If you’re planning to travel before the end of the year, the best time to score the cheapest flights is coming up ― especially if you want to travel to Europe. That’s because booking and taking a trip during the week of Thanksgiving is historically the best time to jet off to a cheap Spain or Portugal adventure.
“When it comes to international travel, [Thanksgiving] has always been the sneakiest, best week to try to fit an international trip in before the end of the year,” said Katy Nastro, a travel expert and spokesperson for Going, a company that tracks airfare deals.
Nastro said she is already noticing upticks in prices for international trips on the weeks of Christmas and New Year’s, but flights the week of Thanksgiving remain a great deal for fliers. That’s because while everyone is searching for a domestic flight to see their families and in-laws over this week, fewer are going to fly abroad.
“You don’t encounter those summer crowds escaping specifically to Europe, and you’re not competing against them on seats,” Nastro explained.
She gave the example of buying a round trip flight right now from New York City to Barcelona, Spain, for $304 on the week of Thanksgiving. “That’s roughly 60% off average prices,” she said.
If you want to make the deal even sweeter, plan to book by next month. According to the latest Google research, which analyzed four years of aggregated Google Flights prices, the lowest prices for flights have been 35 days before departure. So if you want to fly right before or after Thanksgiving, you’ll probably find the cheapest options in October.
In general, the research found that the lowest prices for trips to Europe have been 48 days or more before departure.
Nastro recommended booking your European getaway by early October at the very latest if you want to score the best deal. And if you see a great price, act fast: “Airfare is volatile. It can change at any given moment,” she added.
During this time of year, “Spain always prices out well and Portugal…especially if you’re going from the East Coast,” said Fora travel adviser Amna Ismail. She noted that weather will still be great in these countries despite the fall season, compared to other cities, which makes them popular options.
People on the East Coast may have more options to fly nonstop to Europe, because of their proximity to Europe. “East Coast obviously is going to have better availability and pricing, probably under $400,” Ismail said, noting that “If you’re going from LAX [Los Angeles International Airport], you could probably look [to spend] around $500-700.”
To score cheaper European deals, people on the West Coast should also consider targeting Dublin, Ireland or London “just to get over to that area cheaply,” Nastro said, and then connecting to a low-cost carrier if there’s another European city you wish to visit.
Other Ways To Score A Great Bargain For Your Upcoming Holiday Flight
Beyond booking soon, there are other ways to fly cheaply to Europe in the upcoming holiday season.
Fly on the holiday itself.
Have Thanksgiving brunch with family and then jet off to Paris. If you fly on Thanksgiving, “you’re going to see, depending on where you’re going, regardless if it’s domestic or international, you’re going to see a savings range between 13 and 26%,” Nastro estimated.
Or fly the day before if you do a Western Europe flight.
If you dream of flying to Western European countries like Spain or France, you might also want to consider flying the day before to maximize your time off.
“A lot of those flights go overnight. You then get there on Thanksgiving Day itself, so you’re not taking off any days either,” Nastro said.
Flying can often be a headache with factors out of your control. You can’t always know when your plane will arrive and if your luggage will land with you, but you can help control how much you pay for a flight. And that kind of peace of mind can be priceless.
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