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The Best Time to Book Holiday Flights This Year, According to the People Who Track Them
Oof. Holiday airfare just hit a 10-year high. Hopper puts the average domestic round trip at $402 for Thanksgiving (up 31%) and $452 for Christmas (up 23%). The one near-guaranteed way to pay less (and skip the crowds) is flying on the holiday itself, which, for most of us, isn’t an option.
The next best move is booking in the right window, and it’s closing fast. Google’s flight data says the cheapest day to book Thanksgiving flights is this Friday, October 23. For Christmas, it’s October 30.
Get those credit cards out.
P.S. The full story also names the six airports AccuWeather’s lead forecaster would avoid connecting through this winter.
D E A L S
Last-Minute Travel Deals We'd Actually Book
No affiliate links. Just solid finds.
National park fee-free day: Free entry for US citizens and residents on Oct. 27 (Theodore Roosevelt’s birthday). The next one is Nov. 11.
Hurtigruten: Up to 30% off select Norwegian coastal voyages through June 2027. Book by Nov. 16.
Southwest Airlines: Up to 40% off base fares on select flights between Nov. 9 and March 3, 2027. Book by Oct. 22.
Hyatt: Save 35% or more at all-inclusive resorts in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Jamaica. Last day to book is today, October 21.
Hawaiian Airlines: Launch fares on its new Seattle nonstops, with round trips from $999 to Tahiti and $1,199 to Osaka. Flights start in May and June 2027. Book by Oct. 26.
Porter Airlines: Up to 30% off base fares with code HBD2PD, for travel through April 30, 2027. Book by Oct. 23.
R O A D T R I P S
Get a Taste of Europe on This Famous US Road Trip
Our friends at Daily Drop mapped a stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway that takes you from an English storybook village to a Danish town with windmills to a Spanish-style “American Riviera,” no passport required.
Plus, their tips on which credit cards save you the most on a rental car.
G U I D E
This Company Lets You Design Your Dream Norway Trip
Photos: Amber Dunlap
Planning a trip can feel like a second job.
Describe your dream Norway adventure to Up Norway, and it builds a custom itinerary around you, from the foggy forests of Finnskogen to the glaciers and polar bear country of Svalbard.
S T A Y S
12 Haunted Hotels You Can Actually Book for a Halloween Getaway
Some people vacation to relax. Others want a hotel room with a ghost story attached. These 12 haunted hotels are spread across the US, with a few as far off as Italy and Wales, and Halloween falls on a Saturday this year.
Travel Well
The Matador Editorial Team
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