This is something that I have always wondered about: When can you get the lowest airfares on travel at Christmastime. It’s one of the most popular times to travel, visit family and friends, take a winter vacation; your kids are home for an extended period of time so you don’t want to be home for the entire break, but can you get a cheap travel deal? Travelocity has provided insider savings based on their data that shows when families can find ways to save on Christmas travel.
Travelocity’s winter data shows that the average roundtrip domestic airfare is $450, up 7.5 percent from last year. In comparison, international airfare is $1,016, up only 2.5 percent from last year, a relatively small increase. The average daily rate for domestic hotels this winter is $204 and $342 for international. These prices are known as the price to beat, but if travelers book early and are flexible with travel dates they can find better deals.
When to Book Christmas Airfare
According to Travelocity’s Christmas Booking Barometer, which is based on bookings from the past three years, travelers should look to purchase Christmas airfare by November 12. Trends show a spike beginning around six weeks before Christmas day (around November 13). If travelers are not sure of their travel plans yet, data shows that there is usually a drop in fares three weeks before the holiday (around December 4 – 10) and then it will increase again.
| Booking Week | Fare | |
| 8 weeks before | Oct 30 – Nov 5 | $ 314.00 |
| 7 weeks before | Nov 6 – Nov 12 | $ 320.00 |
| 6 weeks before | Nov 13 – Nov 19 | $ 352.00 |
| 5 weeks before | Nov 20 – Nov 26 | $ 392.00 |
| 4 weeks before | Nov 27 – Dec 3 | $ 341.00 |
| 3 weeks before | Dec 4 – Dec 10 | $ 313.00 |
| 2 weeks before | Dec 11 – Dec 17 | $ 363.00 |
| 1 week before | Dec 18 – Dec 24 | $ 438.00 |
Cheapest Days to Fly Domestic for Christmas 2013
Travelocity always recommends being flexible with travel dates when possible to save additional money. Travelers can save more than $350 this Christmas if they are flexible with their travel dates. Travelers can expect to pay less if they leave for Christmas vacation Monday, December 23 or after. Departing on the weekend prior will likely result in higher fares. For returns, travel prices fluctuate about $100, and Travelocity data points to higher prices on Sunday, December 29 or Monday, December 30.
When booking flights on Travelocity, there’s an option to search for flights within one to three days of your ideal departure and return date and this will help travelers find the combination of dates that work best for their route.
L.A. Travel Mom 
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