busiest travel days during christmas

Christmas travel tips: Best and worst days to fly or drive

AAA predicts this holiday season will be the busiest ever for air travel.

Millions of Americans are gearing up to hit the highway and take to the skies ahead of the holidays.

Here's what you need to know before packing your bags:

Holiday travel by air

AAA predicts this holiday season will be the busiest ever for air travel, with 7.5 million people projected to fly from Saturday, Dec. 23 to Monday, Jan. 1. This would break the record high of 7.3 million flyers set during the 2019 holiday season.

Thursday, Dec. 21 and Friday, Dec. 22 are forecast to be the busiest days for departures, according to Hopper.

Domestic airfares are averaging $349 round trip -- a 3% increase from last year, according to Hopper.

MORE: Delta flight carrying 270 diverted to remote Canadian town

The cheapest days to fly will be Dec. 19, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, according to Hopper. The most expensive days are Dec. 22 and Dec. 26.

United Airlines said it expects its busiest-ever holiday travel season, with about 9 million passengers planning to fly from Dec. 21 to Jan. 8. This is a 12% jump from last year.

United said it anticipates Dec. 22 and Dec. 23 will be its busiest days for Christmas travel, while Jan. 2 will be the busiest day for New Year's travel.

Delta Air Lines is preparing for nearly 9 million customers during its holiday travel period, which runs from Dec. 21 to Jan. 7.

Delta said its peak days are expected to be Dec. 21 to Dec. 22 and Dec. 26 to Dec. 30.

Holiday travel by road

MORE: What every motorist needs to know about driving in snow

AAA expects 104 million people to hit the road over the holidays -- a 1.8% increase from last year.

The busiest days are forecast to be Saturday, Dec. 23; Thursday, Dec. 28; and Saturday, Dec. 30, according to transportation analytics company INRIX.

If you're leaving for the holidays on Dec. 23, the best time to head out the door is before 10 a.m., according to INRIX. And if you're heading home the day after Christmas, the roads will be emptiest before noon, INRIX said.

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These Are the Busiest Travel Days of the Year, According to TSA

The holidays and holiday weekends often bring with them some of the most congested days at the country’s airports and on the roads..

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Long lines at TSA security screening checkpoint

The Tuesday and Wednesday just before Thanksgiving and the Sunday after Thanksgiving are often among the busiest travel days of the year.

Photo by Jim Lambert / Shutterstock

Every year, millions of people embark on journeys, whether for business or leisure. After a few years of much less crowded airports due to the pandemic, the International Air Transport Association is reporting that passenger numbers are just about what they were prepandemic levels.

However, there have already been a number of days that have surpassed prepandemic levels and they’ve largely fallen right before or after holidays.

Take Independence Day, for example. In 2023, AAA projected that 4.17 million people flew over the July Fourth holiday period, surpassing the previous air travel record of 3.91 million travelers, set in 2019. Similarly, TSA screened a record number of passengers on the Sunday following Thanksgiving in 2022, with more than 2.56 million passengers.

According to the TSA, the busiest travel days of the year are usually the Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Sunday after Thanksgiving . TSA recorded its highest passenger screening volume in its history on the Sunday after Thanksgiving in 2019, when nearly 2.9 million passengers passed through TSA checkpoints. But Thanksgiving and Christmas aren’t the only times we can expect busy airports. Here are the busiest travel day of the year.

Busiest travel days of the year

Thanksgiving and Christmas tend to be the busiest travel days of the year, but other holidays like Memorial Day, July Fourth, and Labor Day also see some of the highest volumes of air passengers.

So far this year, daily passenger numbers have been growing each month. In all of 2022, only one day had more than 2.5 million air passengers in the United States: November 27 (the Sunday after Thanksgiving), with 2.560 million. As of August 20, 2023, there had already been more than 75 days in the calendar year that had surpassed 2.5 million air passengers, according to TSA checkpoint data .

These have been the five busiest travel days in the last full year:

July 30: 2.793 million passengers
July 28: 2.785 million passengers
July 23: 2.789 million passengers
June 30: 2.884 million passengers (the new record for the busiest air travel day ever in the United States)
June 16: 2.785 million passengers

For reference, the busiest travel day in all of 2019 was November 27, with 2.882 million passengers.

The busiest travel days around Christmas and New Year’s, historically

As for Christmas and New Year’s Eve, the number of travelers is likely to ramp up during the end of December and into early January as well. In 2019, the highest number of travelers during the Christmas and New Year period was on Friday, December 17 (one week before Christmas), when 2.6 million travelers passed through TSA checkpoints. The second busiest day was Christmas Eve, with 2.58 million travelers, followed by the day after Christmas with 2.57 million travelers.

Decorated Christmas trees frame skyscraper in New York City

New York City consistently ranks as one of the top domestic travel destinations for the holidays.

Photo by Elias Andres Jose/Unsplash

Tips for flying during the busiest times of the year

There are a few ways to make travel easier and clear busy TSA checkpoints more quickly, this holiday season.

Get TSA PreCheck, Clear, and/or Global Entry

Never have these security expediting services been more valuable than during the current congestion happening at U.S. airports. TSA PreCheck recently reduced its prices from $85 to $78 for a five-year membership, and it’s only $70 to renew . Clear costs $189 per year. International travelers should consider the $100 Global Entry, which includes TSA PreCheck, for expedited customs screening upon arrival in the United States—and there’s a secret way to speed up the application process .

Check to see if your airport has a fast-pass security lane you can book in advance—for free

No TSA PreCheck or Clear? Select U.S. airports are giving travelers the option to make an advance “fast pass” reservation to head to the front of the security line—free of charge. We’ve compiled the full list of airports that offer this service .

Consider traveling with carry-on only

For those who don’t want to risk their luggage getting lost during a busy travel time when airports remain understaffed, traveling with carry-on may be your best bet. Another alternative? Luggage-shipping services .

Know what you can bring through security

If you’re traveling with carry-on, know what you can and cannot pack in said carry-on. By now, you know you can only carry on liquids in containers 3.4 ounces or smaller, so be sure that holiday items such as gravy, cranberry sauce, or wine are either left behind or packed in a checked bag as they are considered liquids and could otherwise be confiscated (and create delays). Check AFAR’s in-depth guide to what foods you can bring through TSA to make sure that what you’ve packed in your carry-on can pass through security.

Thoroughly check your bags before leaving the house

TSA recommends that travelers fully empty their bags prior to packing to make sure that they don’t accidentally bring something to the airport that they didn’t intend to bring, which could cause further delays.

Monitor the weather

Check the weather and forecasts that are available on sites such as the National Weather Service , the Weather Channel , and AccuWeather so that you can be prepared for possible disruptions and establish back-up plans for delayed travel.

Get to the airport earlier than you’d think

The lines and wait times at the country’s airports (and abroad, too) are longer than they’ve been in years. Best to arrive early and have some extra time postsecurity than risk missing your flight waiting in an hours-long check-in or security line. Aim for at least two hours before domestic flights and at least three for international flights.

Know if and when you are due a refund because of a delayed or canceled flight

On September 1, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) launched a new Aviation Consumer Protection website to help travelers track down what kind of refunds or compensation their airline should provide when there is a cancellation or delay.

Airlines aren’t required to compensate passengers when flights are delayed or canceled due to problems deemed beyond the company’s control, like bad weather. They also aren’t required to provide a refund when the passenger initiates the cancellation or flight change. But a refund is required by U.S. law when the airline cancels, delays, or alters a flight, or passengers are involuntarily bumped from a flight that is oversold or due to issues originating from the airline, such as operational or staffing problems.

Additionally, after the federal government began cracking down on airlines this year, all of the major U.S. airlines vowed to provide meal vouchers for delays of more than three hours and to provide transfers and hotel stays to passengers affected by an overnight cancellation. They have all also agreed to rebook travelers on an alternate flight at no added cost due to a delay or cancellation and most will also rebook on a partner airline.

This article originally appeared online in 2018; it was most recently updated in August 2023 to include current information.

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These Are the Best (and Worst) Days to Fly During the Winter Holidays

Some 131 million Americans are set to travel for the winter holidays.

For travelers dreaming of being home for Christmas without airplane delays, a new study has helpful data points that can potentially make your holiday travels hassle-free.

According to the 2023 Christmas Travel Survey by travel booking site The Vacationeer, which surveyed over 1,000 travelers, some 131 million Americans are set to travel during the winter holiday. Travelers should be prepared for busier airports, as 50.44 percent of Americans are expected to travel, whereas only 42.98 percent traveled last year. The report predicts that the busiest days to travel for the Christmas Holiday will be Dec. 21 through Dec. 23, and recommends flying on or before Dec. 20 for the least amount of traffic in airports.

KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI/AFP via Getty Images

For those looking to get a travel deal on cheaper flights, flying on the holiday itself could be a helpful solution. The study recommends travel on Christmas Eve or even Christmas Day as airlines tend to have a high number of seats available at a discounted price, with the least amount of passengers. “More than 59 percent of American adults say they have little or no confidence in airlines being able to avoid excessive delays and cancellations this holiday season,” writes Eric Jones, the CEO of The Vacationeer, in the survey’s analysis. “After all the travel issues and meltdowns over the last year, it is understandable that people are not confident this holiday season. On the other hand, nearly 7 percent of people said they are 'extremely confident' airlines can avoid delays and cancellations.” Airlines and travel experts also have helpful tips for passengers flying for the holidays. United Airlines, for example, recently provided travel tips during the Thanksgiving holiday, including a strong recommendation to download and use the airline’s mobile app. Delta Air Lines recommends arriving at least two hours in advance of a domestic flight, and three hours for an international flight.

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The Best (and Worst) Days to Fly for Christmas

See recent posts by Peter Thornton

It’s the most wonderful time of year and often one of the busiest times to travel. Like everything else in 2020, Christmas travel will be a whole different animal this year.

Domestic airfare is down about 40% according to a report released by Hopper in October. More recently, CheapAir has found average airfare is trending even lower than expected, with an average ticket price just slightly more than $200. Price fluctuations won’t be as big of a factor this year, so if you do plan to travel, it may be best to focus on giving yourself the time to quarantine and take other safety precautions such as testing.

To Fly or Not to Fly?

After the Centers for Disease Control and government officials urged Americans not to travel ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, the TSA still recorded a pandemic record with nearly 1.2 million travelers passing through checkpoints on Sunday, November 29, 2020. While this is down 60% compared to the same Sunday last year, it indicates that airports around the country are still likely to be busier around the Christmas holiday than they have been in recent months.

When making your decision on whether or not to fly this Christmas season, consider CDC guidelines for holiday celebrations and make sure you understand state and local requirements for travel . Certain states such as Hawaii and New York require a mandatory quarantine, which can be bypassed or reduced with a negative Covid-19 test. Local municipalities, such as Chicago, may have their own travel restrictions even if there isn’t a statewide order. Once you have gathered all the information, you’ll have a better idea of when you should travel, if you choose to do so at all.

When to Fly for Christmas 2020

If you do decide to fly, it’s best to fly sooner than later if you want to avoid crowded airports. Historically, the short time period between about a week after Thanksgiving and a week before Christmas is one of the slowest (and cheapest) travel seasons.

Prices will rise the closer you get to the date of departure. Since demand is way down this year, you’ll likely find current prices to be cheaper during the week of Christmas than they are in earlier weeks, simply due to advanced purchase requirements. The lowest prices often require a 14 or 21-day advance purchase. After that, airfares usually rise again within one week of travel and are generally highest if you book less than 3 days before departure.

Worst Days to Fly for Christmas 2020

Saturday, December 19
Saturday, December 26
Sunday, December 27

Since Christmas falls on a Friday this year, the busiest travel days are forecasted on the weekend immediately following the holiday. And if the trends for Thanksgiving travel are any indication, the Saturday before Christmas is likely to be one of the busiest of the season.

Other Busy Travel Days

Sunday, December 20
Wednesday, December 23
Sunday, January 3

Sundays continue to be a busy day to travel in general and with both Christmas and New Year’s Day falling on a Friday this year, it makes Sunday a very convenient time for many to return home after the holiday. December 23 is also a popular departure date for travelers who prefer to take a shorter holiday trip and it’s still expected to be a busier travel day in 2020.

Best Days to Fly for Christmas 2020

Thursday, December 10, or earlier
Monday, December 14
Tuesday, December 29

If you plan to visit family, the safest way to travel during the pandemic is to ensure you have the time to quarantine for a full two weeks. If remote work and school opportunities are available, you may want to fly a few weeks early and enjoy a less hectic experience at the airport.

Other Good Christmas Travel Days

Tuesday, December 22
Thursday, December 31
Tuesday, January 5

Tuesdays are typically the quietest days of the week for travel, so if you must fly the week of Christmas, December 22 may be your best bet. New Year’s Eve is also a great day to avoid crowds at the airport and if you want to take an extended trip into 2021, you might as well wait until the Tuesday after New Year’s to fly back home.

Change Your Flight Without Extra Fees

It’s understandable that you may be uneasy about traveling for Christmas this year. Since most airlines are now waiving change fees, you can choose to postpone your trip without incurring an extra fee. Whether you booked a flight earlier in the year and wish to change travel dates or are considering booking a new flight with flexibility, contact the airline directly for specifics regarding its flight change policy.

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6 Travel Predictions for 2022

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The Busiest Days to Fly During the Winter Holidays

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Most weeks of the year, Friday is the busiest day for air travel, and Tuesday is the least busy day. During the holidays, though, that doesn’t necessarily hold true.

In most years, the Sunday after Thanksgiving is the busiest travel day at U.S. airports, according to the Transportation Security Administration, which tracks the number of passengers screened daily. The two days after Christmas also see heavy travel. And since Christmas falls on a Monday this year, that might mean an abnormally busy Tuesday and Wednesday of that week.

To avoid crowds and save money, consider skipping the busy days and book your flights on one of the slower ones. Here’s a breakdown of the best and worst days to fly during the winter holidays, and how you can strategize to avoid crowds and save money.

» Learn more: Popular airline cards used to book holiday travel

The busiest days to fly around Thanksgiving

The Sunday after Thanksgiving is brutal for airport crowds. Last year, about 83% more people flew on the Sunday after Thanksgiving than on Thanksgiving Day, according to TSA data, making it the busiest travel day of 2022.

That same Sunday was also the year’s single busiest airport travel day in both 2019 and 2021. In 2020, the busiest days of the year for air travel were largely concentrated in January and February, before the widespread impact of COVID-19, which would reduce holiday travel later in the year.

Here’s a look at the days surrounding Thanksgiving week over the past four years, ranked in order of most to fewest air travelers at the TSA’s U.S. checkpoints:

Assuming past trends continue in 2023, expect Sunday, Nov. 26, to be the busiest travel day around Thanksgiving , followed by Wednesday, Nov. 22. Even if you fly out one day ahead of the biggest crowds, Saturday, Nov. 25, will also likely be busy.

And this year, crowds will likely be bigger based on the fact that past 2023 holidays have already set air travel records. For example, 2023’s Fourth of July weekend set records for U.S. air travel. More than 2.884 million people passed through TSA checkpoints on the Friday before July 4, according to TSA checkpoint data. That topped the previous record, which was on the Sunday after Thanksgiving 2019, when a recorded 2.882 million people passed through TSA checkpoints.

The busiest days to fly around Christmas

Christmas airport crowds can be trickier to predict than Thanksgiving crowds given that the holiday falls on a different day of the week each year and air travel patterns are often dictated by the workweek. This year, Christmas falls on a Monday.

But just as the Sunday after Thanksgiving tends to draw huge crowds, the days just after Christmas are wildly popular . And much like how few people travel on Thanksgiving Day itself, relatively few people travel on Christmas Day or New Year’s Day.

Here’s a look at Christmas and the seven calendar dates before and after over the past four years, ranked by most to fewest average air travelers, based on TSA checkpoint data:

This year, you might expect Friday, Dec. 22, to be particularly busy. Friday is typically the busiest travel day in any given week, and — especially during Christmas week — many holiday travelers may leave on that day.

According to Chase Travel, Friday, Dec. 22, is one of the top three busiest days across all flights booked in either December 2023 or January 2024 (the other two busiest days are Saturday, Dec. 23, and Saturday, Dec. 30). Similarly, booking site Hopper anticipates that day having the highest fare for the Christmas season.

This holiday travel season may see some relief, though. Hanukkah, which begins on the 25th of Kislev in the Hebrew calendar, can sometimes align closely with Christmas. The eight-day celebration ran from Dec. 18-26 in 2022, but this year will commence on Dec. 15 — likely before the Christmas crowds start.

Another consideration for travel is that the weeklong celebration of Kwanzaa runs from Dec. 26 through Jan. 1.

How to choose less crowded (and cheaper) travel days

The holiday travel season is always expensive, but there is some decrease from last year's prices. Airfares for Christmas trips are averaging $400 according to Hopper data. That’s down 12%, or about $52 per ticket, from last year. The bad news is that it's still 29% higher than holiday airfares were in 2019.

Travel on the holiday: Traveling on the holiday is often the best way to avoid crowds and save money. Last year, 23.4% more people flew on the day after Christmas versus Christmas Day, which fell on a Sunday.

And that demand has a strong effect on prices. According to Hopper, domestic flights on Christmas Day average about 26% less than peak prices.

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Book morning flights: If you are traveling on the holiday, catch the first flight out for the day and you might arrive in time for evening festivities. Taking early flights is also considered good practice to reduce your odds of a flight delay . In the first half of 2023, 7.8% of flights were delayed because an aircraft arrived late, according to Bureau of Transportation Statistics data.

Stay longer: If you can take the days off or work remotely, then it can make sense to fly as long before or after a holiday as possible.

For Thanksgiving, Hopper recommends flying the Monday of Thanksgiving week and returning any weekday the following week. The Sunday after Thanksgiving is historically the busiest day to fly, so extending your trip by just one day can save you money. According to Hopper, airfares average 40% less on the Monday after Thanksgiving versus the Sunday after.

For Christmas, Hopper recommends departing the Monday or Tuesday before Christmas weekend and returning midweek following the holiday.

Skip holiday travel completely: If you don’t mind celebrating in an unconventional way, consider participating in something like an un-holiday, where you shift the celebration by a couple of days or weeks.

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Christmas travel tips: Best and worst days to fly or drive

AAA predicts this holiday season will be the busiest ever for air travel.

Millions of Americans are gearing up to hit the highway and take to the skies ahead of the holidays.

Here's what you need to know before packing your bags:

Holiday travel by air

Thursday, Dec. 21 and Friday, Dec. 22 are forecast to be the busiest days for departures, according to Hopper.

Domestic airfares are averaging $349 round trip -- a 3% increase from last year, according to Hopper.

The cheapest days to fly will be Dec. 19, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, according to Hopper. The most expensive days are Dec. 22 and Dec. 26.

United Airlines said it expects its busiest-ever holiday travel season, with about 9 million passengers planning to fly from Dec. 21 to Jan. 8. This is a 12% jump from last year.

United said it anticipates Dec. 22 and Dec. 23 will be its busiest days for Christmas travel, while Jan. 2 will be the busiest day for New Year's travel.

MORE: Southwest hit by record $140M fine for holiday service meltdown in 2022 that left millions stranded

Delta Air Lines is preparing for nearly 9 million customers during its holiday travel period, which runs from Dec. 21 to Jan. 7.

Delta said its peak days are expected to be Dec. 21 to Dec. 22 and Dec. 26 to Dec. 30.

Holiday travel by road

AAA expects 104 million people to hit the road over the holidays -- a 1.8% increase from last year.

The busiest days are forecast to be Saturday, Dec. 23; Thursday, Dec. 28; and Saturday, Dec. 30, according to transportation analytics company INRIX.

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These are the busiest days to travel this holiday season

2023 has been a record-setting year for air travel, and there's no reason to think the end-of-year holidays will be any different.

After logging its busiest summer ever at U.S. airport security checkpoints, the Transportation Security Administration saw more passengers on Nov. 26 — the Sunday after Thanksgiving — than on any day in its 22-year history.

And the crowds are just getting started.

AAA expects 7.5 million Americans will fly over the 10-day Christmas and New Year's holiday period. That's a number larger than both last year's holiday airport crowds and those seen in 2019.

At security checkpoints, agents will be working to keep lines moving. Their goal: wait times of 10 minutes or less in the TSA PreCheck lanes and a half-hour or less in the standard lanes.

"We expect this holiday season to be our busiest ever," TSA administrator David Pekoske said in a statement last month.

It was a prediction that the Thanksgiving rush confirmed, and one that tracked with the crowds seen all year. Seven of the 10 busiest days ever at TSA checkpoints have come in 2023. The 2.9 million air travelers seen on Nov. 26 beat out the previous record from June 30, set by Fourth of July weekend travelers.

Suffice it to say, if you're traveling for a December holiday, it's a good time to make sure that your TSA PreCheck, Global Entry or Clear membership is active. Also, make sure your Known Traveler Number is attached to your flight reservation.

Meanwhile, all eyes will be on how airlines perform following 2022's headaches, most notably the Southwest Airlines December meltdown . That meltdown was an operational disaster the airline says it will avoid this year thanks to a host of changes.

Fortunately, airlines are off to a good start with this year's holiday season. Between Nov. 19 and 26, during peak the peak Thanksgiving period, U.S. based carriers canceled a collective 0.2% of flights, according to FlightAware data analyzed by TPG. That was down slightly from a similarly impressive 0.3% cancellation rate during the equivalent period last year. The rate of delays among those carriers hovered at a consistent 17% from last Thanksgiving.

However, travelers have learned all too well the last couple of years that the end-of-year holiday season can bring a plethora of potential roadblocks, including the possibility of bad weather and the lingering threat of air traffic control-related disruptions.

"Mother Nature is always the x-factor," U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg acknowledged at a news conference last month.

Busiest days to travel at Christmas and New Year's

The TSA anticipates heavy volume throughout the Christmas and New Year's holiday period. However, it may likely come in the form of sustained crowds, as opposed to any single, record-setting days. (In recent years, the busiest day of the year has typically been the Sunday after Thanksgiving, as it was this year.)

Exactly which days will be the busiest days to fly this month? It's a little harder to predict the end-of-year holidays, which fall on a different day of the week each year. Also, recent years have held no shortage of abnormalities, from last December's bad weather and Southwest meltdown to COVID-19 and the omicron variant surge disrupting travel in 2020 and 2021.

Last year, the three busiest days for air travel over the December holidays were as follows, per TSA data:

Dec. 21, 2022 (a Thursday)
Dec. 30, 2022 (a Friday)
Jan. 2, 2023 (a Monday — and a federal holiday following New Year's Day)

This year, Christmas Day and New Year's Day fall on a Monday. It seems a safe bet that airports will be busy leading into the weekends prior to the two holidays, particularly Christmas.

Airlines for America, a trade group for the largest U.S. carriers, says the busiest days will be:

Thursday, Dec. 21
Friday, Dec. 22
Tuesday, Dec. 26
Wednesday, Dec. 27
Thursday, Dec. 28
Friday, Dec. 29

On the other hand, if you can find a way to travel on Christmas Day, you may find ultra-light crowds — if Thanksgiving was any indication, at least. Thanksgiving Day was the second least crowded day of 2023 at U.S. airports, according to TSA data. Likewise, Airlines for America projects Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day will be similarly uncrowded.

What about driving?

As usual, even more Americans will drive than fly for the holidays, although the share of air travelers is up from recent years.

More than 103 million U.S. travelers will take year-end holiday road trips during the 10 days around the end-of-year holidays, according to AAA. That's up nearly 2% from last year.

There's some good news for drivers, too. The national average for a gallon of regular gas currently sits at $3.15, down slightly from this time last year.

That's despite airlines battling cost pressures from jet fuel prices in recent months.

Still, if you are driving for Christmas or New Year's, be sure to pay at the pump with a credit card that offers bonus points or cash back at gas stations . Consider stacking those bonus points with gas rewards programs and other ways to save on gas.

Bottom line

The holiday season is already off to a busy start, and that trend will likely continue this month with Christmas and New Year's travel. With those airport crowds in mind, it's a good time to double-check that you booked your flight and all other trip elements with a credit card that includes travel insurance protections.

As you travel, don't forget to take advantage of those airline fee credits on cards like The Platinum Card® from American Express . Also, don't forget to use an airline credit card for credits on checked bags or travel. This is where you can really offset that annual fee.

Download the MyTSA app so you can check security checkpoint wait times and read up on your rights as an air traveler in the event something goes wrong — including when you're owed a refund.

These Are the Busiest Days for Holiday Travel This Year

It's the most wonderful time of the year—well, everywhere but at the airport.

Chaotic holiday travel is rapidly descending upon us, and if the record-breaking 26 million travelers that took to the sky during Thanksgiving week this year are any indication, it's time to calculate a game plan for navigating airport terminals, securing your overhead bin space , and getting through the crush of humanity in the security line. The best way to do that? Know the busiest travel days in advance.

While some holiday travel patterns can be quite consistent, some of this year's peak travel days have shifted, given that December 25 falls on a Wednesday.

No matter what days you plan to fly during the holiday rush, follow the standard advice of arriving at the airport earlier than usual (at least two hours before departure for a domestic flight, especially if you are checking bags). Another way to streamline your holiday airport experience: remove any food from carry-ons along with standard items like toiletries and laptops to help the Travel Security Administration officers get a clearer look at your bag, which will keep you moving to the gate faster.

And of course, enrolling in known traveler programs like TSA PreCheck or Clear is especially valuable during the peak holiday season, as you'll be able to take fewer items out of your bag and zoom by some of the worst security wait times. (P.S., Clear doesn't require an appointment like TSA PreCheck, so you can breeze through enrollment in about five minutes at the airport.)

Here are all the days to avoid travel, some key statistics, and the best days to avoid airport pandemonium and keep your holiday cheer in tact.

The busiest days for Christmas air travel

Unsurprisingly, passenger records continue to be broken during Christmas travel, the TSA says. The agency estimated last year that during the peak Christmas and New Year's travel days (between December 19 and January 5 for 2018), about 41 million passengers traveled through security screening checkpoints nationwide, a year-over-year increase of 6 percent.

In 2019, that number is set to jump another 3 percent year-over-year, according to industry group Airlines for America . The organization predicts that 47.5 million passengers will fly on U.S. airlines over the 18-day winter holiday travel period from December 19 through January 5. Divided into daily averages, about 2.2 million to 3 million passengers will fly each day over the holiday window, or an extra 72,000 travelers per day. Fortunately, U.S. airlines are meeting the increased demand with 884 added flights each day.

It seems that this year, most air passengers want to take a long Christmas and New Year's break, with the large majority of people expected to fly the Saturday before Christmas. Kayak, AAA, and Expedia all expect Saturday, December 21, to be the busiest travel day leading up to Christmas. Likewise, Airlines for America says December 20 and 21 will be the most popular days for travelers to start their Christmas trips. The estimates vary a bit on what the second most popular day before Christmas will be. Kayak says that Friday, December 20, will be the second largest wave of travelers leading up to the 25th—about 24,797 flights are scheduled to take off across the U.S. that day, according to aviation data firm OAG—while AAA predicts December 22 and 23 will see more fliers en masse.

As for return flights after New Year's? TripAdvisor says 44 percent of travelers are heading home Wednesday, December 30 or later. Expect the bulk of people to swarm the security lines and airport gates on Saturday, January 4, according to Kayak.

The busiest days for Christmas ground travel

TripAdvisor calculates that at least 46 percent of holiday travelers will drive to their Christmas destinations this year. "104.8 million Americans, the most on record, will drive to their holiday destinations," AAA says . "This marks the eighth straight year of new record-high travel volumes for the year-end holidays,” says Paula Twidale, vice president of AAA Travel.

The good news for drivers is that because Christmas falls in the middle of the week this year, AAA, along with traffic analytics company Inrix, predicts only "marginal" and even "lighter than normal" congestion on roads nationwide as travelers cruise to destinations before the holiday.

It's right after Christmas—on December 26 and 27—when drivers will be slammed with traffic and delays. "Nationally, drivers could experience double the travel times on Thursday and Friday afternoon, although New York City and Washington, D.C. could see triple the delays," the AAA report says. So if you are driving, it's probably best to wait until at least December 28 or later to start your journey back.

This story was originally published on November 2019, and has been updated with new information.

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Hurricane tracker, severe weather, radar & maps, news & features, winter center, news / weather news, best and worst days, times to travel during the christmas holiday.

By Chaffin Mitchell , AccuWeather staff writer

The holidays are one of the busiest times for travel and this year Americans are traveling in record numbers.

AAA forecasts 107.3 million Americans will take to planes, trains, automobiles and other modes of transportation during the year-end holiday period from Saturday, Dec. 23, through Monday, Jan. 1. This will be the highest year-end travel volume on record, with a 3.1 percent increase in travel volume compared to last year. Since 2005, total year-end holiday travel volume has grown by 21.6 million, an increase of more than 25 percent.

(AP Photo/Andreas Beil)

Airfare and hotel rates are trending cheaper, while car rentals and gas rates are more expensive this year.

“More expensive gas prices are not swaying holiday revelers to stay home,” said Bill Sutherland, AAA senior vice president, travel and publishing. For the 97.4 million Americans traveling by automobile, INRIX, a global transportation analytics company, in collaboration with AAA, predicts travel times during the holiday week could be as much as three times longer than the normal trip.

“In fact, across the board this year, travel has increased year-over-year for every major holiday weekend – Memorial Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving – and we project the same for the year-end holiday period. We’ve seen the strong economy and growing consumer confidence fuel holiday travel all year long,” Sutherland said. Late-afternoon hours to cause congestion

Based on historical and recent travel trends, INRIX expects drivers will experience the greatest amount of congestion before the holiday week – on Wednesday, Dec. 20, and Thursday, Dec. 21 – in the late afternoon as commuters leave work early and mix with holiday travelers. “With record-level travelers hitting the road this holiday, drivers must be prepared for delays in major metros,” says Dr. Graham Cookson, chief economist and head of research at INRIX. “Our advice to drivers is to avoid peak times altogether or consider alternative routes,” Cookson said.

It's best to avoid traveling through major cities during peak travel times. The recommended times to leave are typically early morning or after the morning commute because the roads should be less crowded and you will have more time to get to your destination safely.

"With Christmas and New Year's falling on Mondays, we expect traffic congestion between the two to be limited as it will be spread out over the road network," INRIX Spokesperson Mark Burfeind said. If your schedule permits, travel on the holiday because fewer cars will be on the road.

(AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Factor weather conditions into your travel plans

This time of year, motorists and airline passengers should be aware of potential weather delays.

Make sure to check the status of your flight regularly before traveling to the airport.

"Travelers should plan to arrive at the airport at least two hours prior to the scheduled departure of their flight. It may be necessary to arrive even earlier," AAA spokesperson Jeanette Casselano said.

According to Kayak, flights are cheaper on Christmas Day, so flying on the holiday may help to avoid the lines and save money.

If you are driving to your destination, the upcoming mild weather pattern will not last long, so it is also important to factor weather into your travel plans.

"For some areas north of Interstate 80, the mild spell early next week may bring the only multiple-day stretch of above-freezing temperatures through Christmas," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Eric Leister.

Even colder air is projected to push southward over the Central states late next week then ooze into the Northeast toward the weekend before Christmas Day. The battle zone between colder air plunging across these areas and milder air to the south will create a corridor for storms to travel along .

Before hitting the road, make sure your vehicle is ready for wintry conditions . Monitor tire pressure, test the battery, replace windshield wipers and make sure all headlights and brake lights are in working condition.

In case of an emergency , be prepared by keeping a cell phone and charger with you at all times. Carry an emergency kit with a flashlight, jumper cables, a first-aid kit, sleeping bags, gloves, a battery-powered radio and extra water.

The complete AAA/IHS Markit 2017 year-end holiday travel forecast is available here .

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Keep an eye on your Christmas flight: Here's what flyers should expect this week

Flying for the holidays in the next few days or weeks? You're not alone.

According to data from the online booking platform Hopper, about 54 million people are expected to catch flights between Dec. 18 and Jan. 3.

The data also shows that Thursday and Friday this week, and the next two Mondays (Dec. 26 and Jan. 3), will be among the busiest travel days of the season.

Here's what you can expect as you head to the airport, and tips for how to make your travel experience smoother. Keep in mind: weather is probably going to be a big factor this week as record-cold temperatures and strong storms sweep across much of the country.

Flight delayed or canceled? What you need to know and what airlines owe travelers.

If your flight is delayed, you may be eligible for compensation from your airline

Which airports will be busiest for the holidays?

According to Hopper, these will be the busiest airports to fly through between now and the early days of 2023:

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
Denver International Airport (DEN)
Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport (LAS)
Orlando International Airport (MCO)
Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD)
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
Miami International Airport (MIA)

Historically, many of these airports also tend to suffer a relatively high share of delayed flights around the holidays, according to a USA TODAY analysis .

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Traveling with kids: Southwest Airlines tests a new boarding process to help families stick together

When will my airport be busy?

Different airports load their departures at different times, so lines will ebb and flow throughout the day. According to Hopper, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. is busiest at some airports, while 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. is the peak at others.

Real ID update: Implementation deadline delayed (again). You can keep traveling with an old ID until 2025.

Here's what the data shows:

► Busiest between 8 a.m. and noon

► Busiest between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.

No matter when you're traveling, it's a good idea to leave yourself extra time to get to the airport and clear security. If you're traveling during your airport's peak demand period, you won't want to cut it too close.

What's the weather supposed to be like for holiday travel?

This week is expected to see some severe weather across much of the country, and snow and frigid temperatures are forecast in many places starting Wednesday through the end of the week. That could result in flight delays and cancellations, depending on when and where the most extreme weather hits.

'Big mess' is days away: Major winter storm to bring snow, arctic temps and travel headaches

If you're planning to fly later in the week, it's a good idea to sign up for alerts from your airline in case there are any changes to your flight.

If your travel plans are at all flexible, it might be worth considering flying out sooner, before the worst of the weather hits.

Getting through airport security quickly: What is TSA PreCheck and how much it costs

Tips for holiday air travel

Hopper suggests that travelers buy trip insurance, especially this time of year, when weather can cause disruption.

Experts also say it's a good idea to research alternatives in advance in case something does go wrong with the itinerary you originally booked.

Airplane mode: Experts say it's safer to leave your cell reception off when you fly

And as always: Pack your patience. The airports promise to be crowded this season, but if you leave yourself enough time and are friendly to those who are trying to help you along your journey, you won't have as much reason to stress.

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Best & Worst Days of the Week to Fly in 2024

While there is no single best day to book flights , there are cheaper days and times to fly. That includes days of the week, certain times of day, months of the year, and holidays. In certain cases, flying a day later or earlier can save you hundreds of dollars!

This article will detail the best and worst days of the week to fly. It will also go over how to find cheap flight deals as well as the best places to book.

Table of Contents

What Are the Cheapest & Most Expensive Days of the Week to Fly?

The best days to fly.

Typically, these are the best days of the week to fly.

Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the best weekdays to fly. Thursday is a bit more expensive but still reasonable. Saturday is usually the cheapest weekend day to fly. That does not mean you cannot find great flight prices on the other days of the week. It just means your odds of finding cheap airfare on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays are higher than the rest of the week.

The reason those are the best days to fly is demand, and business travel is a big factor. Most business travel takes place on Monday and Friday. That frees up a lot of seats for travel during the middle of the week.

Those going on vacation tend to fly out on Thursday or Friday and return on a Sunday. Additionally, Sunday to Sunday trips are popular since they allow you to return on a weekend day before returning to school or work. Many travelers will also fly out on Friday and return Sunday of the following week to take advantage of two weekends.

The Worst Days to Fly

Typically, these are the worst days to fly.

The worst days to fly are Sundays, Mondays, and Friday s. Those days generally have the most demand causing flight prices to be more expensive.

What Are the Cheapest & Most Expensive Days of the Week to Fly Internationally?

Predicting international ticket prices is a little more difficult than domestic fares. The middle of the week is still usually the best time to fly international routes, but the odds of finding a cheap Sunday, Monday, or Friday fare are higher. View our guidelines as more of a rule for domestic flights than international flights.

You May Not Have a Choice on the Flight Day

Screenshot: Google Flights – shows airfare tickets from New York to Montana. flights from LGA to FCA are only available once weekly.

Your airport and airline of choice may have limited routes to your destination. In some cases, there will only be one or two flights per week from your departure airport to your destination airport. If that happens, you either have to accept the days and ticket price or consider a different airline or airport.

I recently flew direct from LaGuardia Airport to Glacier Park International Airport. While it was great having a direct flight from the Northeast, the single route was only available on Saturdays. Instead of opting for a different airport with connecting flights and more days, I paid a little more and locked myself into the Saturday to Saturday flight. While Saturdays are usually a cheap day to fly, it was fairly expensive because it was the only day available.

What Are the Best & Worst Times of Day to Fly?

Certain times of the day are much cheaper than others to fly. Like with the best and worst days, demand controls flight pricing for the top times. Here are the times you want to book and the times you should avoid. You can also see our comprehensive guide on the best & worst times of day to fly .

Best Time of Day to Fly

The most expensive times of day to fly are the times that everyone wants to fly. That means the middle of the morning and late afternoon. No one wants to wake up at 3 am to catch a 6 am or 7 am flight. Everyone is searching for flights from 9 am to 11 am where you have time to sleep in a little. Unfortunately, You are better off flying during an undesirable time If you want a great deal on a flight.

The best times of day to fly are very early in the morning and very late at night such as a redeye flight. Since those times have many drawbacks, they are usually cheaper. If you are willing to give up a little sleep, you should consider booking those times if they are available.

Worst Time of Day to Fly

Everyone wants to get enough sleep before flying and no one wants to get home in the middle of the night. As previously detailed, mid-morning and late afternoons are usually the busiest times to fly. Since demand controls flight prices, the busiest times are also the most expensive times. If possible, opt for a very early morning flight or a redeye flight to get a better deal.

You May Not Have a Choice on the Flight Time

Depending on your departure and destination city, you may not even get to choose a flight time. Some airlines only fly to specific destinations once per day. Others may only fly the route once per week. In cases like that, you are at the mercy of the airline, and the time is already set for you.

In a situation like that, you should focus on finding the cheapest days to fly if the route is flown more than once per week. If a different day of the week is not cheaper, consider nearby airports where cheaper prices may be available.

What Are the Best & Worst Times of Year to Fly?

Certain times of the year are much more expensive than others. While you can pick the perfect day or time to fly, the flight price is still going to be very high. Here are times you should target and times you should avoid.

Best Times of Year to Fly

The key to finding the best time of the year to fly is not simply avoiding obvious bad times like the holidays. Here are some of the best times of the year to book affordable flights.

Shoulder Season:

The shoulder season is the time between the peak and the offseason. That is the sweet spot on when you should travel to a particular destination. For summer travel, book your trip towards the end of May to the early to middle parts of June. Many schools are in session during that timeframe, and it is still warm enough to enjoy the beach and other summer activities. You can also travel towards the end of August to the early to middle parts of September. Many schools will be back in session, and you will find the weather is warm enough to still take part in traditional summer fun.

That rule is especially true in southern states where children go back to school earlier than those in northern states. In the past, I have gotten great flight deals when visiting beaches in Alabama and North Carolina towards the end of August.

Children stay in school longer into June in northern states. I regularly visit Cape May, New Jersey at the beginning of June before prices skyrocket when children get out of school.

Further Reading: How to Find Cheap Summer Flights

Winter/Offseason for Traditional Summer Spots:

Remember, demand is the most important factor affecting flight prices. Most people want to visit traditional summer destinations when it is warm. While you will not be able to swim in the ocean, you can often find great deals on flights to popular summer spots in the United States, Canada, and Europe during the winter.

Notable exceptions include states like Florida and Hawaii that are warm for the entire year. You can expect to pay a premium for flights to those states in the winter since they are among the only warm places in the United States. States with popular ski destinations, including Colorado and Utah, are also more expensive in the winter.

Summer/Offseason for Traditional Winter Spots :

Most destinations have a popular season and an offseason. The example above focuses on the offseason for popular summer spots. Winter and fall/spring destinations also have high and low seasons. For ski destinations, consider going when it is warm out to take part in other activities such as hiking and kayaking. While many of the most popular activities may be closed in the offseason, many places in the United States offer a wide range of things to do despite the time of year.

I also recommend traveling to places like the Caribbean, Florida, and Hawaii in the summer when plane tickets are cheaper. Those destinations are more expensive in the winter when there are very few warm options in the United States.

Worst Times of Year to Fly

The worst times of the year to fly are during holidays and whenever kids are off from school. That means flights are going to be expensive from mid-December through early January. The days surrounding Thanksgiving are also very expensive.

If possible, avoid traveling during these times.

Thanksgiving:

Thanksgiving is always one of the most expensive times to fly. The good news is it always falls on a Thursday. That makes it easy to predict the best and worst days to fly around Thanksgiving. The bad news is even the best days are still expensive.

Avoid the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Sunday after. Everyone wants to get back to work on the Monday after Thanksgiving, which makes Sunday such a popular day to fly. If you do decide to travel for Thanksgiving, Fly on the Monday or Tuesday before and the Monday or Tuesday after. While not ideal, flights on Thanksgiving Day are also fairly cheap.

See our complete guide on The Best & Worst Times to Fly Around Thanksgiving .

Christmas :

Like Thanksgiving, Christmas is also a very popular and expensive time to fly. Since it does not fall on the same day every year, it is harder to predict the best and worst days to fly. Remember, even the best days are still going to cost you. As a rule, the earlier you fly before Christmas Eve the better. Christmas Day is usually fair cheap, but the demand is not high for obvious reasons.

The days surrounding New Year’s are also a very expensive time to fly. The best and worst days depend on the year, so it is tough to provide a rule. Just know you are going to pay a premium regardless of the days you settle on.

See our complete guide on The Best & Worst Times to Fly Around Christmas

Big Sporting Events:

Major sporting events, including the Super Bowl, World Series, NBA Finals, and NHL Finals create a lot of demand for flights. The highest demand is from the cities whose teams are competing. Expect high airfare prices a few days before an event from a city where a team has to travel. For example, airfare prices from Philadelphia to Tampa Bay skyrocketed a few days before the Eagles and Buccaneers playoff game in 2022. Airfare prices from Tampa Bay to Philadelphia dramatically increased a few days after the game.

If you want to travel to see your team play you are going to have to pay a premium on airline tickets. The bigger the stage the higher the cost. Flight ticket prices tend to increase to and from the host city as it gets closer to the championship.

Even during the regular season, flight prices go up when a team has an away game. For example, I paid a premium to fly from Philadelphia to Denver in 2021 to see the Eagles play the Broncos. The airlines did not account for the game and did not schedule any additional flights to keep up with the demand.

Spring Break:

Spring Break dates depend on the school or University, but the peak dates are generally from the middle of February through the early parts of April. Since most of the United States is still cold during those months, families and college kids tend to travel to warm places. Flights to Florida are going to be more expensive during the Spring Break months. If you do travel to Florida from February through April, consider flying into a less popular airport as opposed to Miami International Airport.

Other Holidays :

While Thanksgiving and Christmas are the two most popular travel periods, many people do fly on other holidays throughout the year. Memorial Day, Labor Day, and the Fourth of July are popular times to travel. If possible, consider driving instead of taking a flight when traveling around those holidays.

Peak Summer Months:

The middle of June through the middle of August is the peak of summer. Most states are at their warmest and the majority of kids are off from school. Flight prices tend to be very high during these periods.

Consider flying to Florida, the Caribbean, or ski towns during these months. While Florida is still a popular summer destination, it is cheaper compared to the winter months when it is one of the only warm states.

Here is a quick cheatsheet to use when planning vacation days.

Best & Worst Days to Fly Summary

Best days & times to book flights.

Unfortunately, there is no best day of the week to book flights. The good news is great airfare prices are available 24/7. Do not believe myths such as the best times to book are on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. While it is possible to find cheap flight prices on a Tuesday or Wednesday, there is no reason to focus on those times.

See our complete guide on The Best Days & Times to Book Flights

Generally, the best days of the week to fly domestically are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday . Thursday is the next best day, but it tends to be a little more expensive.

Generally, the worst days of the week to fly domestically are Sunday, Monday, and Friday.

Most business travel takes place on Monday and Friday. Many vacationers tend to fly on Fridays and Sundays.

International airfare prices are harder than domestic to predict. We have consistently found great deals every day of the week for international flights.

The best times are shoulder seasons and off-seasons. Go to popular summer destinations in the winter and go to popular winter destinations in the summer.

The worst times are during holidays, over the summer, around major sporting events, and whenever kids are off from school.

Very early morning flights and redeye flights tend to be the cheapest.

There is no best day to book flights . Low prices are available 24/7.

Our How to Find Cheap Flights guide details the best way to find the lowest prices on airfare. Additionally, our Google Flights guide goes into further detail on finding the overall best deals.

The Vacationer’s Final Thoughts

Look for flights departing and returning on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, or Saturday. Try to fly during the shoulder season as opposed to the peak season. Remember, high demand means high flight prices. If possible, book a flight for the early morning or late at night as opposed to the mid-morning or late afternoon.

And remember, those are just guidelines. Factors such as lack of available flights and unforeseen high demand may limit your options. See our best websites to book flights and our guide on finding cheap flights for more information. Our best airline credit cards guide features ways to earn more points on airfare as well as other benefits. Our how to get through airport security faster guide will help you prepare after booking your flight. Finally, our What to Do if Your Airline Cancels or Delays Your Flight and How to Avoid Airline Flight Delays & Cancellations guides can help you if you experience an interruption at home or at the airport.

By Phil Dengler

In addition to being a co-founder of The Vacationer, Phil Dengler is also the head of editorial and marketing. Previously, he ran a popular holiday deals website where he was a trusted source for all things Black Friday. With The Vacationer, Phil combines his knowledge of deals with his love of travel to help you plan the perfect vacation.

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These Are The Busiest Days to Fly During the Winter Holidays

To avoid the busy travel rush, book flights for long before or after a major holiday, by sally french | nerdwallet • published november 16, 2022 • updated on november 16, 2022 at 10:03 am.

Most weeks of the year, Fridays are the busiest days to fly, and Tuesdays are the least busy. But during the holidays , that trend doesn’t necessarily hold true.

In most years, the Sunday after Thanksgiving is actually the busiest travel day for U.S. airports, according to the Transportation Security Administration, which tracks the numbers of passengers screened daily. Two days before Christmas and one day before Thanksgiving also tend to draw big airport crowds.

STAY IN THE KNOW

Here’s a breakdown of the best and worst days to fly during the winter holidays, and how you can strategize schedules to avoid crowds and save money.

The Busiest Days to Fly Around Thanksgiving

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The Sunday after Thanksgiving is brutal for airport crowds. For every 100 people who flew on Thanksgiving Day 2021, there were 177 people flying out on the Sunday after, according to TSA.

That same Sunday was the year’s single busiest airport travel day in both 2019 and 2021. In 2020, the busiest days were largely concentrated in January and February, before the widespread impact of COVID-19, which would reduce holiday travel later in the year.

Here’s a look at the days surrounding Thanksgiving week over the past three years, ranked in order of most to fewest air travelers at the TSA’s U.S. checkpoints:

Sunday after Thanksgiving (most crowded).
Wednesday before.
Saturday after.
Friday before.
Monday after (Cyber Monday).
Sunday before.
Tuesday before.
Monday before.
Saturday before.
Tuesday after (Giving Tuesday).
Friday after (Black Friday).
Wednesday after.
Thanksgiving Day (least crowded).

Assuming past trends continue in 2022, expect Sunday, Nov. 27, to be the busiest travel day around Thanksgiving, followed by Wednesday, Nov. 23. Even if you fly out one day ahead of the biggest crowds, Saturday, Nov. 26, will also likely be busy.

And this year, crowds will likely be bigger than they were over the past couple of years.

“Thanksgiving travel volumes are looking similar to what we typically saw pre-pandemic in 2019,” says Hayley Berg, lead economist at travel booking app Hopper.

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The busiest days to fly around christmas.

Christmas airport crowds can be trickier to predict than Thanksgiving crowds given that the holiday falls on a different weekday each year and that air travel patterns are often dictated by the workweek.

But just as the Sunday after Thanksgiving tends to draw huge crowds, the days just after Christmas are wildly popular. And much like how few people travel on Thanksgiving Day itself, relatively few people travel on Christmas Day or New Year’s Day.

Here’s a look at Christmas and the seven calendar dates before and after over the past three years, ranked by most to fewest average air travelers, based on TSA checkpoint data:

Dec. 27 (most crowded).
Jan. 1 (New Year’s Day).
Dec. 24 (Christmas Eve).
Dec. 31 (New Year’s Eve).
Dec. 25 (Christmas Day) (least crowded).

The 2022 holiday travel season will be different because Hanukkah, which begins on the 25th of Kislev in the Hebrew calendar, aligns closely with Christmas. While the eight-day celebration sometimes happens in November or early December, it begins this year on Dec. 18 and runs through Dec. 26.

There’s also the weeklong celebration of Kwanzaa, which runs from Dec. 26 through Jan. 1. Thus, travelers during that period might be celebrating more than just Christmas, potentially concentrating more holiday crowds in airports than in other years.

What’s more is that one of the busiest travel days of the year, Dec. 23 — the day before Christmas Eve — happens to fall on a Friday this year. Friday, you’ll recall, is typically the busiest travel day in any given week. Dec. 23 is not an official holiday, but many holiday travelers may leave on that day.

How to Choose Less Crowded (And Cheaper) Travel Days

Traveling on the holiday itself is often the best way to avoid crowds. Catch the first flight out for the day, and you might arrive in time for evening festivities. Taking early flights is also considered good practice to reduce your odds of a flight delay. In the first eight months of 2022, 7.3% of flights were delayed because an aircraft arrived late, according to Bureau of Transportation Statistics data .

If you can take the days off work or work remotely, then it can make sense to fly as long before or after a holiday as possible.

Travelers can save an average of 15% by departing the first half of the week instead of the Thursday or Friday before Christmas this year, according to flight data from travel search engine Expedia. Average ticket prices for departures on the Monday before Thanksgiving are 15% cheaper than Wednesday departures, Expedia also found.

Or consider celebrating something like an un-Thanksgiving, where you shift the family dinner by a couple of days or weeks. Turkey, potatoes and pumpkin pie don’t need to be reserved for the fourth Thursday of November.

_____________________________

This article was provided to The Associated Press by the personal finance website NerdWallet. Sally French is a writer at NerdWallet.

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The 12 Best and Worst Days to Travel This Holiday Season

Shannon McMahon

Editor Shannon McMahon is always planning her next trip and often writing in her travel journal. Follow her on Twitter @shanmcmahon_ and on Instagram @shanmcmahon .

Shannon joined SmarterTravel in 2015. A former news reporter, she's lived in the south of Spain, spotted elephants in Sri Lanka, gone spelunking in the Caribbean, hiked Jordan's Petra Basin, interviewed Sao Paulo's Michelin-Star chefs, and explored China via bullet train. Travel trends, news oddities, and her visits to up-and-coming destinations are some of her favorite things to write about.

Her stories have also appeared online on USA Today, The Sun, Huffington Post, Business Insider, blog.TripAdvisor.com, Boston.com, and more. Her educational background is in journalism, art history, gender studies, Spanish, and film. She's been quoted as an expert travel source by CNBC, People.com, MarketWatch, The Washington Post, USA Today, and more.

The Handy Item I Always Pack : "Plenty of extra thick hair elastics. They tame my frizzy curls and come in handy in a surprising number of packing and hotel dilemmas."

Ultimate Bucket List Experience : "Climbing (yes, climbing, it's steep!) the Great Wall of China before it's gone."

Travel Motto : "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness." - Mark Twain

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat : "Window, of course."

Email Shannon at [email protected] .

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There’s no place like home for the holidays—if you can get there. Booking your holiday travel plans ( if you haven’t already , of course) can get expensive, and the trip itself can be stressful thanks to crowds of fellow holiday travelers. Airfare tends to be more expensive at this time of year, which means you can forget whatever fares you typically pay to fly home (or away) during other parts of the year. But there’s hope on both fronts if you’re willing to book strategically.

When we talk about the “best” fares for holiday travel, that designation is relative to already-inflated high-season prices. But there are some significantly cheaper times to fly during a holiday week or weekend. These cheaper times to fly are typically on the less-popular travel days, which means you’ll also be more likely have a lower-stress airport experience.

How do you figure out which are the cheapest and least crowded dates around the holidays to fly? There are, thankfully, some predictive travel insights that suggest the busiest travel days of the year—and by comparison which holiday travel dates are going to be more affordable. Based on the days of the week that the holidays fall on this year and holiday-season airfare data from Hipmunk , here are the dates you’ll want to avoid to steer clear of packed planes and sky-high airfare.

Best and Worst Days for Thanksgiving Travel 2019

Thanksgiving has consistent travel trends due to the fact that it’s always on a Thursday, and most non-retail and non-food service businesses close both for the holiday and on the Friday after, as do schools. This means that most people are locked into certain travel dates: Schools may be closed the day after Thanksgiving, but many are still in session the day before, forcing parents to travel on Wednesday afternoon.

The day before Thanksgiving is typically the busiest travel day of the year. Historical data from Skyscanner confirms this to be typical of most Thanksgiving seasons.

Long story short, the “best” Thanksgiving travel days are limited and depend heavily on your ability to be flexible, which isn’t always an option, especially if you’ve got kids in school.

Best Thanksgiving Travel Day

Monday, November 25

Data from Hipmunk shows that the Monday before Thanksgiving once again offers the best fares. You’re also likely to find smaller crowds—about half as many people travel on Monday compared to later in the week (see the table below for more). You’ll also have a few spare days in case winter weather interferes with your flight.

Other Good Thanksgiving Travel Days

Thursday, November 28 (Thanksgiving)
Friday, November 29

Traveling on Thanksgiving is typically a great deal, and the reason is obvious: No one wants to fly on the holiday. Most people prefer to be at their destination on Thanksgiving morning, not in transit. But if you can fly out early in the morning, you’ll usually find lower fares and emptier airports, and hopefully arrive in time for an afternoon dinner.

When it comes to traveling home, Friday is typically a solid value as long as you don’t mind a shorter visit. Saturday tends to be busier and more expensive, but still reasonable. Thinking about flying home on Sunday? Beware: Sunday is the busiest travel day of the period.

Busiest Thanksgiving Travel Days to Avoid

Wednesday, November 27
Saturday, November 30
Sunday, December 1

Here’s Hipmunk’s overview of bookings share (the percentage of travelers for the period flying on that day) by Thanksgiving travel day:

Tuesday is when Thanksgiving travel ramps up, leading into what’s usually the busiest travel day of the year on Wednesday. Not only are fares high due to heavy demand, but the sheer number of people traveling means airports and aircraft will be packed. Avoid flying on these days if you can.

Best and Worst Days for Christmas Travel 2019

Unlike Thanksgiving, which is always on a Thursday, the Christmas travel schedule changes from year to year. This means historical data is less useful in predicting fares and traffic. The timing of the holiday, and how it affects school breaks and other closures, has a major impact on people’s plans.

Christmas is on a Wednesday this year, which is tricky: School schedules will likely vary, but many seem to be closed for the entire week and through New Year’s Day, which is on the following Wednesday. Businesses will obviously vary more greatly, with many probably remaining open on Monday the 23 rd (the start date of Hanukkah this year), Thursday the 26th (which marks the start of Kwanzaa), and Friday the 27th. These, then, would be the perfect dates to use your leftover vacation days in order to travel with smaller crowds.

Busiest Christmas Travel Days for 2019

With a midweek Christmas this year, there are no obvious “worst” dates between the weekend peaks. According to Hipmunk, the cheapest median domestic round-trip airfare, at $247, was leaving Christmas Day, December 25, and returning the next day. Next best was a big jump up, to $322 for Tuesday through Friday, followed by Christmas Day to Sunday, at $335. On the other end of the spectrum, the most expensive round-trips were Sunday to Sunday, at $507; and Saturday to Friday, at $491. Hipmunk did not extend its coverage to the following New Year’s week, but presumably fares are high on the Sunday following Christmas. Here are the slowest and busiest travel days of the period according to the data:

Worst christmas travel dates according to hipmunk

The conventional take-aways here are again confirmed for major holidays:

The lowest fares usually involve traveling on the holiday itself—an obvious case, because those are the days travelers want to already be where they’re going.
The highest fares usually involve returning on the Sunday following the holiday—given that most people want to maximize their vacation time.

Fare differentials for other dates generally cluster in a narrow range between the maximum dates. Beyond avoiding the worst dates if you can, you’re probably better off timing your trip to maximize convenience rather than shaving a few bucks off airfares. But overall, the top three are:

Best Christmas Travel Days 2019

Tuesday, December 24
Wednesday, December 25
Saturday, December 28

Worst Christmas Travel Days 2019

Saturday, December 21
Sunday, December 22
Sunday, December 29

Surprisingly, a Saturday sneaks into the best options for Christmas travel this year, thanks to the stacked weekday options. When it comes to the busiest travel days around Christmas, however, the days between Christmas and New Year’s see the highest volume, which any sane travelers would will want to avoid.

Readers, when are you traveling this year? Comment below.

Editors’ Note: This story has been updated to reflect the most current information. SmarterTravel’s Carl Unger and Ed Perkins also contributed to this story.

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