When to book Thanksgiving and Christmas flights for the best deals

When planning to fly during Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, the timing of your booking can significantly impact the cost of your airfare. According to Google Flights, booking early is crucial as airfares tend to increase closer to the travel dates. For Thanksgiving, the cheapest fares are available around October, specifically 34 days before departure. This means that the best deal would be to book by October 22, which is the day before Thanksgiving.

Similarly, for flights around Christmas, the best deals can be found by booking 56 days in advance, between 33 and 67 days before the trip. This window of opportunity opens around late October and continues into mid-November. The data, as of October 5, indicates that roughly 80 days remain until Christmas, providing ample time to secure a good deal.

Experts also suggest considering off-peak travel days, such as Monday or Tuesday, to potentially save money. For Thanksgiving, avoid flying on Wednesday, as this is typically the busiest travel day. Instead, opting for a flight on Monday or Tuesday could yield savings. Around Christmas, it is advised to steer clear of flying on December 18, 19, 20, and the Sunday after Christmas Day, December 27.

The rising cost of flights can be attributed to various factors, including the ongoing Iran war, which has driven up oil and jet fuel prices. These are the biggest expenses for airlines after personnel costs. Jet fuel prices have seen a significant increase this year, peaking at $209 per barrel in April and $195 a barrel in mid-September. This situation has led to domestic round-trip airfares for Thanksgiving averaging $402, a 31% increase from last year, and for Christmas flights averaging $452, a 23% increase.