Airfare for Thanksgiving, Christmas 2022 will be highest in years. Best time to buy?
Thanksgiving and Christmas airfares will reach five-year highs thanks to jet fuel prices, fewer flights and pent-up demand, according to the travel booking app Hopper.
After two years of dwindling holiday travel, this will be an especially busy holiday season, according to Hopper, with more than half of Americans planning to travel for one or both of the holidays this year.
“I do expect that more people will be traveling this year versus the last two years for sure because I don’t think anybody’s afraid to go anymore whereas they have been afraid for the last several years,” says Catherine Banks, vice president of Dallas-based travel agency Legacy Travel.
But, according to a new Bankrate survey, a substantial portion of travelers are rethinking their holiday travel plans this year. Of the 43% of U.S. adults intending to travel, about 8 in 10 are changing their plans due to inflation and rising prices, the survey found. They’re opting for shorter trips, cheaper activities and less expensive accommodations and destinations.
Here’s what you should know about booking flights this holiday season.
How much are holiday flights in 2022?
The latest Consumer Price Index data published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that airline fares rose 28% from August 2021 to August 2022.
“If people haven’t already bought their flights, they’re going to need to be extremely flexible or extremely generous,” Banks said. “Travel is pure supply and demand, so there’s less flights and more people wanting them and so that’s always going to have an effect on cost.”
On average, travelers will pay $350 per ticket for a domestic Thanksgiving flight, per Hopper’s 2022 Holiday Travel Outlook. That’s 22% more than in 2019, and 43% higher than last year. Thanksgiving fares peaked at over $400 in August but have fallen 9% into September and will remain at the current level until mid to late October.
As of mid-September, Christmas flights averaged $463 per ticket. Airfares are averaging 31% higher than in 2019, and 39% higher than last year. Fares for Christmas reached over $500 in August, but decreased 3% to 5% into September.
When should you book flights for Thanksgiving or Christmas?
For Thanksgiving and Christmas travel, book by Oct. 20, Hopper recommends. While airline fares are expected to remain relatively stable into mid-October, lower capacity means flights will be selling out quickly, and there may be fewer options the longer you wait.
“As soon as you know you’re going to go, you need to be investigating it,” Banks says.
Prices for Thanksgiving flights will rise by $10 on average per day from the beginning of November until Thanksgiving, peaking at nearly $550 for last-minute tickets.
Christmas airfares have tended to drop anywhere between 20 and 88 days before departure, according to Google Flights.
When to fly for Thanksgiving and Christmas
“You’re going to need to be willing to go when other people aren’t willing to go, like the less popular times, whether that be time of day or day of the week,” Banks said.
The most expensive travel dates are the weekend ahead of Thanksgiving and the weekend after. Plan to fly Monday of Thanksgiving week, or on Thanksgiving Day and return Tuesday or Wednesday of the following week to save the most, Hopper recommends. For international destinations, fly the day before Thanksgiving and return on Monday or Tuesday for the best deals.
With Christmas falling on a Sunday this year, Thursday and Friday will be the most expensive to fly, with airfare averaging over $500, according to Hopper. Flying on Monday or Tuesday ahead of Christmas weekend can save you 25% off peak airfare.
International travelers should depart close to Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Returning Wednesday or Thursday of the following week will offer the most savings. The most expensive days to return will be New Year’s Day and Jan. 2, so plan to return before the end of 2022 or on Jan. 3.
How to save on travel this holiday season
Start planning now: Travelers who start planning their holiday trips early have historically saved as much as 18% off domestic airfare and 15% off international airfare for Thanksgiving and Christmas, Hopper says. With this year’s airfares higher than ever before, those savings could come to $60-$80 off domestic flights and $120-$195 off international flights. Download the Hopper app and begin monitoring prices now.
Book airfare early: Airfare will remain high but volatile through early October, before rising in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving and Christmas, according to Hopper. Over the next few weeks, travelers who are proactively monitoring prices could get notified of time-sensitive deals.
Turn to your credit card to cut costs: Using credit card rewards, frequent flyer miles and hotel points can save you a lot of money, Bankrate says. A travel credit card can come with perks that reduce expenses, such as free checked bags and travel insurance.
Be flexible on travel dates: Save as much as $300 off peak airfare by flying on less popular dates before and after each holiday week, Hopper suggests. For Thanksgiving, flying the Monday of Thanksgiving week or on Thanksgiving Day and returning any weekday of the following week will save you the most. Departing the Monday or Tuesday before Christmas weekend and returning the Monday through Wednesday of the following week will get you the most bang for your buck.
Look for last-minute hotel and rental car deals: Booking at the last minute will get you the best deals on hotels and car rentals. Hotels lower prices in the month prior to the check-in date, so plan to book Thanksgiving hotel stays by the first week of November and Christmas stays by the first week of December. For vacation hotspots, book hotels at least three weeks in advance.
Anticipate cancellations and delays: Because flight cancellations have been an issue all year, leave yourself some flexibility to account for flight cancellations and delays, Banks says. Be sure to have the airline’s app on your phone to get updates should any changes occur.
Tools for finding cheap holiday flights
Google Flights: With Google Flights, you can see the cheapest days to fly and compare prices across airports.
Momondo: Momondo searches online travel agencies, which can sometimes offer cheaper fares.
Kayak: Kayak is another website to search for flights and can sometimes offer cheaper fares.