Cheapest Days to Fly for Thanksgiving

Mega on-line travel agency (OTA) Travelocity’s Thanksgiving Travel Report found that travelers can pay up to $170 more on airfare if they travel on peak days, indicating those who are flexible with their dates can save. To get a cheaper flight over Thanksgiving, the day-by-day analysis suggests travelers should avoid Sunday returns, and opt to return the Friday or Tuesday after the big day to get the lowest possible fares.

The average domestic airfare for the Thanksgiving holiday is cheapest ($293 roundtrip) for travelers departing on Thanksgiving Day and returning the Tuesday after the holiday, and most expensive ($463 round trip) when travelers depart the Tuesday before Thanksgiving and return the Sunday after, two of the busiest days of the holiday. In general, a Sunday return bumps up the average fare while returns the Friday and Tuesday after Thanksgiving offer fares below the domestic average.

Travelocity data also notes that the average domestic airfare for the extended Thanksgiving travel period is $384 round trip, a price point travelers should keep in mind as they’re shopping. For more information, visit www.travelocity.com.

Airlines generally will make reservations 330 days into the future so I set my Travelocity fare watcher up & then purchase my holiday tickets when the price falls into my price range.