By: SEO Mavens

The holiday season marks a time of celebration, but it is also a stressful period financially for most individuals, especially when making a booking during the Thanksgiving or Christmas holidays. Every year, millions of travelers scramble for tickets. Many travelers reserve their tickets just a few days before departure or during the last hour of the grace period, when seats in their desired seating categories are available, usually at full price. Here are a few strategic moves that can cut airfare during peak travel periods. 

1. Book Early, but Not Too Early

You know that the earlier you book, the better your chances are of getting good fares, but at what point does too early become too early? As per Travel experts at OnTrailVisa, “For holiday travel, a nice window to book usually is between 45 and 60 days before departure. For Thanksgiving, look to book flights by late September or early October. For Christmas, it’s generally better to book them in October through early November.”.

Airlines often sell reduced-fare tickets many months before the travel date. However, airline fares change by day and time, so reserving too early does not lock in a true bargain. Booking at the last minute is a sure way to pay a premium. Booking well in advance of that window, within months, even of holidays, will keep you safe from price increases.

2. Be Flexible About Your Travel Dates

Flexibility will save you a lot on airfare. For one, the airlines charge a premium for traveling on peak days, which are usually the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the weekend leading to Christmas. Whenever possible, avoid flying on these high-traffic dates. Consider alternative travel days, such as flying on Thanksgiving Day or before Christmas Eve.

Flying on low-demand days can save hundreds of dollars. For Thanksgiving, fly back home on Monday or Tuesday after the holiday instead of Sunday when demand is highest. The same goes for Christmas travel: fly out a few days after the holiday as well to save some.

3. Use Flight Comparison Tools and Alerts

With many websites listing travel destinations, choosing the ideal travel deal isn’t easy. The bright side is that you can compare several flights at the same time using flight comparison tools. You can check Google Flights, Skyscanner, and Kayak to get a lot of information regarding intensive comparisons of the cheapest options for your route. Another excellent resource is price alert systems, by which one will get an indication when the price for certain flights decreases. 

4. Take Advantage of Rewards and Miles

If you travel a lot or have a credit card with travel rewards, holidays are a good time to redeem those points or miles. Some credit cards multiply points during the holiday shopping season, so you’ll want to take advantage of them for your flights.

As per Travel experts at Ontrail Visa, “The loyalty programs and travel rewards cards can really make a huge difference in saving costs. Check the account balance and see if you have enough points or miles to cover part or all of your airfare, even though you may not be able to get enough to book an entire flight. Still, using your points can really reduce the total cost”.

5. Search for Layovers

Direct flights are always a no-brainer in terms of convenience, but at holiday prices, they will be very expensive. If you do not mind taking on a layover to your itinerary, you could save hundreds on that airfare. Just make sure that layover times are reasonable, especially during the winter seasons when weather-related delays are common.

The flight over Thanksgiving and Christmas does not have to be wallet-busting. Ensure that you book your tickets well in advance so you avoid the rush, work with flexible dates of travel, and utilize smart tools like flight comparison websites and price alerts for booking throughout the peak holiday times at affordable airfare. Some more added ways to save money can be through other airports, utilizing rewards points, and the flexibility to accommodate layovers. With these strategies, you can now find cheaper flights and make stress-free holidays.

Published by: Holy Minoza