Christmas in July

Mid-summer may feel early to start thinking about holiday travel but Christmas in July is the perfect time to start planning your trips home or a vacation over the holidays! Airfare for Christmas travel this year is already tracking as high as fares last year, more than 20% above pre-pandemic prices for holiday fares at this time of the year. Planning ahead and tracking prices so you book at the right time will be key to getting the best deals for this holiday season. 

Why start monitoring prices now?

It’s too early to be booking holiday travel, but not too early to prepare for your upcoming trips! Holiday fares remain high through the summer then drop slowly into September and October. The best time to book your holiday trips is typically in September and early October, when prices will be as much as $100 cheaper per ticket than they are today. 

Prices for holiday trips will be volatile for the next 2-3 months, rising and falling up to multiple times per day. Use Hopper’s Flight Watch tool to start tracking the price of your trip now. Hopper will send you a notification when prices are at the lowest for your trip so you can book and save! 

How to optimize savings during your holiday travel planning process this year….

Pick cheaper travel days! 

Sitting down with the calendar in July and planning ahead to travel on the cheapest days can be the difference between breaking your budget and saving hundreds! Historically travelers have saved as much as $300 per ticket by flying on the cheapest days surrounding Thanksgiving and Christmas.  

If you’re traveling for Thanksgiving, try flying Monday of Thanksgiving week and returning any weekday of the following week to save the most. With Christmas Day on a Monday this year, expect the most expensive flights to be those departing Thursday and Friday ahead of the holiday weekend. Travelers who are flexible should plan to depart mid week before the holiday or on Christmas Eve to get the lowest airfare. 

Follow the deals, not the destination! 

Headed on a vacation over the holidays? Start monitoring the price of a few different destinations now. Hopper will notify you when prices are the cheapest and you can book the best deal! We often see travelers monitoring trips to similar destinations like Cancun (MX), San Juan (PR) and Punta Cana (DR), taking advantage of the first great deal they find! 

Enable notifications in case of sales or deal drops!

Starting the planning process early means you have the best chance to score an extra cheap deal on airfare over the next few months. We’ll notify you if the fare drops unexpectedly for a short time, or if Hopper is running a sale on your destination with extra sweet savings! Start watching your trips on the Hopper app now, and enable notifications so you never miss out on a deal! 

Plan ahead for disruption

Disruptions causing cancellations, delays and thousands of missed connections have been in the news throughout this year. With the 2022 holiday season massively interrupted by bad weather and airline technical challenges, many travelers may be feeling apprehensive about booking travel this holiday season. For those looking to reduce the risk of disruption while on a trip, consider these planning tips: 

Watch the price of non stop flights only: Non stop flights sometimes come at a premium, but will prevent travelers from anxiety about missing connections, especially on international trips over the holiday season. On Hopper you can add a filter to only monitor the price of nonstop trips, making it easy to book the right flight for you, at the right time!

Build in a buffer day: Don’t risk missing the turkey on Thanksgiving or stockings on Christmas morning. When you’re in the planning process, add a buffer day to your travel plans so if you’re delayed or canceled, you have 24 hours to get on the next available flight to make your special holiday celebrations (or vacations!). 

Fly early in the morning: Flights departing after 8am are 50% more likely to be delayed or canceled. When you’re planning your travel dates and times, plan to fly early to save yourself the stress of disruption. 

When it’s time to book your holiday trips in just a few weeks, Hopper has your back. Add Flight Disruption Guarantee when you book your flight and we’ve got you covered. If your flight is canceled, delayed or you miss a connection, you can rebook yourself on the next available flight to your destination right in the Hopper app. We’ll cover the cost of your new tickets! 

Destinations travelers are dreaming of (and watching on Hopper!) for 2023 Holiday Travel:

Thanksgiving Trips

1. Cancun, Mexico

2. Miami, Florida

3. Orlando, Florida

4. Honolulu, Hawaii

5. Las Vegas, Nevada

Christmas Trips

1. Cancun, Mexico

2. Miami, Florida

3. Honolulu, Hawaii

4. Tokyo, Japan

5. Orlando, Florida