Prepare for the Holiday Rush with Data-Backed Tips on When to Book and Fly, and Where to Go 

The Expedia^® Holiday Travel Outlook released today reveals that the best time to book and save on holiday airfare ends around Halloween, as travelers are advised to book at least 21 days out for Thanksgiving and around two months out for Christmas, based on historical flight data.¹ Last year, travelers who booked within these windows saved nearly $150 on international flights and up to $90 on domestic flights¹. 

Travel during the holiday period in 2023 was estimated to be just below 2019 levels. Looking ahead to this holiday season, Expedia data is showing year-over-year flight search increases for both holidays, particularly for international Christmas travel (+20%).² 

Setting out for Thanksgiving or Christmas this year? Here’s what you need to know: 

Thanksgiving¹ 

• Book by: Oct. 29 to save up to $150 on international airfare and $90 on domestic 

• Cheapest days to fly: Depart on Thanksgiving Day or Monday, Nov. 25; return Tuesday, Dec. 3 or Friday, Nov. 29 

• Busiest and most expensive days: Wednesday, Nov. 27; Sunday, Dec. 1 (nearly $100 more than the cheapest days) 

• Trending international destinations: Tokyo (+55%), Madrid (+20%), Edinburgh (+20%), London (+15%), Munich (+15%) 

Christmas¹ 

• Book by: Oct. 31 (or around two months out from departure) to save around $60 on domestic trips and $150 on international flights. 

• Cheapest days to fly: Christmas Eve and Christmas; or Monday to Wednesday the week before (Dec. 16-18) 

• Busiest and most expensive days: Friday to Sunday, Dec. 20-22 ($100+ more than the cheapest days) and Thursday, Dec. 26 

• Trending international destinations: Tokyo (+75%), Zurich (+65%), Kingston (+50%), São Paulo (+45%), Munich (+40%) 

These domestic cities have seen the most significant year-over-year increase in searches for both holidays: Los Angeles, Orlando, New York, Miami, and Las Vegas.³ 

“It’s easy to stress about when to book on your holiday flights, and while the data shows there’s good reason to lock them in before Halloween, there are also a suite of tools that make hitting ‘book’ much less scary,” says Melanie Fish, head of public relations for Expedia Group brands. “Members can set up price alerts so you don’t miss a good deal, and use Price Drop Protection* to get refunded automatically if the cost goes down on Expedia after you’ve already booked.” 

Additional travel tips to help the holiday season go smoothly include: 

• Winter weather can disrupt flights during the holiday season, so opt for morning departures, according to Expedia’s 2024 Air Travel Hacks Report, which are proven to be 50% less prone to cancellations than flights after 3 p.m., highlighting the benefits of seizing the day. 

• Need a hotel for the holidays? Don’t snooze on Expedia’s Holiday Sale, running through Oct. 13, with thousands of hotels 25% off or more for members. 

• Now’s a good time to renew or sign up for TSA PreCheck and make sure passports are up to date before the busy holiday rush.  

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Data Sources 

¹Based on Expedia flight demand for travel during the weeks of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s 2023 and 2022. 

²Based on Expedia.com flight searches for travel during Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s 2024 as of Sept. 23, 2024, compared to the same time period in 2023.   

³Most popular and trending destinations based on Expedia flight searches for travel during the 
weeks of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s 2024 as of September 23, 2024. 

*Price Drop Protection is available for a fee on eligible flights. Refund will be the difference if the price of your flight on Expedia drops. Terms apply. See site for details.