It’s almost October. In other words, holidays are around the corner. And with them, flight prices will rise. So let’s consider this PSA. Book your holiday trip as soon as possible.
“At the beginning of the summer, travelers opted for affordable airfares, but as they stepped into the next peak season, the same travel luck might have run the course,” said Katinastro, travel expert for the flight deal tracking website in the company’s 2025 holiday travel release. “Winter break prices are already higher than last year, and the economy is at the best of the minds for millions of Americans, so it’s no wonder we’re looking at previous search habits – it’s too long to book.
According to a recent holiday travel report from Google Flights, the average price of airline tickets tends to be the lowest on domestic Thanksgiving trips 39 days before departure. With Thanksgiving landings on November 27th this year, the best day to book a US flight for Thanksgiving trip is October 19th. Google points out that the low-cost booking range for domestic Thanksgiving trips is between 23 and 51 days before departure. (It helps you decide whether to book your flights now using the recently introduced Google Flights tool.)
According to Google, prices historically were lowest 51 days before departure when it came to Christmas trips. In other words, the ideal time slot for booking Christmas flights is late October. The low-cost booking range for Christmas trips is 32-73 days in advance.
But it should be noted that Going is searching for an average of 15 days, which is more than 2024, this year’s average of 15 days before.
Unfortunately, you may experience a bit of a sticker shock, regardless of when booking. Already, the average domestic flights for Thanksgiving and Holiday seasons have increased by 10% and 7%, respectively, this year. The average Thanksgiving fare runs at $751 on domestic flights, while Christmas holiday flights average round trips of $685 this year.
According to Expedia Group Travel expert Melanie Fish, the conclusion is, “The closer you travel day, the more likely you will take away a significant drop. If you haven’t booked it yet, I’ll do it right away.”
We advise travelers to book holiday flights at least 21 days in advance. “Many airlines require a 21-day advance payment requirement for the minimum fare. If booking occurs 20 days before a flight, the previous cheapest fare will expire and the new minimum fare could be $100-200 more,” the company said in its holiday report.
Do you still need to book your holiday trip? This is your 2025 Holiday Season Travel Guide.
Tips for vacation trips in 2025
Go where other people don’t
The general rule of thumb is that the more popular your holiday destination, the more expensive it will be to get there.
Airfares to New York, Orlando, or Paris could be sky-high in December, but you can often find far better rates due to nearby cities and less clear destinations.
Consider European destinations that are summer hotspots but gleaming during the winter, such as Provence, France, and Crete, Greece.
Similarly, if you want all the glow of the season without shoulder-to-shoulder crowds, look to your destination flying under the radar during your vacation. Instead of Paris, head to Strasbourg or Colmer in the Alsace region of France. There, half-house houses and intimate Christmas markets make the entire town look like a snowy earth.
In the United States, cities such as Santa Fe, New Mexico and Charleston, South Carolina combine festive lights with local heritage. Farolithos (Small paper bags holding the lights) Lined up Adobe houses and carolers wander the streets wandering through cobblestone streets, along with the madness of the larger hub. Or consider north destinations like Quebec City and Tallinn in Estonia. Cold weather and historic architecture create the perfect background for postcards that look fun and condemned. These spots capture the magic of the holiday, but give them space to enjoy it.
Better yet, airlines and hotels offer deals to fill seats and rooms in places that are often not overly subscribed. This means your willingness to jig when other ZAGs are rewarded with both savings and a more relaxed trip.
According to Google Flights, Columbia, South Carolina, this year is the top five trending destinations for domestic travel (higher airfares). Boseman, Montana. Spokane, Washington. Detroit, Michigan. Omaha, Nebraska.
Meanwhile, Expedia noted that the busiest destination for Thanksgiving is San Juan, Puerto Rico. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Wilmington, Delaware. San Diego, California; Kahului, Hawaii. For Christmas and New Year, the trending destination is Fort Lauderdale, Florida. San Antonio, Texas. Indiana, Indiana. Kahului, Honolulu, Hawaii. So, again, you might consider avoiding these holiday hotspots.
Check out two one-way flights
Flight aggregators such as Google Flights only display round-trip flights from two one-way flights from a single airline or partner airline. For example, it might suggest an itinerary where American Airlines will return, as outbound flights will take place with both of them being part of the One World Alliance. However, Google Flight does not offer itinerary as Delta and United are competitors. Book your trips separately with different airlines to see if you can find a cheaper overall price.
Explore alternative airports
A closer hub is worth saving, whereas sometimes they jump out of the airport far from home.
“For example, you live outside of Philadelphia and want to travel to Paris with your partner during the winter break, but tickets are currently out of budget,” Nastro explained from going. “Currently, tickets to Philadelphia are round trips well over $900, but if you drive to Newark an hour and a half away, tickets for the same trip could cost almost $200 less.”
Think about when you travel
By tweaking your travel dates, you can save a significant amount of money.
“The holiday flight itself remains the best value when it comes to holiday travel,” Nastro said. She noted that travelers should try to shift dates in a day or so.
According to Going, the most expensive departure date is the Wednesday before Thanksgiving (November 26), with an average one-way fare of $756 and $905 on Saturday before Christmas (December 20). Upon returning home, travelers should avoid the Sunday after Thanksgiving (November 30) and the Saturday after Christmas (December 27).
Travelers estimate that travelers can save about 15-30% (depending on destination) per ticket by departing the holidays themselves.
As for Christmas, Hopper will either consider leaving the week before Christmas or go out looking for the max savings on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.
If you are bound by a specific date, travelling in a few hours may result in better flight deals. For example, on a Redeye flight that departs just after midnight on a day when you need to stay home. Nastro pointed out that Red Eyes are usually cheap because they are usually in low demand.
Use points or miles on last minute economy tickets
To alleviate tension in your wallet, check if you can book flights with points or miles. When the last minute cash price is high, you will often get the best redemption value for your points and miles.
“Many people accumulate points and miles for more fancy airfield seats, but if those currency allows for flight, they may not have had the opportunity to spend time with their loved ones otherwise.
Become flexible
If you need to travel during your winter holidays, the above tips are most important to get more affordable tickets. But if you just want to travel, be flexible in when and where it helps you win deals.
One way to find cheaper flights is to play with Google Flight’s Explore tool. You can enter your departure city, enter your preferred travel date, or click Explore. You will then be brought to a page listing the spread of cheapest flights to destinations around the world.
“Let the deal answer the question, ‘Where are you going?’,” advised Nastro. “By opening at your destination, you can not only find great prices on airfares, but also open your world to experiences you may not have considered, but it’s just as fun as an old stand.”
This story was first published in October 2023 and updated on September 29, 2025 to include current information.
