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Tips on How to Get Cheap Flights Around Christmas

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Planning a holiday vacation but have sticker shock? Find out how to get cheap flights around Christmas time. Scroll down for all the info!
This post on how to get cheap flights around Christmas was written by family travel expert Marcie Cheung and contains affiliate links, which means if you purchase something from one of my affiliate links, I may earn a small commission that goes back into maintaining this blog.

Flying around the Christmas season can be skyway robbery if you ask me. Don’t worry; I’ll show you how to get cheap flights around Christmas.

For most of the holiday season, the airports are packed out with irritable travelers, making it the perfect time to raise their ticket prices, or so they think.

While this might not seem fair, there are ways around their clever agenda to ensure that you can still get reasonably cheap Christmas flights.

Here are great tips on how to get cheap flights around Christmas by Marcie in Mommyland.

Here are some important factors to consider in order to get on the cheapest flight this Christmas holiday.

How to Get the Cheap Flights Around Christmas?

BE FLEXIBLE FOR YOUR CHRISTMAS TRAVELS

First and foremost, you’ll have to be flexible if you want to save a lot on your plane tickets.

To get a cheap flight around the holidays, you have to be more flexible with your schedule. This includes which days you travel, what time of day, and which airport you take out of.

Also, being flexible on your return flight home can save you a huge chunk of money.

SIGN UP FOR PRICE ALERTS

Here’s another way to get some of the best deals on plane tickets for domestic and international flights.

Signing up for price alerts for flights is a great way of keeping extra money in your pocket around an expensive holiday season.

You can use Google Flights or other preferred booking apps. It only takes a few steps to set up, and you’ll be notified of cheap Christmas flights on your chosen dates.

It’s also exciting to watch the prices go down at the last minute, allowing you to make a steal.

SHOP DIFFERENT AIRLINE SEARCH ENGINES

You also don’t want to settle with the first website to find cheap Christmas flights. Consider shopping multiple websites to find the best deal available for you.

One great way on how to get cheap flights around Christmas is to shop from different airline search engines.

Here are several great search engines for cheap Christmas flights, and also a look at ones you want to avoid.

DON’T SETTLE ON A PARTICULAR AIRPORT

Another way to find cheap Christmas flights is to look for alternate airports and not set on a certain airport you depart from.

While it might be more convenient to take off from a regional or local airport, ticket prices aren’t always on your side during Christmas travel. You might have to travel further to grab a cheap flight at a larger and busier airport.

DON’T BE PICKY ON THE DESTINATION

Are you just simply looking to get away for the Christmas season?

If you keep an open mind, you’ll be surprised by some great destinations to visit for the holiday season.

Whether you’re booking domestic or international flights, you’ll find cheaper fares if you travel to less-traveled destinations for your holiday travel.

You can check out these fun Christmas getaways in the United States on your next holiday trip. Or, if you want to go for something different, why not consider these warm places to visit in December instead?

BOOK YOUR CHEAP CHRISTMAS FLIGHTS EARLY

Avoid peak prices by not waiting a couple of weeks before you book your flight around the holidays.

If possible, plan your Christmas travel ahead of time so you can look for Christmas travel deals on flight tickets to your chosen destination and dates.

Consider booking your flight tickets between the weeks of 10/8 and 11/19, or around one and a half months in advance, for the best Christmas travel deals. This should save you around 3% to 4% more.How to Get Cheap Flights Around Christmas, tips featured by top US travel blogger, Marcie in Mommyland: Find last minute flights for the cheapest airline deals BOOK LAST-MINUTE FLIGHTS FOR CHRISTMAS

While we just got done telling you to book early, booking late on last-minute flights is a huge way to get better deals, too.

Travelers who wait until the last minute can pay a fraction of the price for the seats that most airlines are looking to fill.

But why book early when you can get cheaper flights at the last minute?

While this might save you more than booking early, you run the risk of flights being filled up and not being able to make it to your destination for the holidays.

If you are traveling with your family around Christmas, this also keeps you from the likelihood of sitting with them on the flight.

MORNING FLIGHTS

Flights have proven that you can find cheap flights when choosing a flight earlier in the morning rather than the mid-morning and afternoon flights.

The first flight of the day is mostly cheaper compared to those around midday.

Simply departing from the airport around 5 a.m. and 7 a.m. can save you and your family a few hundred dollars just by hopping on a plane a little earlier.

TRAVEL ON THE CHEAPEST DAYS

Traveling on the best days is another way to save money and get the cheapest flights.

Tuesday is traditionally the cheapest day to travel. Around the holidays this season, the same applies.

December 19, almost a week before Christmas, falls on a Tuesday and is a great day to travel before the floodgates burst open with hectic airport traffic.

Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday this year, though. It may not be the best day to travel, so you might want to look for other dates rather than leaving on Christmas Eve.

This one might sound insane, but if you choose to travel on Christmas Day, the airports are practically empty, and ticket prices are extremely low on this day every year.

How to get cheap flights around Christmas? Book your flights along with your accommodation!

Sometimes, families celebrate Christmas a few days after the actual holiday, making this a good option for them.

BOOK FLIGHT AND HOTEL STAY TOGETHER FOR YOUR CHRISTMAS TRAVEL

Are you planning on staying in a hotel during your holiday travel? Plan on booking your flight and hotel stay at the same time when you do your flight search.

Whether you’re booking round-trip or one-way flights, most booking sites offer better deals when you book flight tickets together with your accommodation.

These packages can save you a decent amount of money with the overall price of your Christmas stay.

SAY NO TO THEIR SNACKS

Stay away from paying any extra for the flight by saying no to their snacks.

While some of their snack package options aren’t drastically overpriced, you can bring your own snacks on board instead. Simply pack a light snack in your carry-on bag.

Bringing your own snacks is also best for those who are traveling with kids who easily get fussy or hungry.

Don't buy add ons like snacks or checked in luggage. That's how to get cheap flights around Christmas.
Chester Luggage is lightweight and durable. Photo credit: Britnae Nicole Photography

AVOID CHECKED BAGGAGE FOR YOUR CHRISTMAS VACATION:

To the best of your ability, try to drastically downsize the amount of clothing and items you bring with you to your destination.

If you can cram everything in a small carry-on, this will keep you from paying even more with baggage you have checked.

This is doable if you’re heading to grandma’s house or a hotel that has a washer and dryer. Grandma will be willing to share her toiletries with you.

Learn more about Chester luggage here and use my discount code MARCIE10 to save 10% off your purchase!

GO WITH SOUTHWEST AIRLINES

If you want to argue with me that getting everything packed into a carry-on is ludicrous and out of the question, then consider flying with Southwest Airlines.

They won’t charge you a dime for checked luggage, like most airlines will do.

These are a number of ways for you to grab the cheapest flights around the expensive holiday season.

Did you find any of these holiday travel tips helpful in helping you plan when to get your plane tickets this year?

If you’ve flown around the holiday season, what ways did you search out the cheapest options available?

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