingness to zig when others zag can pay off in both savings and a more relaxed trip.
According to Google Flights, the top five trending destinations of domestic travel (where airfare will be higher) this year are Columbia, South Carolina; Bozeman, Montana; Spokane, Washington; Detroit, Michigan; and Omaha, Nebraska.
Meanwhile, Expedia noted its busiest destinations for Thanksgiving are San Juan, Puerto Rico; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Wilmington, Delaware; San Diego, California; and Kahului, Hawai’i. For Christmas and New Year’s, the trending destinations are Fort Lauderdale, Florida; San Antonio, Texas; Indianapolis, Indiana; and Kahului and Honolulu, Hawai’i. So, again, you might consider avoiding these holiday hot spots.
Try looking at two one-way flights
Flight aggregators, such as Google Flights, will display only round-trip flights from a single airline or two one-way flights from partner airlines. For example, it might suggest an itinerary for which the outbound flight is on Alaska Airlines and the return is on American Airlines because they are both part of the oneworld Alliance. However, Google Flights won’t provide an itinerary that combines Delta and United because they are competitors. Try booking your trip separately on different airlines to see if you can find a cheaper overall price.
Explore alternative airports
Sometimes, flying out of an airport farther from home versus a closer hub is worth the savings.
“For example, you live outside of Philadelphia and would love to take that trip to Paris with your partner over the winter holidays, but tickets are currently out of budget,” explained Nastro from Going. “The tickets from Philly are currently well over $900 round-trip, but if you drove just an hour and a half away to Newark, your ticket cost for the same trip might be almost $200 less.”
Consider when you travel
You could save a considerable amount of money by tweaking your travel dates.
“Flying on the holiday itself continues to be the best bang for your buck when it comes to holiday travel,” Nastro said. She noted that travelers should try shifting their dates by as little as one day, in some cases, which can lead to big savings that can add up for families.
The most expensive departure dates, according to Going, are the Wednesday before Thanksgiving (November 26), with average one-way fares of $756, and the Saturday before Christmas (December 20), at $905. Coming home, travelers should avoid the Sunday after Thanksgiving (November 30) and the Saturday after Christmas (December 27), when both fares average $850 one-way.
Going estimates that travelers can save about 15 to 30 percent per ticket (depending on the destination) by departing on the holiday itself.
As for Christmas, Hopper advises looking into departures the week before Christmas or heading out on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day for maximum savings.
If you are bound by specific dates, you might get a better flight deal if you travel a few hours later—for instance, on a red-eye flight that departs shortly after midnight on the day you need to be home. Nastro noted that red-eyes are typically cheaper as there’s less demand for them.
Use points or miles for last-minute economy tickets
To ease the strain on your wallet, see if you can book the flight with points or miles. When last-minute cash prices are high, you often can get the best redemption value for points and miles.
“A lot of people hoard their points and miles for fancier front-of-plane seats, but if those currencies allow you to take a flight you might not have had the opportunity [to take] otherwise to spend time with loved ones, it might be worth cashing some in for a winter holiday economy flight,” Nastro said.
Be flexible
If you need to travel during the winter holidays, the above tips are paramount for snagging a more affordable ticket. But if you just want to travel, then flexibility on when and where could help you score a deal.
One way to find cheaper flights is to play with Google Flight’s Explore tool. You can input your departure city, preferred travel dates, and click “Explore.” You’ll then be brought to a page listing the spread of the cheapest flights to destinations throughout the world.
“Let the deal answer the question of ‘Where to?’” Nastro advised. “Being open to destinations can allow you to not only find a fantastic price on airfare but also open your world to experiences that you might not have considered but are just as enjoyable as the old standbys.”
This story was first published in October 2023 and was updated on September 29, 2025, to include current information.
