This Is the 'Goldilocks Window' for Booking Your Winter Flights

It’s hard to imagine the cold weather ever arriving while we’re still at the height of the hottest summer the world has ever seen, but believe it or not, now is the time to start planning if you want to avoid paying a fortune for your winter 2024 vacation flights.

We’re already well within what’s known as the “Goldilocks window,” the period during which winter holiday flights are the cheapest. The window for peak season deals is typically 4–10 months in advance for international flights and 3–6 months in advance for domestic flights. That means if you want to get away from the slush and snow in February, it’s time to kick your planning into gear.

Travel experts’ recommendations for booking timeframes range from late August or early September for international flights to late September or early October for domestic itineraries—if price is the biggest factor. Some data suggest that the cheapest fares are available an average of 70 days before departure, which would be mid-August for Thanksgiving trips and early October for the December holidays.

The Vacationer offers a more conservative estimate—late August to early September or sooner—no matter where you’re headed, with firm booking deadlines of Halloween for Thanksgiving travel and Thanksgiving for Christmas travel.

You’ll also want to consider that more desirable routes, times, and seats are likely to sell out more quickly, so if you’re tied to a specific itinerary, you may need to book sooner rather than later.

What you need to do to plan for winter travel right now

If you haven’t already, now is the time to lock in your plans so you can begin searching for flights and arranging accommodations and other travel logistics. You may not need to book today, but you shouldn’t hold off much longer. Check out prices and start tracking them with plans to purchase in the next few weeks.

Use Google Flights to view price history and predictions for your trip, including whether the price of your ticket is “less than usual” or likely to increase. You can also set up Google Flights’ price tracking for routes and specific flights, so you’ll get a notification if prices are likely to or do change. When you search your itinerary, toggle on “Track prices” above the flight options.

If your travel dates are flexible, you can also use the date grid to find the best-priced combo of flights to and from your destination. According to the Vacationer, the best departure dates for Christmas travel are December 18–20 or Christmas Eve/Day, while the best return dates are December 28 or 29. The worst departure is December 23, and the worst return is December 26 or 27. For Thanksgiving week, you’ll mainly want to avoid departures on Wednesday (Nov. 22) and returns on Sunday (Nov. 26).

How to save money on your holiday flights in 2023

If price is more important than timing or convenience, you may get better deals by being flexible. Consider flying in or out of nearby airports that may offer cheaper options, and be open to all airlines and the possibility of connecting flights and less desirable departure and layover times.

If you want to lock your flights in soon but leave some flexibility in case prices drop significantly, look for fares that are refundable or at least cancellable without a fee. In the event you find a cheaper option, you can rebook using your refunded cash or flight credit (depending on your airline’s refund policies).

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