For those of you who are still not over the fact that summer is gone for good, we’re right there with you. You can barely wrap your head around drinking a pumpkin spice latte—much less booking a Thanksgiving flight, right?
We hate to break it to you, but the sooner you prepare for the upcoming holidays, the better. Thanksgiving flights are as cheap as they’re going to get right about now, so if you’re planning on traveling to see family, you might want to get your travel plans sorted sooner rather than later.
According to a recent data analysis by Hipmunk, a travel planning site, you’ll save up to 27 percent on Thanksgiving flights if you book before October even arrives. And at the very latest, it’s recommended that you book by Halloween. You’ll save even more—38 percent—if you book your Christmas flights right now!
The site examined historical prices for U.S. flights to come to these conclusions.
The Latest You Can Save
So, the good news is—if you’re not fully prepared to plan for Thanksgiving at this very moment, you’ve still got a bit of time. As long as your flight’s secured by Oct. 30, you’ll still likely save on your airfare.
The Hipmunk analysis shows you paying $374 on average if you book by Sept. 30. Book by Oct. 30, and you’ll pay $385 on average.
But, the end of October seems to be the tipping point. And prices will only rise from there. According to Hopper.com, a travel booking and research company, waiting until early November to book a flight will cost approximately $1 for each day you wait. From there, prices begin spiking by $10 per day during the final two weeks leading up to Thanksgiving. So, the extra cost can rack up quickly.
Here’s a cool chart from Hipmunk that explains the findings of their analysis:
The Best Dates To Travel
And if you’re planning to travel this early—you might as well try and avoid the crowds. Sometimes, it pays to be prepared. Hopper.com estimates the busiest (and most expensive) day to depart is Nov. 22. It’ll be less crowded on Nov. 20 and even less crowded if you leave on Thanksgiving morning and arrive in time to have a feast for dinner!
Augusta Statz holds a B.F.A. in Writing from the Savannah College of Art and Design. She's an avid writer with a genuine sense of curiosity. She feels the best way to absorb the world around you is through fashion, art and food, so that’s what she spends most of her time writing about. More.
