These Are the Best (and Worst) Days to Fly During the Winter Holidays

Fans attending Chicago Bulls home games this season have a chance to enjoy not only a game, but also an opportunity to win nearly 20 giveaways.

Decades ago, Walt Disney said that Disneyland — the only park open at the time — would never be completed and would continue to grow as long as there was imagination left in the world. And boy, was he right — likely in ways he couldn't have dreamed of so many years ago.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) anticipates that airport security checkpoints will be busier this winter holiday travel period compared to last year.Fortunately, the agency says it's prepared to meet the surging travel demand.The official end-of-the-year holiday travel period runs from Thursday, December 21 through Tuesday, January 2. TSA is projecting that the busiest days will be Thursday, December 21; Friday, December 29, and Monday, January 1.TSA said it expects to screen more than 2.5 million passengers each of those days, signaling a 6 percent increase from 2022. The busiest day last year was December 29, when officers screened nearly 2.4 million passengers nationwide.The projections come after the TSA screened nearly 30 million passengers during November's 12-day Thanksgiving holiday period. The agency broke the record for most passengers in a single day on Sunday, November 26, screening more than 2.9 million passengers at security checkpoints across the country."We are prepared to handle the busy passenger volumes this winter holiday season," TSA Administrator David Pekoske said in a statement."TSA’s continued success during this record year for travel is a direct result of teamwork, planning and professional execution across the agency, from our frontline employees to those behind the scenes; partnerships with airports and air carriers; and innovative checkpoint technologies that improve security effectiveness, efficiency and the passenger experience," he concluded.Industry trade group Airlines for America (A4A) projects that 39 million people will board flights in the U.S. between Wednesday, December 20 and Tuesday, January 2, for an average of 2.8 million passengers per day.

If, somehow, you’re still looking for a spot to spend Christmas or the final week of 2023, the personal-finance website WalletHub’s latest report has some important insights for you. It reviewed data on the nation’s 100 largest cities to find out which are simultaneously the most festive and affordable for celebratory getaways this Christmas season.

This fall, international air traffic reached 98.2 percent of what it was prepandemic, according to the latest data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). In other words, global citizens are traveling the world with almost the same fervor as they were in 2019.

The Transportation Security Administration expects busy airport checkpoints this winter holiday season and is warning travelers to come prepared.

“More people seem to have discovered Hāna,” explained the staff member of Hāna-Maui Resort in this eastern Maui town. “They used to go to Lahaina but lately they’ve been coming here.” Since the wildfire that destroyed the historic town in West Maui, tourism has been filtering back to the island even to West Maui after it reopened on November 1st. But this town: serene, remote, one of the few remaining vestiges of old Hawaii surrounded by swaths of stunning nature uninterrupted by large developments has become even more of a draw.

With more than 115 million Americans expected to travel over the next few weeks, according to AAA, this holiday season is gearing up to be one of the busiest ones ever.

Hanoi is the bustling capital of Vietnam. This storied city is known for showcasing a stunning array of centuries-old buildings with impressive architecture, and a rich culture blending Southeast Asian, Chinese, and French influences.

Nothing says “happy holidays” like an extravagant Christmas display. Hoteliers know this. That’s why every winter hotels across the country get dressed in their holiday best, with twinkly lights and holly wreaths and maybe a reindeer lawn ornament or two. But only a handful of hotels truly go all out. From stories-high Christmas trees to beachfront ice skating rinks, these nine US holiday hotels take seasonal cheer to a whole new level.

No first trip to Edinburgh would be complete without a visit to Edinburgh Castle. The world-famous icon of Scotland is part of the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh’s World Heritage Site and is the most popular paid tourist attraction in the country. Dominating the skyline of the city, the fortress looms over the streets below from its position on the Castle Rock. Due to its strategic location, it has been a royal residence, a military stronghold, and a focus of countless sieges and battles. It also offers stunning panoramic views over the city of Edinburgh. Due to the size and walkability of the city center, the best way to explore Scotland’s capital is on foot. That means, if you are looking for a central Airbnb, you’ll be no more than a 30-minute walk from the Royal Mile — the main street leading to the castle gates. The Airbnb near Edinburgh Castle rentals we’ve selected here are steeped in history, have views of the iconic site, Superhost status, and five-star reviews from past guests.

In this series, Lonely Planet's team of writers and editors answers your travel problems and provides tips and hacks to help you plan a hassle-free trip. This week, John Walton, Lonely Planet’s resident aviation journalist and airline nerd, answers a question about scoring a good seat on a plane.