Making Christmas travel plans may not be top of mind while you make the most of the summer sun, but, if you want to get the best deals on holiday season flights, the time to book is fast approaching. In fact, the best time to find the lowest fares to your favourite destinations starts right now.
To help you find the cheapest flights, we took the 20 most popular destinations for Christmas week travel and crunched the numbers to figure out when you should book for the best prices.
Whether you’re going home for the holidays or using the time to get away, here’s when you should book your flight to these top 20 destinations.
The best time to book your holiday flights
Week of July 2 (25 weeks before the holidays)
Toronto, Ontario
Vancouver, British Columbia
Week of July 9 (24 weeks before the holidays)
Ahmedabad, India
Week of July 16 (23 weeks before the holidays)
Manila, Philippines
Orlando, Florida, U.S.
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S.
San Jose, Costa Rica
Week of July 23 (22 weeks before the holidays)
Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Week of July 30 (21 weeks before the holidays)
New York, New York, U.S.
Cancun, Mexico
Calgary, Alberta
Week of August 6 (20 weeks before the holidays)
Montreal, Quebec
Week of August 13 (19 weeks before the holidays)
London, England
Week of August 27 (17 weeks before the holidays)
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Week of September 3 (16 weeks before the holidays)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Week of September 10 (15 weeks before the holidays)
Delhi, India
Mumbai, India
Paris, France
Week of September 17 (14 weeks before the holidays)
Bangkok, Thailand
Week of October 1 (12 weeks before the holidays)
Varadero, Cuba
Quick and dirty tips for planning holiday season travel
Plan ahead: Do you always head home for the holidays? Or do make a point to use that time to travel overseas, either to visit family abroad or to take a break from the cold weather? Decide on your plans early so you can book as far in advance as possible and have access to the most affordable flights.
Be flexible: Do you know you’ll want to spend your holiday season with family and friends, but have some flexibility in terms of where those celebrations take place? Be flexible with your destination and your travel dates, so you can jump on the best prices you see. Is the only thing you want for Christmas a warm-weather getaway? Focus less on a specific destination and more on what type of trip you’d like to take so you can see what deals are available.
Fly off-peak: Christmas is on a Monday this year, as is New Year’s Day, so the Friday and Saturday before each holiday are going to be the most convenient times for travellers to fly. Aim for middle of the week and early morning or late night flights — in other words, flights that are less convenient — to avoid crowds and get better prices. For more information, read up on how to find a cheap flight.
Be prepared for winter weather: Smooth sailing during the snowy season is never a guarantee. Know what travel insurance options are available to you through the airline, your credit card or your travel rewards program. Create financial and logistical fall back plans so you don’t find yourself stuck unceremoniously digging into a turkey dinner in a hotel room somewhere when you’d rather be decking the halls at home. Check out the rest of our tips on how to prepare for winter travel.
Missed the window above? Not to worry. Here are some additional tips for finding a Christmas travel deal. Have a go-to tip we missed? Share it in the comments below.
*This data is based on averages from departure points across Canada and is intended as a guideline only. Check the latest up-to-date prices and search for flights at Cheapflights.ca.
