Google Reveals Optimal Booking Times for Holiday Travel
The search engine giant analyzed five years of Google Flights data to pinpoint the cheapest windows for booking Thanksgiving, Christmas, spring break, and summer vacation flights.
Travelers seeking the lowest airfares for the upcoming holiday season should book their flights in October, according to new analysis from Google Flights. The search engine analyzed five years of its own fare data to identify the optimal booking windows for major travel periods.
For Thanksgiving travel, the data suggests the lowest prices are typically found 34 days before departure, with the most affordable price range falling between 21 and 57 days in advance. This indicates that booking in early October would be ideal for this holiday.
Christmas travel sees a similar trend, with the cheapest fares appearing 56 days before departure. The lowest price range for Christmas flights is between 33 and 67 days prior to the travel date. Consequently, Google's findings suggest that late October and mid-November are the opportune times to book for Christmas, approximately five days earlier than in the previous year.
Beyond the winter holidays, Google's insights extend to other popular travel times. For spring break trips in March or April, the lowest prices are generally available 50 days before departure, with the sweet spot for booking falling between 29 and 64 days in advance. This booking window has shifted about a week earlier compared to last year.
Summer vacationers looking for deals should aim to book their flights 21 days before their trip, with the lowest price range estimated between 20 and 47 days prior to departure for July or August travel.
Google's analysis also addressed common booking myths, particularly the popular belief that booking flights on Tuesdays yields the lowest prices. While Wednesdays may offer slightly better deals than Tuesdays, the difference is marginal, saving travelers only about 1.4% compared to booking on Sundays, the most expensive day.
The company emphasized that the timing of travel is more significant than the day of booking. Flying on a Monday and returning on a Tuesday or Wednesday can save travelers approximately 14% compared to weekend flights. For domestic travel, these savings can increase to 20% when compared to departing and returning on a Sunday.
Furthermore, opting for flights with layovers can also lead to significant savings. Connecting flights are, on average, 20% cheaper than nonstop options, suggesting that flexibility with routes can result in lower overall costs for airfare.