When to Book Thanksgiving and Christmas Flights in 2026

Based on Google Flights' 2025 holiday analysis, the cheapest Thanksgiving fares are typically found about 35 days before departure, and the cheapest Christmas fares about 51 days before. Applied to 2026, that puts the lowest Thanksgiving prices around October 20 to 21 for travel on November 24 or 25, and the lowest Christmas prices around October 28 to 29 for travel on December 18 or 19. As of October 7, 2026, both booking windows are open now, so for most holiday trips the answer to "when should I book?" is this month.

2026 booking windows for Thanksgiving and Christmas flights

Google found that Thanksgiving fares are lowest around 35 days before departure, with a low-price range of 24 to 59 days. For Christmas, the lowest point was around 51 days before departure, with a range of 32 to 73 days. The table applies those numbers to sample 2026 departure dates.

2026 holiday flight booking windows (calculated from Google Flights' 2025 findings)
Trip	Departure date	Window opens	Likely lowest-price day	Window ends
Thanksgiving	Tuesday, November 24	September 26	October 20	October 31
Thanksgiving	Wednesday, November 25	September 27	October 21	November 1
Christmas	Friday, December 18	October 6	October 28	November 16
Christmas	Saturday, December 19	October 7	October 29	November 17
Christmas	Wednesday, December 23	October 11	November 2	November 21

These dates are calculated from last year's data, not a guarantee for this year. The best day moves from season to season and varies by route, so treat the window as a guide: if your fare is already inside it and the price works for you, there's little reason to wait. Thanksgiving is on Thursday, November 26, 2026, and Christmas falls on a Friday.

What happens if you wait past the window

Holiday fares generally rise as departure nears, and the increase accelerates in the last few weeks. Because the window for Thanksgiving ends around the start of November, the fare you see in mid-November is more likely to be higher than the one available today. Waiting only makes sense if you're tracking a specific price you'll accept and you can live with the trip costing more.

How to pay less once you're inside the window

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Fly midweek: Google found that flying Monday through Wednesday was about 13% cheaper than flying over the weekend.
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Consider a layover: on average, flights with a layover were about 22% cheaper than nonstop flights in Google's data.
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Don't obsess over the day you buy: Tuesday was the cheapest day to purchase, but only about 1.3% cheaper than Sunday, the most expensive. What matters is how far ahead you book, not which weekday.
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Look at Christmas Eve and Christmas Day: with so few people wanting to fly on the holiday itself, departures on those days can be cheaper than flying out earlier that week. With Christmas on a Friday this year, check both.
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Compare nearby airports and flexible dates, which Google Flights can show side by side.

Track the price so you know when to book

If you aren't ready to book, set up price tracking on your exact route and dates. Google Flights offers free price tracking alerts and a cheapest-time-to-book indicator under its top results. A single route tracker only watches the trip you already picked, though. To hear about cheap fares from your home airport to places you hadn't considered, you need an alert that searches more broadly — see our comparison of deal alert services.

Can a mistake fare save a holiday trip?

It's unlikely to be the plan. Mistake fares aren't tied to a day or a season, so there's no way to predict one for a specific Thanksgiving or Christmas trip, and booking one in a hurry can leave you with a non-refundable trip you can't use. They are more useful for flexible travel — a winter getaway or spring break — where you can pick the destination after the fare appears. Our guide to finding mistake fares explains how they work and how to book one safely. Airline holiday sales follow a similar pattern: Delta's and American's 2025 Black Friday sales covered January through early March travel, not the holidays. More in our Black Friday travel deals guide.

Before you book: protect yourself

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US Department of Transportation rules generally let you cancel a ticket for a full refund within 24 hours of booking, as long as you booked at least 7 days before departure. Check the airline's own policy for details.
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Basic economy fares are usually the cheapest but limit changes and seat selection, which matters if holiday plans might shift.
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Book directly with the airline when you can, so any change or cancellation is handled in one place.

Getting flight deal alerts from your home city

Omni Alerts' Flight Glitches & Award Seats tracker researches mistake fares, cheap flight deals, and notable award-seat availability every 4 hours for the home cities you choose, and emails and push-notifies you when a new one turns up, so you aren't refreshing a fare page on the off chance. Plans start at $9/month. Deals are AI-researched from public sources, so always confirm the current price and terms with the airline, cruise line, resort, or ticket office before booking.

Frequently asked questions

When should I book Thanksgiving flights for 2026?

Google Flights' 2025 data found Thanksgiving fares lowest about 35 days before departure, within a range of 24 to 59 days. For travel on November 24 or 25, 2026, that points to roughly October 20 to 21, with a window of about September 26 to November 1.

When should I book Christmas flights for 2026?

Google Flights found Christmas fares lowest about 51 days before departure, within a range of 32 to 73 days. For travel on December 18 or 19, 2026, that is roughly October 28 to 29, with a window running from early October to mid-November.

Is it cheaper to fly on Thanksgiving or Christmas Day?

Flying on the holiday itself is typically cheaper than flying on the busiest days around it, because few travelers choose to. Google also found Monday-through-Wednesday flights about 13% cheaper than weekend flights. Compare your own route, since prices vary.

Do flight prices go down closer to the holidays?

Generally no. Holiday fares tend to rise as departure approaches, especially in the last few weeks. Last-minute drops are possible but unreliable on high-demand routes.

Can I cancel a flight after booking it?

US Department of Transportation rules generally allow a full refund if you cancel within 24 hours of booking, provided the flight departs at least 7 days away. After that, change and cancellation terms depend on the airline and fare type.