Traveling for the holidays can be a mixed bag of experiences. On the one hand, not as many people plan to travel this year. Only 21% of adults surveyed planned to take a flight or stay in a hotel around the holidays, per Bankrate.
On the other hand, the government shutdown is ongoing. It means you can encounter longer lines going through security or delays/cancellations with fewer air traffic controllers manning posts.
Before you go, there are a few key things you should know. Consider these Christmas flight booking tips when planning your travels.
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1. Book in advance
Unfortunately, if you’ve dragged your feet and waited to book your holiday travel, you’re not in luck. The best time to book Christmas flights is much, much earlier than you might think.
While it can be difficult to book months in advance if you don't have concrete travel plans, booking in June, July and August will offer the best combination of inventory and cheap prices, according to the travel website The Vacationer. Booking throughout early and middle September is also a great time to buy holiday flights.
If you wait until December, available flights will be more expensive and less convenient or comfortable. If you have a favorite airline you travel with, consider opening a credit card with them. See our top airline credit card picks below.
2. Fly on the best days
There are also specific days when holiday travel is recommended, and when it’s not. In a study, The Vacationer identified the best and worst Christmas travel dates.
Below are the best departure and return dates for Christmas travel this year.
Best Departure Dates:
- Tuesday, December 16
- Wednesday December 17
- Thursday December 18
- Wednesday, December 24 (Christmas Eve)
- Thursday, December 25 (Christmas Day)
Best Return Dates:
- Monday, December 29
- Tuesday, December 30
On the other hand, these are the worst departure and return dates for Christmas travel this year.
Worst departure dates:
- Friday, December 19
- Saturday, December 20
- Sunday, December 21
- Monday, December 22
Worst return dates:
- Friday, December 26
- Saturday, December 27
- Sunday, December 28
Suppose you plan on traveling around New Year's. In that case, Phil Dengler, co-owner of the Vacationer, recommends leaving on Saturday, December 27, or Monday, December 29 and returning on Thursday, January 1, or Saturday, January 3.
3. Avoid cancellations
Dengler has several other important tips for those booking Christmas flights this year. One is to book direct flights to avoid the hassle of cancellations or delays.
“Online travel agencies (OTAs) such as Expedia and Priceline sometimes have better flight prices than booking directly with the airline, but there is a drawback: When you book with an OTA, you contact them in the event you need to change or cancel your itinerary," says Dengler.
"While that is not usually a problem, it is if your flight is delayed or canceled. Every second counts, so I recommend booking directly so you can avoid the middleman and talk directly to the airline to inquire about rebooking a new flight or canceling your existing itinerary.”
As part of this, download the app of the airline you're traveling with before arriving at the airport. If there's a cancellation or significant delay, many airlines offer workarounds through their apps in which you can rebook a later flight. This can save you hours waiting in theme park-size lines at customer service.
4. Don't check a bag
Dengler suggests that, if possible, travelers should avoid checking a bag. If you're able to manage with just a carry-on, you can avoid long lines and lost luggage.
He says, "If possible, do not check a bag if you are flying during the 2025 holiday season." Airlines are more likely to lose bags when travel volume increases.
While not as many people plan to travel this holiday season, there are other factors at play. Inclement weather and a lack of TSA or air traffic controllers can create situations in which you're delayed, miss your connection or have a flight canceled.
Having a carry-on with you makes the most sense because if you do have a long wait time or missed flight, you have some comforts of home with you.
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