We know what you’re thinking: “It’s only September. The last thing on my mind is planning for Thanksgiving and Christmas.”
We get it. You probably aren’t ready to figure out who’s cooking Thanksgiving dinner or start shopping for gifts just yet, but there’s one task that’s worth getting a head start on: booking your holiday flights.
You don’t need every detail of the trip planned yet, but starting your flight search in September or October gives you more time to compare options, watch fares, and find travel dates that work before your choices become more limited.
For travelers flying from Montgomery Regional Airport (MGM), a little planning now can make the busiest travel season of the year feel much more manageable.
Quick Answer: What Is the Best Time to Book Holiday Flights?
Fall is generally the best time to start booking holiday flights, especially if you’re traveling for Thanksgiving or Christmas. By September and October, holiday schedules are starting to take shape, but you’re still early enough to avoid the unavailability that can come with waiting until the holidays are right around the corner.
There isn’t one perfect day when holiday airfare is guaranteed to be cheapest. A better approach is to know your travel dates, keep an eye on your options, and book when you find a price and itinerary that fit your plans.
What You Gain by Booking Before the Holiday Rush
There’s a difference between planning ahead and planning too far ahead.
You probably don’t need to buy your Christmas flight while you’re still taking summer vacation, but waiting until the holiday season kicks off can leave you with fewer choices.
That’s why early fall is a good time to start looking, when you have plenty of options.
By September and October, the holiday plans usually start making their way into the family group chat. You may find out who’s hosting Thanksgiving, when the kids are out of school, or where everyone is gathering for Christmas. You probably won’t have every detail settled yet, but you’ll know enough to start looking at flights while there’s still room to be flexible.
Booking before the holiday rush can give you more options for:
- Departure and arrival times
- Connection lengths
- Available seats
- Keeping families seated together
- Rental cars and accommodations at your destination
It’s also worth remembering that the cheapest flight isn’t always the best flight.
Saving money on holiday travel may not feel like much of a win if you’re stuck with a long layover, an inconvenient departure, or an arrival time that has you walking through the door with no time to settle before Thanksgiving dinner.
Fall gives you the chance to consider the whole trip instead of settling for whatever is still available.
When Is the Best Time to Book a Flight for Thanksgiving?
The tricky part about Thanksgiving travel is that everyone’s calendar looks pretty similar. Most people want to leave in the days leading up to Thanksgiving and return shortly afterward.
If Thanksgiving travel is in your plans, September and October are the months to start getting serious about your flight. Domestic Thanksgiving fares have historically been lower about 24 to 59 days before departure, with average prices reaching their lowest around 35 days out.
But the price isn’t the only reason to think ahead.
Thanksgiving schedules tend to be tight. If dinner is Thursday and you have to be back at work or school on Monday, you may be competing with plenty of other travelers for similar departure and return times.
The less flexible your schedule is, the more valuable it can be to book once you find an itinerary that works.
If you do have some wiggle room, use it. Compare leaving a day earlier, staying an extra night, or even flying on Thanksgiving Day if you have a shorter flight. You may find a different combination of price and convenience simply by shifting your trip a bit.
What Is the Best Time to Book Christmas Flights?
Christmas travel tends to give people a little more flexibility because trips can stretch across several days or even weeks.
For domestic Christmas flights, lower fares have typically appeared about 32 to 73 days before departure, with prices averaging their lowest around 51 days out.
That means travelers planning a late-December trip should be paying attention by October and into early November, rather than waiting until earlier in the month to start searching.
Of course, this booking window is a suggestion and doesn’t always work perfectly for every trip.
Someone who can leave several days before Christmas and return after New Year’s has many more combinations to consider than someone who needs to leave December 23 and return December 26.
If you’re traveling internationally for Christmas or New Year’s, starting earlier becomes even more important. International trips generally benefit from longer booking lead times than domestic travel.
The takeaway isn’t that there’s one magical date when everyone should buy a Christmas ticket. It’s that planning in fall gives you room to make a thoughtful choice before December arrives.
Should You Wait for Holiday Flight Prices to Drop?
The hardest part of booking a holiday flight might be knowing when to stop searching. You find a fare you like, but it’s tempting to wait just a little longer in case something better comes along.
Maybe it will. Maybe it won’t.
No one can reliably predict the absolute lowest price for every route, and waiting comes with its own trade-off during the holidays. Even if another fare appears later, the desired flight time or seat availability you wanted may no longer be there.
A better approach is to decide what matters most before you start looking.
If your dates are fixed, prioritize an itinerary that fits them. If your budget is the bigger concern, give yourself more flexibility with dates and times. If you’re traveling with several people, availability may matter more than squeezing every possible dollar out of the fare.
Once you find a price and time you’re comfortable with, don’t feel like you’ve lost simply because you didn’t score the lowest fare of the season.
A good holiday flight is one that gets you where you need to be, when you need to be there, at a price that works for you.
Don't Compare Holiday Flights on Airfare Alone
A flight that costs less on the booking screen isn’t necessarily the trip that costs less in the end.
If you’re considering driving to a larger airport for a seemingly cheaper fare, look at the total cost of starting your trip there.
That can include:
- Gas for the drive
- Airport parking
- Extra time on the road
- Meals along the way
- A hotel if an early departure requires an overnight stay
- The drive home after your return flight
Time deserves a place in that calculation, too.
Saving $40 or $50 on a ticket may not feel particularly valuable after adding hours of driving in holiday traffic at both ends of the trip.
For travelers in Central Alabama, it’s worth comparing flights from Montgomery Regional Airport (MGM) alongside larger airports rather than looking at airfare alone. What matters is what the entire journey costs you in money, time, and hassle.
Why Starting Your Holiday Trip at MGM Can Make Things Easier
A smoother holiday trip doesn’t just come down to when you book. Where you start your journey matters, too.
For Central Alabama travelers, that can mean skipping the extra drive and flying directly out of Montgomery.
Flying from Montgomery Regional Airport means beginning your trip at a smaller, easy-to-navigate airport rather than adding a long drive and a sprawling terminal to an already busy travel day.
MGM travelers can enjoy:
- Convenient parking close to the terminal
- Shorter walks through the airport
- A straightforward check-in and security experience
- Connections through major hubs that can take you to destinations across the country and beyond
Those conveniences become even more valuable when you’re traveling with children, carrying gifts, coordinating a family trip, or making your way home after several busy days away.
The best holiday plans don’t just save you money. They can save you time and unnecessary stress, too.
Your Holiday Flight Checklist for This Fall
You don’t have to plan the entire holiday season right now. You just don’t want November to come around with “book holiday flights” still sitting on your to-do list.
Here’s what you can take care of now:
- Confirm the important dates. Figure out which days are fixed and where you have some flexibility.
- Start checking flights from MGM. Compare schedules, connections, and total trip cost, not just the lowest fare you see.
- Try nearby travel dates. See what happens if you leave or return a day earlier or later.
- Decide what matters most. Is your priority price, departure time, a shorter connection, or keeping the whole family on the same flight?
- Book when you find a trip that works. Don’t pass up a good option just because you’re hoping an even better deal might come along.
- Handle the rest of the reservations. Once your flight is set, you can move on to hotels, rental cars, and other plans.
- Check the details again before travel week. Confirm your reservation, baggage allowance, identification, and other essentials while there’s still time to make changes.
Then you can get back to deciding who’s bringing what to dinner.
Frequently Asked Questions About Booking Holiday Travel
What Are the Cheapest Days to Fly Around Thanksgiving?
Thanksgiving Day itself is often one of the cheaper and less crowded days to fly around the holiday. Travelers may also find better options by avoiding the busiest days immediately before Thanksgiving and the Sunday afterward. Exact fares vary by route and year, so compare several nearby travel dates before booking.
What Are the Cheapest Days to Fly Around Christmas?
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day can be among the less expensive days to fly during the Christmas travel period. Because Christmas trips tend to be spread across a wider range of dates than Thanksgiving trips, travelers often have more flexibility to compare different departure and return days.
How Far in Advance Can You Book a Flight?
Most major U.S. airlines allow travelers to book flights about 10 to 11 months in advance. However, booking as soon as a flight becomes available does not guarantee the lowest fare. Holiday travelers should focus on finding a reasonable price and schedule rather than simply booking as far ahead as possible.
Should You Book Holiday Flights Earlier if You’re Traveling Internationally?
Yes. International holiday flights generally require more advance planning than domestic trips. Popular international routes have fewer available seats and holiday demand can build earlier, so travelers heading abroad for Christmas or New Year’s should generally begin searching several months ahead.
Should You Book Holiday Flights Early if You’re Using Airline Miles?
Yes. If you’re booking holiday flights with airline miles or points, searching early can give you a better chance of finding award seats on the dates you want. Airlines typically offer fewer award seats than paid seats, and availability can become especially limited during high-demand holiday periods.
Get a Head Start on Your Holiday Travel Plans
The holidays are sure to be busy soon enough. Your flight plans don’t need to become another last-minute scramble.
By planning ahead this fall, you can head into the holidays knowing one of the biggest pieces of your trip is already settled.
And when it’s finally time to travel, starting your journey at Montgomery Regional Airport can keep those first few miles refreshingly simple.
Ready to get your holiday plans moving? Check the family calendar, decide where you’re celebrating, then head to flymgm.com to explore flights from Montgomery Regional Airport and find an option that works for your trip.