Towards the end of the year, air fares and accommodation traditionally become more expensive, especially at Christmas, New Year and Thanksgiving. However, you can trim some of the costs if you take a smart approach to booking your trip.
Travel experts recommend first of all using any accumulated bonus miles and points from airlines, hotels and car hire services. These can be used to pay for tickets and accommodation in part or in full, and many loyalty programmes allow you to rebook free of charge at a lower fare if the price drops later.
Another way to save is to fly on the actual holiday itself. According to specialists, flights on Thanksgiving Day, on Christmas Day or on New Year’s Day are usually 15–20% cheaper, as most travellers are already at their destination. If travelling on the holiday is not an option, it is worth choosing dates a few days before or after the peak days: for example, in 2026 the cheapest days to fly around Thanksgiving are expected to be Monday, 23 November, and for the Christmas holidays — 24 and 28 December; around New Year — 30 December.
Airlines also release a limited number of discounted saver fares in basic economy roughly two to three months before the holidays. For Thanksgiving, such fares usually appear in September, and for Christmas and New Year — in October, so it is important to monitor offers in advance.
Specialists advise booking tickets and accommodation early and opting for fares that allow refunds. If a promotional price appears later, you can cancel your original booking and make a new one at the lower fare without incurring extra losses.
Another way to cut costs is to accept a connection. Flights with one stop on less busy routes during peak weeks can be half the price of direct services.
When searching for accommodation on rental platforms such as Vrbo or Airbnb, it is worth paying attention to new listings. Owners often set lower prices for the first 90 days to attract their first guests and reviews. Using the “New Listing Discount” filter helps you find options where savings can reach around 20% per night.
This material is based on expert advice published by the MoneyLion service and is for information purposes only.