How to Save Money Traveling During the Holidays

Traveling during the holidays is always a hassle. While off-season ticket prices are typically affordable, trying to find an elusive plane ticket home during the week of Thanksgiving or Christmas without breaking the bank is akin to search for the lost city of Atlantis. Your efforts often prove futile, and more often than not you’re stuck shelling out hundreds – sometimes close to a thousand – dollars for a round-trip plane ticket just to visit your friends and family during the holidays.

Much of the focus on travelling during the holidays is centered on how to save as much money as possible. Independent Traveler suggests travelling on the holiday itself, as many airlines slash ticket prices for those seeking to arrive fashionably late. Attempting to fly the day before the holiday in question is a cardinal sin and should be avoided at all costs, as this is the equivalent of Black Friday: everyone who procrastinated and had to work until the last minute will be filling the airports in a last ditch attempt to get home on time. Have you ever seen Planes, Trains and Automobiles?

This piece of advice should be used in conjunction with booking your flight as early as possible. Unless you’re incredibly flexible with your travel dates, you should try and book at least two months in advance to secure the cheapest possible flight. But don’t settle on the first flight you find. Browse around not only the discount ticket sites such as Hotwire or Expedia but the sites of the airlines themselves. Some lower-tier airlines such as Southwest and JetBlue tend to have holiday specials, but the travel dates are restricted.

Unfortunately, there are many things beyond our control that could negatively impact our travel plans this holiday season. Inclement weather, especially snow around Christmastime, long security lines and the ubiquitous threat of Murphy’s Law all cast a shadow over our hopefully hassle-free travels, but by taking the proper precautions and planning ahead you can decrease the risk of a stressful, bank-breaking holiday season. For more helpful holiday travel tips, visit here!

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