If you haven't booked your flight for Thanksgiving or Christmas, don't panic.
There's still time to save money. You just have to know where to look, and when to book.
For Thanksgiving, travel experts say Wednesday the 27th, the day before Thanksgiving, is the day to avoid this year.
“That will be the busiest day for people to fly to their destination,” Hopper consumer travel expert Liana Corwin says.
Depending on where you go, leaving home one day earlier, on Tuesday, can save you nearly 20%.
And if you leave even earlier than that, on Monday or Sunday, you can save even more.
"Flexibility is really the key during the holiday season," Corwin says.
And when you fly back home is even more important if you’re looking for a good deal.
Corwin says the Sunday after Thanksgiving will be the busiest travel day of the entire holiday season.
Flying back home Saturday or Monday can save you an additional 20-30% on your flight.
"Fewer people are traveling those days. It's a lot less expensive," Corwin says.
For Christmas you have even more options.
Travel experts recommend booking your flight between the dates of December 3rd and December 17th.
You may also find deals on the 18th and 19th, but if you book your flight between December 20th and Christmas you’ll likely pay up to a 40% premium for your ticket.
"I actually just personally saw this myself booking a flight to Boston. It was about a $200 difference just booking my ticket one day earlier,” Corwin says.
And once again, when you fly back matters.
Travel experts say you should try to avoid the weekend after Christmas and the weekend after New Year’s Eve.
Corwin says the later you go into January the more you can save.
"Traveling in January is actually the cheapest time to go in the entire calendar year."
Flying at inconvenient times, like early in the morning and late at night, can also save you money.
Contrary to popular belief, travel experts say the lines at the airport will actually be worse around Thanksgiving.
They say it’s true Christmas is busier in terms of ticket sales, but during Thanksgiving airport traffic is more condensed around the holiday itself.
“People traveling for Christmas tend to stay longer, for weeks at a time. They also fly in and out at different times. For Thanksgiving, travelers tend to only stay for a few days. They turn the holiday into a long weekend,” Corwin says.
You still have time to get a deal this holiday season, but time is running out.
