As the holiday season approaches, travelers are rethinking their booking habits. According to new research from Going, Americans are searching for Thanksgiving and Christmas airfare more than two weeks earlier than last year, hoping to stretch budgets during what is expected to be one of the priciest holiday travel seasons yet.
The analysis shows that airfare patterns vary widely by region, challenging the long-standing belief that there’s a single best day to book. Instead, travelers can unlock savings by adjusting travel dates, even by just one day.
Key takeaways from the data
The research highlights that flying on the holiday itself often offers the biggest savings. For example, travelers to the Midwest at Christmas can save more than 30% by departing on December 25, while those heading to the Southeast can cut costs by 27% when leaving on December 24. Thanksgiving follows a similar trend, with savings of 15-17% on November 27 across most U.S. regions.
Airfares overall, however, are trending higher. Average domestic Thanksgiving flights now cost $751 roundtrip, a 10% increase year-over-year. For the winter holidays, average domestic fares are up 7% to $685 roundtrip. International flyers get a small break at Thanksgiving, with fares down 1% to $1,241, though Christmas international fares have jumped 6% to $1,740 roundtrip.
Travelers are advised to avoid the most expensive days: November 26 (the Wednesday before Thanksgiving) and December 20 (the Saturday before Christmas) for departures, and the Sundays immediately following both holidays for returns.
Additionally, travelers are booking their trips earlier than ever. “What’s better than a turkey dinner with all the trimmings? Not spending an arm and a turkey leg to get there,” said Going travel expert Katy Nastro. “For Thanksgiving, travelers should aim to book domestic trips ASAP, or latest by the end of the month. International flights have more leeway, so best to book by early October. For Christmas, the best fares are gone quickly, especially domestic flights this year with fewer low cost options. Travelers should get domestic trips booked by early October and international flights even sooner.”
