When to Buy Thanksgiving Flights
Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, Nov. 26 this year, and the clock is ticking for anyone who has not booked yet. The good news is that the data says the best fares are still ahead, but not for long.
Google’s analysis of five years of Google Flights data finds that the lowest domestic fares for Thanksgiving appear about 34 to 35 days before departure, with a low-price window stretching from roughly three to eight weeks out, according to TechSpot and travel reports on the findings. For a flight departing Nov. 25, that puts the sweet spot around Oct. 21 to 23.
KAYAK’s data tells a similar story. Domestic Thanksgiving fares have historically bottomed out about five weeks before the holiday, putting the best prices near the end of October, according to Fast Company. Fares have tended to climb sharply within two weeks of departure.
Prices are high this year no matter when you book. Booking site Hopper finds the average round-trip domestic airfare for Thanksgiving is up 31% over last year to $402, a 10-year high, according to USA Today. Expedia’s Holiday Travel Outlook advises booking domestic flights by Nov. 5 and international flights by Oct. 15.
The day you fly matters as much as the day you book. Hopper’s analysis shows the cheapest outbound day is Monday, Nov. 23, with an average fare of about $370, roughly $50 less than the peak Wednesday departures, according to the travel site Investing.plus, which reviewed the data. Flying on Thanksgiving Day itself, when airports are quiet, can also save money, with average tickets around $371.
KAYAK found that flying on Thanksgiving Day can save as much as 19% on domestic airfare compared with departing Nov. 20, the most expensive day around the holiday, and up to 49% on international flights, according to Fast Company.
The return trip needs the same care. Avoid Sunday, Nov. 29, when round-trip prices can peak around $604. Flying back on the Monday or Tuesday after the holiday often brings the cost down to about $350, a potential saving of roughly $250, according to the Hopper data reviewed by Investing.plus.
The practical advice is straightforward. Start tracking prices now, set a fare alert on Google Flights or a similar tool, and be ready to book by late October. Waiting a few weeks could save money, but waiting until the last minute almost certainly will not, as KAYAK travel trends expert Kayla DeLoache put it.