This Is the Date You Should Book Your Holiday Flights by, According to Hopper

03.10.2024 - 21:25 / travelandleisure.com / Hayley Berg

For travelers looking to fly for the holidays, now may be the time to book.

According to data from booking platform Hopper shared with Travel + Leisure, those who plan to take to the skies for either Thanksgiving or Christmas should book no later than Oct. 14.

“Fall is here which means the holiday season is nearly upon us,” Hayley Berg, Hopper’s lead economist, told T+L. “Travelers planning to hit the skies this holiday season are already starting to think about the cost – around half of travelers plan to cut back on other expenses this year in order to afford holiday travel, and will be looking to take advantage of discounts and deals on travel to save money.”

When it comes to Thanksgiving, which takes place on Nov. 28, prices are the lowest now through the first two weeks of October, according to the site. Prices will then start to rise fast as the holiday approaches, increasing by as much as 5 to 10 percent every day.

For Christmas, Hopper shared that ticket prices will be lowest between mid October and early November before rising more than 32 percent in the last three to four weeks before the holiday.

Flexible travelers can also save nearly $200 per ticket if they are easygoing with their travel dates.

The advice comes as travelers are expected to spend more on holiday travel this year and appear increasingly less worried about travel disruptions.

That said, Hopper recommends travelers avoid potential airport snafus by booking early morning flights (which are less likely to get delayed compared to flights departing after 9 a.m.), fly direct to avoid missed connections, and building in a buffer day so holiday plans aren’t thrown into chaos if there is a delay or cancelation.