The Best Time To Book A Flight For Your 2024 Thanksgiving Travels

As fall begins to creep in around the corner, more and more travelers begin to get a tingling feeling that it's probably time to start planning their Thanksgiving and winter getaways. Whether that means jetting off to a coastal Caribbean destination to escape the cold or looking for the best place to spend Thanksgiving in the U.S. is entirely up to you. However, one thing's for sure: You're probably not alone in your travel aspirations. In fact, a whopping 2.9 million passengers hit the skies on the Sunday after Thanksgiving in 2023 (per the TSA) — a staggering increase from the year before, where roughly 2.3 million people decided to travel.

That said, if you're hoping to secure the best deals for your Thanksgiving flight this year, timing is crucial. After all, considering that finding affordable tickets becomes more challenging the closer it gets to the holidays — and that you might get stuck with paying extra for your trip the longer you wait — booking early is key. So, how early is that? Per the data experts at Google, at least 45 days before — in October — should work.

While October might seem a little early in terms of Thanksgiving planning (after all, you've barely moved on from that sun-soaked summer trip you got back from), it's actually the ideal time to snag flight deals. According to the same Google study mentioned above, the optimal window to book your Thanksgiving travel is roughly 26 to 59 days before departure — which, this year, starts around early October. Trying to book your flights after that might surprise you — and not necessarily in a good way.

But the news isn't all bad (or stressful) for travelers hoping to escape overseas. Because, while domestic flights tend to skyrocket during Thanksgiving due to high demand, international airfare remains relatively stable since the holiday isn't widely celebrated abroad. Specifically, deals for the days leading up to this year's Thanksgiving weekend include flights from D.C. to Paris starting from $356, a trip from Los Angeles to Mexico City starting at $282, and a flight from Boston to Milan for $426.

Along with booking early, there are plenty more strategies you can employ to try and maximize your savings. The first — and, in some cases, most effective — is to consider being a little more flexible with your travel dates. Google Flights data shows that flying on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday can be up to 13% cheaper than weekend travel. As for domestic trips, these savings can jump to 20%.

Additionally, another helpful tip is to try your luck and experiment with price tracking tools, including Google Flights, Skyscanner, and KAYAK. Once you've found one you like, set up alerts for your desired routes to receive notifications when prices drop, and keep a close watch on how they fluctuate for a better understanding of pricing trends. Lastly — and, again, if your plans allow — consider booking a flight that includes a layover. Nonstop flights tend to be up to 25% more expensive than those with stops. At the end of the day, though, the reality is that getting the cheapest flight for any trip is mostly about being willing to compromise — and, let's be honest, a touch of luck too.