Do Christmas flights get cheaper last-minute?

Last-Minute Christmas Flight Deals Airlines drop prices so much because they don't want their planes to be left half-full. As you may suspect, Christmas and New Year flights don't fall into this category. The only last-minute Christmas deal you can get is if someone cancels their tickets shortly before their trip.



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Set your calendar for early October For Christmas 2023, that means the typical low prices for airfare should occur around the first week of October through the end of the month. According to Google, Oct. 12 should have the lowest airfare for those who want to travel the Friday before Christmas (Dec. 22).

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“Those determined to avoid the summer crowds and heat may be planning to travel during the holidays, driving prices up,” said Ayoola. Holiday travel numbers are expected to resemble or surpass results from 2019, wrote Phil Dengler, co-founder and head of editorial and marketing of travel site The Vacationer.

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Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the cheapest days to fly domestically. The cheapest days to depart if you're flying within the U.S. are midweek — generally Tuesday or Wednesday. For economy tickets, Tuesdays are about 24% lower than peak prices on Sundays, which translates to savings of about $85 per ticket.

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Average domestic airfare price by day
  • Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the cheapest days to fly domestically.
  • Saturday and Monday flights can help you avoid the Sunday rush.
  • Wednesdays and Thursdays are the cheapest day to fly internationally.
  • Book one to three months in advance.
  • Set a price alert.


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How to find the cheapest flights
  1. Check the cheapest days to fly out. ...
  2. Check which locations are on offer. ...
  3. Use flight price search engines. ...
  4. Book through travel agents for students. ...
  5. Last-minute deals aren't always cheaper so book early. ...
  6. Beware of extra costs on budget airlines. ...
  7. Go incognito when booking flights.


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Domestic flight prices for trips during the 2023 holiday season are on an uphill climb until the new year, according to an industry economist.

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Along with peak summer, the period between Christmas and New Year's is typically one of the most expensive times of year for flights. It is, not surprisingly, also one of the most popular times of year for travel. 2023 will be no exception, especially as many people skipped out on holiday travel last year.

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But even compared to pre-pandemic prices, airfares are lower. Average U.S. airfares are more than 6.5% lower in September 2023 than they were in September 2019, meaning prices aren't just lower than they were last year, but even lower than what they were pre-pandemic.

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As time goes on, more airlines will begin to release their flights for 2024. If you want to fly sooner, most airlines have already released their flights for the end of the year too. Generally, flights are available to book around 11 months in advance, although it will differ from airline to airline.

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Generally, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday are the cheapest days to fly, while Fridays and Sundays are pricier, according to travel deal site FareCompare. Leisure travelers tend to fly on the weekends, either starting their vacations on Friday or taking a long weekend Friday to Sunday.

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Tickets are also cheaper in August than during the December rush. For the lowest fares on domestic flights, travel in January or February. But for international trips, you'll find the cheapest fare in August.

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Domestic airfare is averaging around $400 round-trip, which is down 12% from last year. The cheapest day to depart will be Dec. 19, Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Leaving on a holiday itself can save 26%.

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It mostly comes down to supply and demand. Demand is contributing to higher prices as travel continues to surge post-pandemic, Berg said. Sustained strong demand in 2023 continues to put additional pressure on prices, especially to and within regions where travel has only recently reopened like parts of Asia.

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