How to Save Money on Holiday Travel: 15 Ways to Book Christmas & Thanksgiving Trips for Less

Holiday travel has a way of getting expensive fast.

Between flights, hotels, rental cars, activities, airport parking, food, and all of the little expenses you forget about until you're actually traveling, a trip home for Christmas or a holiday vacation can suddenly cost significantly more than you planned.

But expensive holiday travel isn't always unavoidable.

I've learned that how you book a trip can make just as much of a difference as where you're going. A little flexibility, comparison shopping, and planning ahead can potentially save hundreds of dollars, especially during Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's when everyone seems to be traveling at the same time.

Whether you're flying home to see family, planning a Christmas getaway, escaping somewhere warm for the holidays, or giving someone a trip instead of another gift, these are some of my favorite ways to save money on holiday travel.

1. Start Searching Earlier Than You Think

Holiday travel is one of those times when I don't love waiting until the last minute.

Thanksgiving week and the days surrounding Christmas and New Year's are some of the most popular travel periods of the year, which means the best flight times, affordable hotel rooms, and rental cars can disappear quickly.

Even if you're not ready to book yet, start searching early so you have an idea of what a normal price looks like for your route.

This makes it much easier to recognize when you've actually found a good deal.

I also like comparing several different date combinations before committing to anything.

Sometimes changing your trip by a single day can make a surprisingly big difference.

2. Search Flexible Dates Before Requesting Time Off

If you have any flexibility at all, search for travel before locking in your exact vacation dates.

Instead of deciding, "We're traveling December 21 through December 28," look at several combinations around those dates first.

Try:

• December 19–26

• December 20–27

• December 22–29

• December 24–30

• December 25–31

You may find that shifting the trip forward or backward by a day or two significantly changes the total cost.

The same thing applies to Thanksgiving.

If your schedule allows it, compare flying several days before Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving morning, the day after Thanksgiving, and returning a little later than everyone else.

Flexibility is one of the biggest advantages you can give yourself when booking holiday travel.

3. Compare Nearby Airports

This is one of my favorite travel hacks, especially if you're traveling somewhere with several airports within driving distance.

Don't automatically search only the closest airport.

Compare airports within a reasonable radius of both your departure city and your destination.

For example, flying into an airport 60–90 minutes away and renting a car could potentially be less expensive than flying directly into the closest airport.

But always compare the total trip cost, not just the airfare.

A $150 cheaper flight isn't really cheaper if it requires a $300 rental car you wouldn't otherwise need.

4. Compare One-Way Flights

You don't always have to book a traditional round-trip ticket.

Sometimes I find better schedules or prices by booking the outbound flight with one airline and the return flight with another.

Searching the two legs individually also gives you more flexibility.

Maybe Airline A has the perfect inexpensive flight on December 22, but Airline B has the better option home on December 29.

You aren't required to stay loyal to one airline for the entire trip.

5. Calculate the REAL Cost of the Flight

A $99 flight isn't necessarily a $99 flight.

Before booking, calculate what you'll actually pay after adding:

• Checked luggage

• Carry-on fees

• Seat selection

• Priority boarding

• Airport parking

• Transportation to the airport

• Transportation from your destination airport

• Food during long connections

I've absolutely booked the "cheaper" flight before realizing that once everything was added, another airline would have been the better deal.

Compare the final cost instead of the number you initially see in search results.

6. Check Hotels Before Booking Your Flight

This is something people forget all the time.

You find an amazing flight, book it immediately, and then discover hotels are $500 per night that weekend.

Before committing to airfare, do a quick search for accommodations.

I like looking at the trip as one package:

Flight + hotel + transportation + activities = actual trip cost.

If changing your trip by one weekend saves $300 on airfare but $800 on your hotel, that's the date I want.

7. Compare Hotels, Vacation Rentals, and Alternative Accommodations

Hotels aren't automatically the cheapest option, and vacation rentals aren't automatically the cheapest option either.

Compare both.

For a couple staying two nights, a hotel may make more sense.

For a family staying seven nights, a vacation rental with multiple bedrooms, a kitchen, and laundry might save a significant amount of money.

Look beyond the nightly rate and consider:

• Resort fees

• Cleaning fees

• Parking

• Breakfast

• Kitchen access

• Laundry

• Location

• Transportation costs

A slightly more expensive hotel in the middle of everything may ultimately cost less than an inexpensive property that requires a rental car and paid parking every day.

8. Book a Hotel With Free Breakfast

This sounds small until you're traveling with several people.

If breakfast costs $15–$25 per person every morning, a family of four could easily spend hundreds of dollars on breakfast during a weeklong trip.

When two hotels are similarly priced, complimentary breakfast can make one a much better value.

The same applies to other included amenities.

Look for hotels offering things like:

• Free parking

• Airport shuttles

• Kitchenettes

• Complimentary breakfast

• Included activities

• Resort credits

I always look at what I'm getting for the rate, not just the room price.

9. Consider Staying Somewhere With a Kitchen

Especially during longer holiday trips.

You don't need to cook every meal. I'm definitely still going out and experiencing the restaurants wherever I'm visiting.

But having somewhere to make coffee, keep snacks, store leftovers, and eat an easy breakfast can save a surprising amount of money.

It's also really convenient around Christmas when restaurant hours may be limited.

One of my favorite travel routines is grabbing groceries when we arrive and stocking up on:

• Water

• Coffee

• Breakfast

• Fruit

• Snacks

• Drinks

• Easy late-night food

Then we spend our money on the meals we actually care about.

10. Compare Rental Cars Before Automatically Booking One

Rental cars can be one of the biggest hidden expenses of a trip.

Before reserving one, ask whether you'll actually need it.

If you're staying somewhere walkable and can use public transportation or occasional rideshares, skipping the rental car may save money on:

• The rental itself

• Gas

• Hotel parking

• Attraction parking

• Tolls

• Airport rental fees

On the other hand, a rental car can be a huge money saver if you're traveling with several people or planning to explore outside the city.

Again, compare the entire trip.

11. Book Popular Holiday Activities in Advance

Holiday travel isn't only about flights and hotels.

Christmas markets, light displays, theme parks, holiday shows, tours, ski activities, and other seasonal experiences can book up.

I like researching activities while I'm planning the trip instead of waiting until we arrive.

It helps me create a realistic trip budget, and it means I'm not scrambling to find something available at the last minute.

If you're planning a holiday trip, search for things like:

Christmas tours, holiday light experiences, winter activities, food tours, city passes, museums, day trips, and seasonal events.

Depending on the destination, bundling attractions or purchasing a city pass may also be less expensive than buying everything individually.

12. Use Black Friday and Cyber Monday for More Than Christmas Shopping

Black Friday isn't just for TVs and Christmas gifts.

It's also one of my favorite times to watch for travel deals.

Hotels, resorts, cruises, tours, luggage brands, travel companies, and other tourism businesses often run Black Friday and Cyber Monday promotions.

If you know you're traveling in the next year, start making a list before Black Friday.

Write down:

Where you want to go.

Approximately when you want to go.

Hotels you're considering.

Activities you want to do.

Trips you're already planning.

Then when sales start appearing, you're comparing discounts against something you already wanted instead of booking a random trip because a countdown timer convinced you to.

13. Give Travel as a Christmas Gift

One of my favorite ways to make travel fit into a budget is to let the trip be the gift.

Instead of spending hundreds of dollars on presents and then separately paying for a vacation, combine the two.

A Christmas gift could be:

• Plane tickets

• A weekend getaway

• A hotel stay

• Concert tickets in another city

• Theme park tickets

• A food tour

• A spa experience

• A cruise

• A surprise family vacation

Experiences are some of my favorite gifts because you get the excitement of opening the gift and something to look forward to afterward.

If you're already planning to travel together, this can also keep holiday spending from becoming completely out of control.

14. Use Points Strategically During Expensive Travel Dates

If you collect airline miles, hotel points, or credit card travel rewards, holiday travel can be a great time to check whether redeeming them makes sense.

I don't automatically use points simply because they're available.

I compare the cash price against the number of points required.

If a flight that normally costs $200 suddenly costs $650 because it's Christmas week, that's when I become much more interested in seeing what my points can do.

Just remember that award availability can disappear during high-demand periods too, so this is another reason to start looking early.

15. Build a Holiday Travel Budget Before You Book

This may be the least exciting tip on this list, but it might save you the most money.

Before booking anything, create a quick estimated budget.

Holiday Travel Budget

Flights: $___Hotel: $___Rental car/transportation: $___Gas: $___Parking: $___Food: $___Activities: $___Pet care: $___Airport expenses: $___Shopping: $___Emergency/miscellaneous: $___

Estimated trip total: $___

Now compare different versions of your trip.

Maybe staying one extra night actually saves money because your return flight is dramatically cheaper.

Maybe the downtown hotel is worth paying $50 more per night because you can skip the rental car.

Maybe flying from a different airport saves your family $600.

Seeing everything together makes those decisions much easier.

My Favorite Strategy for Finding the Cheapest Holiday Trip

If I were planning a holiday trip today, this is the order I would do everything:

First: Choose the destination but keep the dates flexible.

Second: Search flights across several dates and nearby airports.

Third: Check hotel prices for those same dates.

Fourth: Calculate transportation costs.

Fifth: Look up the activities I know we want to do.

Sixth: Compare the total cost of several date combinations.

Then I book.

Don't choose a flight simply because it looks inexpensive.

Choose the version of the trip that's the best overall value.

When Should You Book Holiday Travel?

There isn't one magical day when holiday travel suddenly becomes cheapest.

Prices change based on destination, demand, inventory, airline, hotel availability, and countless other factors.

Instead of trying to perfectly time the market, I prefer this strategy:

Start searching early, learn what a normal price looks like, compare several options, and book when you find a price you're comfortable paying.

And once you've booked something refundable, keep an eye on prices.

Depending on the terms of your reservation, you may be able to cancel and rebook if the price drops.

Always read the cancellation and change policies before booking.

Don't Forget Travel Insurance

Holiday travel also comes with something else: winter.

Snowstorms, flight disruptions, illness, missed connections, and other unexpected problems can quickly turn an inexpensive trip into an expensive one.

Depending on the trip, I consider whether travel insurance makes sense, particularly for expensive or nonrefundable vacations.

Before purchasing coverage, read exactly what's included and excluded. Coverage varies significantly between policies, and some credit cards may already include certain travel protections when you use the card to book.

Where to Go for an Affordable Holiday Vacation

If you're still deciding where to spend the holidays, don't assume the most famous Christmas destinations are your only options.

Sometimes the best value comes from destinations that aren't experiencing their peak season.

Consider:

Warm-weather escapes: Southern California, Arizona, Florida, Mexico, or the Caribbean.

Cozy winter trips: Utah, Colorado, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, or smaller mountain towns.

Christmas city breaks: New York City, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., or European Christmas market destinations.

National park trips: Winter can completely transform destinations you've only seen during summer.

The cheapest destination will depend heavily on where you're traveling from, so I recommend comparing several destinations before deciding.

Sometimes you can fly somewhere completely unexpected for less than it costs to visit the place you originally had in mind.

The Biggest Holiday Travel Mistake

I think one of the biggest mistakes people make is looking at each travel expense individually.

They find a cheap flight.

Then an expensive hotel.

Then they realize they need a rental car.

Then parking is $50 per night.

Then every activity costs $75.

Suddenly their "cheap trip" isn't cheap anymore.

Instead, start thinking about travel in terms of total trip cost.

Sometimes paying more for one part of your vacation saves significantly more somewhere else.

That's the game.

Holiday Travel Doesn't Have to Destroy Your Budget

The holidays are already expensive.

Travel doesn't need to make them financially overwhelming.

Start planning earlier than you normally would, stay flexible with your dates, compare multiple airports and accommodations, take advantage of Black Friday travel deals, and always calculate the total cost before you book.

Most importantly, spend your money on the parts of the trip you'll actually remember.

I'll happily make breakfast in a hotel room if it means I can spend that money on an incredible experience later that day.

Because at the end of the trip, I'm probably not going to remember the airport breakfast I skipped.

I'm going to remember where we went, who was there, and what we did together.

And that's the part worth traveling for.

Save This Holiday Travel Guide for Later

Planning Thanksgiving travel, a Christmas vacation, or a New Year's getaway? Save this guide so you can come back to these tips while you're comparing flights, hotels, rental cars, and things to do.

And if you're planning more trips, explore my destination guides and travel itineraries for ideas on where to go, what to do, where to stay, and the experiences actually worth adding to your itinerary.