When to book your vacation travel and flights in 2024

If you want or need to travel this holiday season, start planning now because the ideal time to book Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s travel is just around the corner.

“The most important thing is that travelers continue to think about planning now and booking in October,” said Hayley Berg, chief economist at travel website Hopper. “The window of low prices is short, but it can really pay off.”

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But travelers who miss this window may have a last resort: Travel Tuesday, Black Friday and Cyber ​​Monday, which is the Tuesday after Thanksgiving.

On that day, “pretty much the entire travel industry goes on sale,” Berg said.

When you decide to confirm your reservations, remember that traveling during the holiday season can be fraught with complications, said NerdWallet travel expert Sally French.

“The holidays are a tough time to travel because not only are you dealing with what can be harsher holiday weather, but you’re dealing with bigger crowds,” French said.

How to make sure you’re getting a good value.

Berg said holiday travel prices are slightly higher than this time last year.

On average, round-trip flights for Thanksgiving — defined as flights between Nov. 24 and 28 — currently cost about $298, according to Hopper’s 2024 Holiday Travel Outlook report. That’s up 10% from a year ago and 3% from pre-pandemic levels, the travel site found.

Prices are expected to average around $40 a barrel in early October, before reaching a trough that would likely match 2023 levels, the report said.

Similarly, airfares for Christmas travel, defined as the week of December 21-25, averaged $406 per round-trip booking, up 4% from a year ago and up 13% for the pre-pandemic Hopper.

However, prices are expected to fall about $80 from current levels before bottoming out in October, according to the report.

“It’s really important that travelers consider booking their travel now so they’re ready when October rolls around,” Berg said.

If you’re “super last-minute and want to order something for Christmas or New Years,” a “good day to bookmark” is Dec. 3, or this year’s Travel Tuesday, according to Berg.

“You might get lucky and … snag something at the last minute,” Berg said, as deals that day can include big discounts on hotel stays, airfare and rental cars.

During the holiday season, disruptions are more likely as airlines and airports operate more flights than usual and more crowds can cause “domino effect” problems, experts say.

One example: if a flight leaves the gate 15 minutes late, it can affect air traffic flow for the entire terminal, Berg said.

But the “biggest risks” are usually bad weather and technical failures, he said.

Here are four key things to consider:

• Avoid flying on peak days. Experts recommend avoiding Sundays before and after a holiday around Thanksgiving, for example. In past years, the Sunday after Thanksgiving has set records for the busiest day for a flight or the number of travelers passing through TSA checkpoints, French said.

• Take the first flight of the day. Try to book one of the first flights of the day to avoid the impact of delays and cancellations, Berg said. After 8 a.m., you’re twice as likely to be affected by flight delays or cancellations, he said.

• Allow time for delays and cancellations. If it’s important to get to your destination, French said, “bake extra time to get there” and travel a few days in advance. “If it’s really important that you’re there for Christmas dinner, fly a few days early,” he said.

• Expand your search. It might be helpful to know what other airports are nearby, the Frenchman said. If you know other airports, this can help you find cheaper options. It might take longer to get to your destination, but it might make sense if it’s critical that you get there, he said.