Cheapest Days To Fly During The Holiday Season

It’s the most wonderful time of the year—or is it the most expensive time of the year? Between travel and buying presents for your whole crew, the holidays can quickly turn into a major expense. 

Whether you are in the air this holiday season to visit family or explore a new place, finding the best travel deals is no easy feat.

We will cover everything you need to know about flying during the holiday season on a budget.

The cheapest days to fly in December will vary dramatically based on the airport. In general, the most expensive dates will be on weekend days right around the holidays. Since Christmas falls on a Wednesday this year, the busiest times will be the weekend before and the weekend after. 

Prices are different depending on where you are flying. If you have a popular destination in mind, then you may have trouble finding an affordable flight. 

One of the best ways to find an affordable flight is to stay flexible. If you can work with a variety of travel dates, you have a better chance of scoring a deal. Otherwise, you may be stuck with high prices. 

Consider looking at multiple dates and airlines to find the best price. A flexible schedule could easily save you hundreds of dollars. So will limiting your spending. 

In many cases, it may be cheaper to travel on Christmas Day. According to Kayak, two of the most economical days to fly are Thanksgiving and Christmas. Since most people prefer to arrive before the holiday festivities commence, you can score an amazing deal by flying on the actual holiday. 

Of course, this will vary by destination, but it can be an affordable option. Even if you book a last-minute flight, it can be considerably cheaper to fly on Christmas Day. You’ll enjoy a late start to the holidays with less chaos and more cash in your pocket.

Generally, airline flight prices will continue to go up between now and the holidays. As the flights get more expensive, it can be difficult to find a flight within your budget.

The earlier you can book your flight, the better. However, booking a flight for Christmas between mid-October to mid-November seems to be a good time.

Since prices vary widely by destination, consider setting up a price alert for your specific travel itinerary. There are many free apps and websites, like Hopper and Google Flights, that can help you with this. You simply select your trip dates, destination and your flexibility. The tool will allow you to monitor price drops without ever having to check the prices yourself.

Tools like these can help you find the best flight with minimal effort. When a good deal notification pops up, make sure to grab it quickly. 

If you don’t want to stay home (or skip family drama) for the holidays, there are so many options! With most people traveling for family reasons, beautiful vacation spots can be more affordable. Plus, there is less pressure to be at work during the holidays so you can take advantage of this vacation time. 

A few amazing destinations in South America include Belize, Costa Rica and Panama. If you prefer a destination on a sunny beach in the Caribbean, consider the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Puerto Rico. More exotic and affordable destinations on the other side of the world include Thailand, India and Indonesia. Of course, there are many other options, but these can be a good place to start looking. 

As you seek affordable holiday destinations, try to avoid countries that celebrate Christmas in a major way. If they are throwing parties in the streets to celebrate, then you won’t find a great deal. For other countries, it is just another day on the calendar, and you’ll be less likely to face increased holiday prices.

The best time to buy Christmas flights for these destinations is as early as possible. If you wait until the last minute, you may score a last-minute deal, but it’s risky.

Even if you can find a way to save on travel this holiday season, it can still be expensive. If you don’t have enough savings on hand to cover your holiday expenditures, you still have options to support your time away.

You could choose to put these expenses on your credit card and pay a ridiculous interest rate for that cost. Or you could take out a personal loan to help fund your holiday travels. Personal loans can be used for a variety of purposes, including holiday travel. 

Personal loans typically offer lower interest rates than your credit card. Plus, the installment loan terms will help you stay on track to repay it in a timely manner. At Rocket Loans, we make the personal loan process easy. After a short online application, you can even receive your funds as soon as the same business day.* 

As you prepare for the holiday season, finding affordable flights is critical. The earlier you start looking, the better. You may be able to snag a cheap ticket before it’s too late. If you’re worried about funding your holiday vacation, don’t be! We may be able to help you with a personal loan, getting you the money you need to cover your holiday costs.