Will flight prices go down for Christmas 2023?

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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Domestic airline prices are on the decline in 2023, finally retreating after spiking just a year ago. International fares are still high. After soaring in 2022, prices for domestic airline tickets are on the descent.

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According to Going's analysis, travelers want to look for the so-called Goldilocks Window (not too early, not too late) to get the cheapest airfare. For domestic flights, Keyes said that's one to three months in advance for off-peak trips and three to six months for peak-season travel, such as Christmas and New Year's.

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The cheapest months to travel are:
  • November – early December.
  • Late January – March.


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“If it's an off-peak season — not middle of summer, Christmas or New Year's — then booking about one to three months in advance is typically when cheap flights have the highest likelihood of popping up,” he said. “When you're talking about international travel, two to eight months in advance.”

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The general rule is that for domestic flights, travelers should start searching for flight tickets one to three months in advance. For international flights, the best prices are typically available from two to eight months in advance. Prices can also vary widely among airlines.

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According to Going's analysis, travelers want to look for the so-called Goldilocks Window (not too early, not too late) to get the cheapest airfare. For domestic flights, Keyes said that's one to three months in advance for off-peak trips and three to six months for peak-season travel, such as Christmas and New Year's.

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Finding the cheapest day to fly usually falls mid week on Wednesdays, but can just as easily fall on any other day of the week based on demand. Time of year also is a huge factor on ticket prices, as traveling during low or off peak seasons will see prices drop for flights.

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Time your booking right
“For domestic flights, if you're talking peak season, it's about three to seven months in advance,” he says. “For international flights — [it's] four to 10 months.”

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Although the general trend is for flights to get more expensive as time goes by and more seats are sold, from time to time the airlines will make adjustments and release more seats at the lower buckets. This is why fares sometimes move down, as well as up, even without an explicit fare decrease by the airline.

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The most recent data from Google Flights shows the lowest average price for flights starting in mid-December (around Christmas) are usually available around 71 days before departure. That's a whopping six weeks earlier than Google's findings last year when holiday prices were lowest about 22 days before departure.

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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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Tuesday Around Midnight is the Cheapest Time to Book
In general, flights were slightly cheaper at midnight earlier in the week (Monday through Wednesday). However, this is only applicable to about 1.6% of U.S. markets, meaning that it's not likely you'll find the same savings on your specific route.

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Timing plays an important part. Specifically, plane tickets usually don't get cheaper closer to the departure date. Instead, flights tend to be the most inexpensive when you book between four months and three weeks before your departure date.

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Best Time To Book Domestic Flights The Expedia study found that the sweet spot is 28 to 35 days before departure while the Google study found prices bottomed out 44 days before departure. However, both studies agree that you don't want to wait until the last minute. Book at least 21 days before departure.

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He explained: If you're travelling domestically, the Goldilocks Window for when you're most likely to see a cheap flight is 1-3 months before flying. For international flights, it's 2-8 months in advance. This changes if you are wanting to travel during a busy time of year.

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