Traveling during the holidays tends to be pricey, and finding the sweet spot when you can book flights and get the best price can be tricky. Luckily, Expedia recently reviewed all its data and surmised that the cheapest time to book Thanksgiving air travel is from late August through Sept. 23.
People who bought their tickets during that time frame saved an average of 10 percent on their tickets, which might not seem like a lot, but during the holidays, it can add up.
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Alarmingly, if you book your flights the week of Thanksgiving, you could shell out 20 percent more than the usual ticket price. Looks like it’s time to try to break my procrastination habits!
For Christmas travel, you have even less time to book affordably. Tickets tend to be cheapest just 14 to 20 days in advance of your travel for a savings of 5 percent, while last-minute tickets can be 15 percent higher than the average price. I’m all for visiting family during the holidays, but must it be so darn expensive?
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Now that you know that Thanksgiving travel tends to be cheaper if you book ahead, it could help you arrange the rest of your holiday plans for the year. If flying is cheaper for Thanksgiving, maybe you can stay home for Christmas this year.
That said, if you do see a reasonable fare now, book while you can. “Even with holiday travel, a general rule of thumb applies: If you find a fare that seems like a good deal, buy it,” says Sarah Gavin, vice president of global communications for Expedia. You don’t need to tell us twice!
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Thanksgiving might be a couple of months away, but the time to book is now. Iron out your plans and decide who’s making the turkey this year so everyone can take advantage of this affordable air travel sweet spot.
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