Traveling during the holidays can be one of the busiest times of the year for flying a plane. On top of that, planning a trip can be even harder when prices are at their highest.
Thanksgiving and Christmas can offer some of the highest prices for flying, with or without the pandemic.
Between Sept. 2021 and Sept. 2022, airfare prices have jumped 42.9%. There are numerous reasons for this. This includes airlines dropping flights, fuel costs rising, and a high demand.
There are ways to stop your holiday travels from being more stressful than they need to be.
First, book your flight as early as you can. According to Local Syracuse, Hopper reports that those who plan earlier can save up to 18% on domestic airfare and 15% on international airfare for the holidays.
Next, you should travel on days that are less busy or popular to travel on. Most people love to aim for Friday for travel. Weekdays are a better option, and the days you should avoid the most are the Sundays before and after Thanksgiving. Other times, if you can swing it, traveling on the actual holiday itself can be cheaper.
You should look for airports close to you to check if there are cheaper flights at a different one. While this may not be an option for everyone, those in major cities like New York City or Atlanta can shop around.
Use Google Flights’ Explore tool to view the cheapest flights from where you are. You can also look for specific or flexible dates within a month. You can then set an alert for when the price of a ticket you want jumps or drops.
Finally, use all of the travel rewards you collect during the holidays.
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