The Best and Worst Days to Fly for the Holidays This Year
With the scorching temperatures currently seen across much of the country, Thanksgiving and the December holidays may seem like they’re in the distant future. And if summer travel was any sign, flying anywhere this holiday season is likely to be a nightmare.
But some days will be worse than others, at least in terms of flight costs and crowds at the airport. Taking into account traffic, fares, and other factors, here are the best and worst days to fly for the 2022 holiday season.
The Best and Worst Days to Fly for Thanksgiving 2022
If you’re planning a Thanksgiving trip and haven’t booked your tickets yet, keep these dates in mind:
Worst days to fly
Based on travel data from previous holiday seasons, The Vacationer team predicts that the worst day to fly before Thanksgiving is Wednesday, November 23rd, noting that it’s one of the busiest days of the year for flying, expensive, and that “airports are always crowded.” so it’s extra stress.”
The worst day for a return flight is Sunday, November 27 because airports will be crowded again, this time with people who want to return home before the start of the working week.
Best days to fly
On the other hand, the best departure dates for a Thanksgiving trip are:
- Monday, November 21
- Tuesday, November 22
- Thursday, November 24 (Thanksgiving Day)
While flying on vacation isn’t ideal on its own, it can be the cheapest and easiest option, so it’s worth considering.
Best dates for return flights:
- Friday, November 25
- Monday, November 28
- Tuesday, November 29
The Best and Worst Days to Fly at Christmas 2022
Here’s what you need to know about booking flights for Christmas and Hanukkah:
Worst days to fly
Worst days for a flight departure:
- Thursday, December 22
- Friday, December 23
And the worst days for a return flight include:
- Monday, December 26 (last night of Hanukkah)
- Tuesday, December 27
Best days to fly
The earlier you can fly out for Christmas and Hanukkah, the better. As the holidays approach, the best days to fly are:
- Sunday, December 18 (first night of Hanukkah)
- Monday, December 19
- Tuesday, December 20
- Saturday, December 24 (Christmas Eve)
- Sunday, December 25 (Christmas)
And the best days for a return flight are:
- Wednesday, December 28
- Thursday, December 29
- Friday, December 30
For more information, you can find the entire report from The Vacationer here .