Should you Book Your Thanksgiving Flights Now?

I love Thanksgiving. I love seeing my family, the food, the football, the full feeling you get after you’re done stuffing your face. I love everything about it. Yes, even the travel. I know: traveling for the holidays is a pain in the ass. Or, at least, it certainly can be. But I don’t mind it. And most of the reason is because I’ve figured out when the best time to fly is.
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So if you’re planning on thanking the friendly skies for getting you to see family, friends, or whoever for Thanksgiving, when is the best time to book that airline ticket? Now? Yesterday? In a few weeks? The short answer: it depends.


When you should procrastinate...

If you haven’t bought your ticket yet, and you’re flying solo, your procrastination may pay off. According to Skyscanner, the best time to book that Thanksgiving flight of yours is the week of October 31st. They say that week last year, flights were 7.73% cheaper than average.  

A study by Kayak comes to a similar conclusion. If you wait to purchase airlines tickets until about 2-4 weeks out, you’ll be thanked with extra cash in your wallet.

When you shouldn’t…

The reason waiting only works if it’s just you (or possibly two people) is most people book Thanksgiving travel in September. So by the time the end of October comes around there will be fewer seat options.

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Tips for saving even more money

The best way to do this is to leave on Thanksgiving day and come back the Tuesday or Wednesday after Thanksgiving. Traditionally, those are the cheapest days to fly. That’s when I try to fly. It may be kind of inconvenient, but it can potentially save you quite a bit.


Bottom line

Like it or not, the holidays are approaching. If you haven’t made travel arrangements for Thanksgiving, it’s not too late. And it may have even paid off. Happy travels!


You may also like:
-Your Holiday Travel Guide: Best Time to buy Airfare
-Best way to fly Domestic
-How to Avoid Getting Sick When you Travel