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Should You Plan Holiday Travel Now?

The short answer is yes. Here’s what to know about booking airfare, activities and more

an illustration of luggage representing an airport with airplanes around it
Holiday travel season is coming up. Travelers should book trips sooner rather than later.
Getty Images
By

Elaine Glusac,

 
AARP
Published August 14, 2023
/ Updated September 05, 2024

In most parts of the country, beach season is slowly winding down. But the travel industry is already hearing holiday jingle bells.

“As a general rule, we always suggest booking travel at least six months in advance to avoid any disappointments due to lack of space or high prices,” says Mary Jean Tully, CEO of Tully Luxury Travel, an agency based near Toronto. “For travel during the holiday season, we suggest booking even farther in advance — 10 months or more — especially if you’re considering popular destinations such as the Caribbean or if traveling with a larger group, like an extended family.”

In the prepandemic past, spontaneous travelers could wait until close to departure and bank on last-minute sales. But that’s probably not the case this year. “No longer can you wait for the last minute and expect there to be bargains during festive season,” says Susan Zurbin-Hothersall, a Travel Edge adviser based in New York City. “The lower-priced hotel rooms usually sell out first.”

Of note, 7 percent of travelers 50-plus planned to travel domestically for the holidays, while 4 percent planned international travel for the season, according to a recent AARP travel survey.​

Here’s more about what you need to know about planning travel over Thanksgiving and December’s holidays.

1. Start tracking flight prices

According to the travel booking app Hopper, airfare for Christmas travel this year is similar to fares at this time last year, which is above prepandemic prices. The good news: Fares are likely to come down in the fall. Prices are now averaging about $410 per domestic round-trip ticket but are expected to drop to as low as $320 per ticket, in line with last year’s price trends. The best time to book Christmas flights will be in October, when prices are expected to be at their lowest.

The key is to be on top of tickets before they bottom out. Hopper and search engines such as Kayak and Expedia offer a feature that tracks flight prices — just input your itinerary and you will be alerted about price fluctuations with advice to buy or to wait.

“The human side of this is that it takes time to make holiday plans,” says Hayley Berg, lead economist at Hopper. “If you start the planning process now, it gives you a little time to figure out where you’re going and to monitor prices.”

Being flexible about your destination can also lead to a good deal around the holidays. Berg says if you’re looking for a warm-weather destination such as Cancun, Punta Cana or Los Cabos, put a notification on each one and book right away when there’s a lower price. “If you can follow the deal instead of the destination, you can typically save a tremendous amount,” she says.

It’s also a good idea to look at regional airports when flying. “Regional airports are prime for low-cost carriers as they can afford the rent to enter the market from an adjacent city,” Berg says.

Airfare around Thanksgiving travel is holding close to 2023 prices, according to Hopper, which forecasts that the cheapest domestic tickets will bottom out around the first two weeks of October.

Winter weather can scramble airline schedules — remember the frequency of winter storms, delays and lost baggage? In addition to booking early, “purchase travel insurance,” says Helen Maley, the owner of Promal Vacations based in Long Beach, New York. “Insurance can reimburse for weather delays and cancellations.”​

2. Consider spending points

One way to save more of your budget for gifts is to spend loyalty points and frequent flier miles — rather than cash — on holiday travel. Some rewards systems have dropped policies that excluded the holidays.

“Many U.S. airlines have eliminated blackout dates and now make a large number of flights available to book with frequent flier miles, even during the holiday season,” says Julian Kheel, the founder and CEO of Points Path, a free internet tool that displays the points needed to travel alongside cash prices among flight search results. “That means it’s much easier than it used to be to redeem your miles for holiday travel.”

Like cash prices, the total amount of points needed to fly a given itinerary tend to rise and fall with demand. Kheel recommends searching for holiday flights to be paid in points at least 90 days before departure. If you book a flight with points, many airlines will refund your points should you cancel, which allows fliers to hedge their bets. In the event a points price falls, travelers can cancel the original booking and rebook at the lower rate.

Using points over the holidays might even score you an in-flight perk or two. “Holiday periods can offer opportunities to use points for extra comfort, as many business travelers opt out of flying during these times, potentially freeing up seats,” says Gilbert Ott, travel expert at Point.me, a search and booking engine that prices flight itineraries in points.​

3. Jump on lodging reservations

Many families use the holiday breaks to vacation and often travel to warm weather destinations such as the Caribbean and Mexico.

“We are seeing more and more multigenerational families — grandparents, parents and grandchildren — traveling together,” says Tully, noting that the quickest rooms to sell out from safari lodges to cruise ships are “suites that can comfortably accommodate three or four in a room, or which offer connecting rooms. So, if you’re planning on traveling with family, we strongly suggest booking well in advance to avoid disappointment.”

Even if you’re traveling solo or coupled, don’t wait. “If you book early, you can snag the entry level rooms at a reasonable rate,” says Katie Carew, a New York City-based travel adviser with Travel Edge. “If you wait too long, you will be stuck with booking a higher category room, and you may not like the price tag.”

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While beach resorts boom over the holidays, consider destinations in their low season for more space and tranquility. Ocean Edge Resort & Golf Club on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, began opening over the holidays about five years ago. “I often hear from holiday season guests that they visit to appreciate the calmer seasons of Cape Cod where they can admire the quiet beauty and nature that winter affords,” says Brendan Carey, marketing director for the resort, which uses the slower season to offer mixology workshops, jam- and soup-making lessons and painting classes.

4. Unwrap gifts and buy Rockettes tickets

The holidays present unique travel challenges, starting with luggage. If you can, travel with just a carry-on bag that will remain in your control in the event of an airline snafu. Unchecked baggage should only contain gifts that are not wrapped because they may be inspected — and unwrapped — by airport security agents.

Once you know your destination, consider any activities you may want to do over the holidays — concerts, museum exhibits, light shows — and get reservations as soon as possible. “Book your restaurants ahead of arrival, as the popular restaurants often get booked very far in advance — particularly for prime-time seating,” says Zurbin-Hothersall.

Once gathered, put next year’s plans on the agenda. “My best suggestion this year during the holidays,” says Senora Kelly, owner of Missouri-based Paradise Travel Services, “is to sit down with family and talk about next year.”

Editor's note: This article was originally published on August 14, 2023. It has been updated to reflect new information.

Elaine Glusac is a freelance writer in Chicago who regularly contributes to AARP.org and writes the Frugal Traveler column for The New York Times.

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