If you plan on flying anywhere for the Thanksgiving holiday, this might be a good time to book your flight.
Travelocity's Thanksgiving data show that the average round-trip domestic airfare this year is $415, including tax -- up nearly 7% from 2012. The online travel agency calls this the “price to beat” and recommends using it as a gauge while shopping for airfare. In a bit of good news for some travelers, Travelocity says a closer look at the most popular routes shows many prices are well under that average.
"While average airfare is up for Thanksgiving we are still seeing some of the most popular routes well under the national average," explains Courtney Scott, senior editor at Travelocity. "So if $415 is out of your price range, don't assume you can't make it home for the holidays. Check your route, be flexible on your dates and you can still find a great deal."
Getting there and paying for it
Most popular domestic routes for Thanksgiving:
ORIGIN CITY | DESTINATION CITY | AVERAGE AIRFARE |
New York City | South Florida | $375 |
Los Angeles | Dallas / Fort Worth | $338 |
Chicago | New York | $365 |
Denver | New York | $382 |
San Francisco | Los Angeles | $192 |
Boston | Chicago | $369 |
Dallas / Fort Worth | Los Angeles | $335 |
Washington, D.C. | South Florida | $369 |
Atlanta | New York City | $353 |
Charlotte | New York City | $296 |
What to do
Travelocity offers these tips for holiday travel:
- Book between October 8 through November 9. Travelocity's Booking Barometer says prices for Thanksgiving begin to drop during this time, and will pick back up at a steep increase beginning the week of November 10.
- Be flexible on your travel dates. Look at returning on Friday, November 29, or Tuesday, December 3, for lower fares. Returning over the weekend will most surely cost you more.
- Search alternate airports. For example, New York City is always one of the most popular holiday destinations. While LaGuardia might be the closest airport to your turkey dinner, flying instead into JFK or Newark may be worth the extra effort and could translate into big savings.
- Take the first flight of the day. Not only will the lines at security be shorter, but planes traveling earlier in the day have a better on-time performance in general. And, if your flight is canceled, you'll have the option of taking a flight later in the day.
- Pack smart and light. Look at shipping any gifts ahead of time, and try to pack only a carry on. This can help you avoid checked baggage and overweight baggage fees. In addition, if your flight is re-routed because of bad weather or delays, it'll be much easier if your luggage is with you. If you do check, don't put anything in your luggage you can't live without -- like medication, cell phone chargers or your child's favorite toy.