When to Book Christmas Flights in 2026
When to book Christmas flights in 2026: Google says fares bottom out 32 to 73 days out. Here are the real dates, and why this year changes the advice.
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The best time to book Christmas flights in 2026 is between October 7 and November 1. For departures on December 19 to 23, the lowest fares in Google's data land between October 29 and November 2, and Halloween is the deadline several travel sites name. This year we'd stay near the front of that window.
Figures are current as of 19 September 2026. The dates below are our own arithmetic on published ranges, not a forecast.
When should you book Christmas flights in 2026?
Buy between October 7 and November 1 for flights on December 19 to 23. Google says Christmas fares have been lowest 32 to 73 days before departure, with the single lowest point at 51 days. Counting back from each departure day gives the real dates below.
| Fly on | Window opens | Lowest-price point | Window closes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Dec 19 | Wed, Oct 7 | Thu, Oct 29 | Tue, Nov 17 |
| Sun, Dec 20 | Thu, Oct 8 | Fri, Oct 30 | Wed, Nov 18 |
| Mon, Dec 21 | Fri, Oct 9 | Sat, Oct 31 | Thu, Nov 19 |
| Tue, Dec 22 | Sat, Oct 10 | Sun, Nov 1 | Fri, Nov 20 |
| Wed, Dec 23 | Sun, Oct 11 | Mon, Nov 2 | Sat, Nov 21 |
| Thu, Dec 24 | Mon, Oct 12 | Tue, Nov 3 | Sun, Nov 22 |
| Fri, Dec 25 | Tue, Oct 13 | Wed, Nov 4 | Mon, Nov 23 |
Two cautions. Google published these ranges in September 2025 and they describe past years, so they're a pattern and not a promise. And Halloween falls on a Saturday this year, which makes Friday, October 30 the practical last day.
Is it too early to book Christmas flights now?
Slightly early, for most trips. Today is 94 days before a December 22 departure, and Google's low-price zone doesn't open until October 10. Start tracking your route now. Buy now only if your dates are fixed, your route has few nonstops, or you need several seats together.
Thanksgiving is the exception. For a Tuesday, November 24 departure, Google's window opened on September 26. That's next week, and it's covered further down.
Why is 2026 different from other years?
Airfares are 23.4% higher than a year ago, and jet fuel costs $4.71 a gallon, more than double last year's price. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says its airline fares index rose 2.7% in August alone. Airlines are answering by cutting their least profitable flights.
Three airline finance chiefs spoke at the Morgan Stanley conference on September 16, and Fortune reported what they said on September 18.
| Airline | Who said it | What they said |
|---|---|---|
| American | CFO Devon May | "You're just going to want to pull a little capacity out when we see a rise in fuel like we're seeing right now." Fuel added $1 billion to its projected fourth-quarter costs, and it is cutting December flights. |
| United | CFO Mike Leskinen | "There's some marginal routes that don't make sense in a higher fuel environment, so we cut them." About 35% of its fourth-quarter tickets were already booked. |
| Southwest | CFO Tom Doxey | Cut its planned capacity growth of 2% to 3% in half, because fuel has been higher. A spokesperson told Fortune the adjustments were "very minimal." |
Our read: fewer cheap flights and fewer nonstops mean the lowest fare buckets sell out sooner. That's an inference, and none of the three airlines said it in those words. It's the main reason we lean toward the early end of Google's window.
Holiday fares specifically are up too, though by less than the all-flights index. The Points Guy reports Points Path data showing Christmas fares 12% to 18% higher than last year and international holiday fares up 16%. The two numbers measure different things, so don't add them together.
What is the cheapest time to book Christmas flights?
Google's data puts the lowest Christmas prices at 51 days before departure, inside a range of 32 to 73 days. For a December 22 flight, that means the low point is November 1. Google published the numbers on September 9, 2025.
| Trip type | Lowest prices have been | Low-price range |
|---|---|---|
| Christmas | 51 days before departure | 32 to 73 days |
| Thanksgiving | 35 days before departure | 24 to 59 days |
| Domestic flights, any time of year | 39 days before departure | 23 to 51 days |
| International flights | 49 days or more before departure | No upper limit given |
We looked for a 2026 edition of this report as of September 19 and didn't find one.
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Why do experts disagree on when to book Christmas flights?
They start from different data and different risk tolerance. Google reports a statistical low, so its window opens in early October. The Points Guy warns this year's fares will climb sooner. The overlap for domestic Christmas flights is October, and the argument is only about how early.
| Source | Christmas advice |
|---|---|
| Google, Sept 2025 | Lowest fares 32 to 73 days out, lowest point at 51 |
| The Points Guy, Sept 2, 2026 | Usually Christmas airfare "by Halloween." This year, book "even sooner," because it expects prices to start climbing after Labor Day |
| NerdWallet, Nov 2025 | Book by the end of October, citing Google Flights 2024 data |
| Expedia, 2025 release | Headline: book Christmas by November 25 to save up to $140 on holiday flights |
| Hopper's Lindsay Schwimer | "There's no one day or golden rule when to book," as quoted by The Points Guy |
Read together, they say the same thing in different words. Don't wait until the last week of the window, and don't count on prices falling after it.
Do Christmas flight prices go down closer to departure?
Rarely, and the risk runs the other way. Hopper's booking guidance says prices can almost double in the last three weeks before takeoff. Google's low-price range also stops 32 days out, which is November 20 for a December 22 flight.
What are the cheapest days to fly for Christmas 2026?
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, then Monday to Wednesday. NerdWallet studied three years of TSA checkpoint numbers and found Christmas Eve and Christmas Day the least crowded, and crowds track price. Google puts Monday to Wednesday flights about 13% below weekend flights.
| Day | 2026 date | Why it's cheaper |
|---|---|---|
| Christmas Eve | Thu, Dec 24 | Least crowded days, per NerdWallet's TSA analysis |
| Christmas Day | Fri, Dec 25 | Same |
| Any Monday to Wednesday | Dec 14 to 16, 21 to 23 | About 13% cheaper than weekends, per Google |
| Return on New Year's Eve or Day | Thu, Dec 31 and Fri, Jan 1 | Fewest travelers in the week after Christmas, per NerdWallet |
Christmas falls on a Friday this year, a different weekday than in 2025, so last year's patterns won't map perfectly. NerdWallet also named the Monday to Wednesday of the week before, but its own dates (December 16 to 18) were Tuesday to Thursday in 2025. We haven't converted that one into 2026 dates.
When should you book international Christmas flights?
Earlier than domestic, ideally before November 3. Google says the lowest international prices have been 49 or more days before departure, which is November 3 or earlier for a December 22 flight. The Points Guy reports international holiday fares already up 16% on last year.
Booking before November 3 also clears the November 25 date in Expedia's 2025 headline. If you're flying long-haul, our guide to American Airlines' new international routes for 2026 shows what's been added.
What is the best day to book Christmas flights?
No single day wins by much. Google found Tuesday has been the cheapest day to book, but only 1.3% cheaper than Sunday. Expedia's report on 2024 ticket sales found Sunday bookings cost 6% less for domestic trips and 17% less for international trips than Monday or Friday bookings.
The two compare different days, so they aren't in direct conflict. Our advice: if you see a fare you like on a Friday, buy it. Waiting two days for a Sunday is a bigger gamble than the savings.
How do you book Christmas flights without overpaying?
- Set a price tracker today
- Check nonstop options first
- Price Monday to Wednesday departures
- Compare Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
- Buy once the fare fits your budget
- Book before Halloween if dates are fixed
- Use the 24-hour cancellation rule
That last rule matters more than it sounds. US rules require airlines to let you hold a reservation at the quoted fare, or cancel it without penalty, for at least 24 hours after booking, if you book a week or more before departure (14 CFR 259.5). Check which of the two your airline offers. If it's the cancellation, you can undo a purchase the same day you find a better fare.
What if the government shuts down on December 11?
Flights would still fly. Government funding runs out on December 11, 2026, two weeks before Christmas. In past shutdowns, TSA officers and air traffic controllers kept working unpaid, and the risk was longer lines and delays, not cancelled flights.
We wrote a separate guide to what a December shutdown would do to holiday travel. Before paying extra for a flexible fare, check what your fare class actually lets you change.
What is the best time to book flights for Thanksgiving and New Year's?
Thanksgiving flights should be booked within the next few weeks. Google's window for a Tuesday, November 24 departure runs from September 26 to October 31, with the lowest point on October 20. The Points Guy normally says early to mid October, and advises going earlier this year.
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| Trip | Window opens | Lowest-price point | Window closes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thanksgiving, fly Tue, Nov 24 | Sat, Sep 26 | Tue, Oct 20 | Sat, Oct 31 |
| Thanksgiving, fly Wed, Nov 25 | Sun, Sep 27 | Wed, Oct 21 | Sun, Nov 1 |
For New Year's, The Points Guy reports Hopper's Hayley Berg advising you lock flights in by the end of September. Our guide to the best day to fly at Thanksgiving covers which days are busiest.
When would we book?
For a domestic flight on December 19 to 23 with fixed dates, we'd buy between October 7 and October 25, as soon as a fare lands near the lowest we'd tracked. We wouldn't go past October 30. Google's historical window runs later, but this year's fuel-driven fare increases tilt the risk toward waiting costing more.
- Flying December 24 or 25: the lowest point is November 3 or 4. We'd still buy by then, not at the window's close on November 22 or 23.
- International: buy before November 3.
- Thanksgiving: buy before October 20 if you can, the low point for a Tuesday, November 24 flight.
- Any route, any date: if today's fare already fits your budget, buy it. Nobody can name the exact low.
What are the limits of this data?
Google's ranges come from its September 2025 report and describe earlier years. The airline fares index is a national average for all flights, not Christmas and not your route. Points Path uses its own holiday fare data, so it differs from the index. The airline comments come from one conference on September 16.
Our date tables are arithmetic on those ranges, and the chart is ours. For Expedia we rely on the headline of its 2025 release for the Christmas date. None of this predicts what a specific fare will do on a specific day.
Quick answers about booking Christmas flights
Should I wait for Christmas flight prices to drop?
No. Google's data shows no low-price zone inside the last 32 days, and Hopper says prices can nearly double in the last three weeks.
Are last-minute Christmas flights cheaper?
Rarely. The lowest prices in Google's data come weeks earlier, not in the final stretch.
Is Christmas Day cheaper to fly?
Usually yes. NerdWallet's TSA-based analysis found Christmas Eve and Christmas Day among the least crowded travel days, and crowds track price.
When do Christmas flight prices go up?
The Points Guy expects prices to start climbing after Labor Day this year. Google's data shows the low-price range ending 32 days before departure.
How much more do Christmas flights cost this year?
Points Path data shows Christmas fares 12% to 18% higher than last year. The federal airline fares index, which covers all flights, was up 23.4% in August.
Can I cancel a Christmas flight after booking?
Federal rules give you 24 hours, as a hold or a penalty-free cancellation, if you book at least a week before departure. After that, your fare's own rules apply.
Sources
- Google, "Holiday travel trends and insights for 2025" (9 September 2025): lowest-price windows for Christmas, Thanksgiving, domestic and international flights, cheapest days, and the day-of-week finding. Accessed 19 September 2026.
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index, August 2026: airline fares up 23.4% over 12 months and 2.7% in August. Accessed 19 September 2026.
- Fortune, 18 September 2026: airline executives' comments at the Morgan Stanley conference, jet fuel at $4.71 a gallon, and United's booked fourth-quarter tickets. Accessed 19 September 2026.
- The Points Guy, "When to buy holiday flights in 2026-27" (2 September 2026): Points Path fare increases and booking advice. Accessed 19 September 2026.
- NerdWallet, "When It's Cheapest to Fly for the Holidays" (13 November 2025): analysis of three years of TSA checkpoint data. Accessed 19 September 2026.
- Expedia, 2025 Air Travel Hacks Report (28 January 2025): Sunday booking savings, based on Airlines Reporting Corporation data for January to October 2024. Accessed 19 September 2026.
- Expedia newsroom, "Book Thanksgiving by September 27 and Christmas by November 25 to save up to $140 on holiday flights" (2025 release headline).
- Hopper, 2025 travel booking hacks (28 January 2025): monitoring window and last-three-weeks price increase. Accessed 19 September 2026.
- Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, 14 CFR 259.5: the 24-hour hold or cancel rule. Accessed 19 September 2026.
- Cover photo: the departure hall of Terminal 8 at John F. Kennedy International Airport, 2 June 2024, by 颐园居, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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