Thanksgiving airfare: Each day you wait now will cost you

Travel is popular when it comes to the holidays and that’s when booking airfare can get expensive. According to fortune.com, “In 2017, A record 28.5 million people will fly on U.S. airlines between Friday, November 17 and Tuesday, November 28, according to the organization’s estimates. That’s an increase of 69,000 passengers—or 3%—from last year.” But with a little research on where to shop, when to shop and what deals might be where you’re going, you’ll be affordably booked up in no time.

Where are you going?

First, you might need to know which cities are the most expensive to travel to inside the US. Investopedia.com has them listed as the following:

• New York City
•  Honolulu
• Santa Barbara
• San Francisco
• Miami
• Boston

Because these are very popular destinations every day (not just around the holidays), they may be more expensive to fly to this Thanksgiving than alternative cities. If it’s not necessary that you land in one of these packed airports by choosing an alternative that may be a little further away from the city, you may be able to save some cash.  

2017 Graph: skyscanner.com

Download apps to save on flights

Skyscanner is a great travel savings app. You just fill in where you’re going, the dates you’re going and which cabin class you’d like to be in and you’re off! This app will scan for the most affordable flights for your destination. 

Airfare Watchdog is another great one to use if you know where you’re traveling ahead of time. Also, when you get your “Fare Alert” emails, it doesn’t only show you the flights to cities you’re currently watching.  It sends you emails to alternative cities along your path that could land you potential savings. Plus, they have a great blog section for you to read in case you have any questions about travel. 

Layovers can lead to potential savings

Finding direct flights is the easiest option but may not be the easiest on your wallet. Direct flights around Thanksgiving tend to be more expensive than your everyday bookings. This year, try to find a fight with a layover in it – now, that doesn’t mean you have to spend the night in the airport or anything, but if you can stand to stop along the way for a few hours, then you may find yourself saving some money this Thanksgiving. 

Listen to the pros

According to thisinsider.com, “Saturday the 18th is the best day to travel before Thanksgiving, and Friday and Saturday after the holiday are the best days to return. If you can’t leave before Thanksgiving, consider traveling on the holiday. The Sunday and Tuesday before the holiday, and the Monday and Tuesday after it are the worst overall days to travel.” With these tips in mind, you’ll get the flight you need for the price you need when you need it. 

For more information on how to save on Thanksgiving travel, read our blog on easy tips to save this year.

Affording Thanksgiving travel

If your last-minute travel isn’t as budget-friendly as you hoped and you need help paying for it, LendingPoint has you covered. We offer fast, fair and flexible vacation loans. 

Photo: Getty