The Cheapest Days to Book Holiday Travel

Google analyzed five years of flight data...

If you’re planning to fly home for the holidays, Google says there really is a sweet spot for booking…and for some travelers, it’s coming up quickly.

Google analyzed five years of flight data and found Thanksgiving fares tend to be lowest about 34 days before departure, while Christmas flights are cheapest around 56 days ahead. For Christmas, that puts the best booking window roughly between late October and mid-November. And forget the old idea that Tuesday is the magical day to buy a ticket…Google says the day you actually fly matters more, with Monday departures and midweek returns potentially saving travelers money. Being willing to take a connecting flight can help too, since nonstop tickets cost about 20% more on average.