You would think that by now, experienced travelers would know when they need to travel during the holidays. After all, just about the entire world has plans to spend time with their loved ones during the holidays. But as the years’ change and trends tend to shift, people are looking for the most inexpensive ways to get from point A to point B.
With December being the busiest travel month of the year, Kayak.com came up with a list to help wanderlusts chose the best and worst days to travel this season. Using data from 2017, they found that you can actually save the most money by traveling on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Most people are already home with their loved ones, so it makes sense. The cheapest way to go is to leave on Christmas Day and come back on December 27, with round-trip flights averaging around $290. If you want to fly out on Christmas Eve, the cost goes up some. Coming back on December 28 isn’t too bad an option if you depart on Christmas. Those tickets can cost a little under $300.
Those prices are for US trips. If you heading to other parts of the world, the prices differ a bit but still cost-effective. The cheapest way to travel internationally is to leave on Christmas Eve and come back on December 27, with a roundtrip ticket averaging close to $456. Staying just one more day on the 28th will cost close to $20 more.
Another way to save money is by making sure you aren’t waiting until the last minute to make plans. Kayak says ticket prices go up about a month ahead of time so its imperative to stay ahead of the game.
We all want to spend as much time as possible with our friends and family, but sometimes our wallets just can’t afford it so here are some other options. For domestic flights, try to fly out on December 23 and come back on December 26. Tickets will only cost about $360 which saves passengers $100. The same advice goes for international travelers. There is only a difference of $11 between flying out on December 23 versus Christmas Eve.
Surprisingly enough, Kayak wants travelers to avoid flying out on December 22 and returning before the new year. Not just to avoid New Year’s Eve partygoers but more so to avoid steep fees. Flying out on those dates are pricey, costing an average of $440, which is the highest margin for domestic flights. Flying across the globe on those dates are even worse with tickets hitting the $1000 and up mark. Cutting your trip short by one day doesn’t give you much wiggle room either. Returning on December 29 will still cost you about $871.
The lesson here is not to wait to make travel plans. If you have a set budget, act accordingly to spend the holidays with the ones you love.
