Holiday Travel Tips: 4 Ways to Save

It’s that time of year again. Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and Christmas is creeping closer every day. If you’re like me, you avoid holiday travel at all costs. But for many in the PerkStreet community, traveling is a necessity if you want to spend time with friends and family.

It’s a well-known fact that the holidays are one of the priciest times to travel. But there are still ways to save money, even if you have’t yet bought your ticket. I’ve rounded up some holiday travel tips so you can get together without breaking the bank.

Holiday Travel Tip #1 – Avoid Peak Days

Thanksgiving has two distinct peak days, while Christmas is slightly more spread out. This is due to the time constraints of vacation days from work. People generally like to travel the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Sunday after. You can save almost 50% by changing your travel days slightly.

In 2011, a round trip flight from LA to NYC that departed on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and returned the Sunday after on Delta Airlines was costing customers up to $1,230 per person. The same flight, booked to depart Thanksgiving morning and returning the Saturday after averaged between $509 and $619. Having a flexible travel schedule can save you some serious dough!

There are also what the airlines call “dead weeks,” which fall between the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. Due to the lack of business trips during this time, there is much less demand for air travel. You could find really great deals on flights and hotels if you’re willing to visit family between holidays.

Holiday Travel Tip #2 – Find a Package Deal

Never underestimate the power of travel deal sites. If you’re flexible with your travel plans, you can use Priceline to bid on your flight and hotel. Before you log on to bid, check out our post about Better Bidding, so you can get the best deal possible.

Other sites, like Hotwire and Kayak, search hotel and flight prices for you and present you with the best deals. Kayak even has a calendar to show you the days that the cheapest fares are found for your destination.

Holiday Travel Tip #3 – Mail Your Gifts Ahead

Many people may not think of this, but with the rising cost of luggage fees and tightened security, it’s a must-do for any holiday travelers. Bag fees vary by airline, but even if you fly an airline that has a free first checked bag, there’s an average cost of $35-$75 for a second bag, and $100 and up for three or more bags. That’s for each bag, by the way.

Shipping or mailing your gifts ahead of time will save you money and stress. You can purchase flat rate boxes from the USPS, or ship via UPS or FedEx. Plus, you’ll have the peace of mind knowing your gifts will arrive safely (and insurance if they don’t).

Holiday Travel Tip #4 – Advice from a PerkStreeter

Of course, not everyone needs to fly to a far away destination for the holidays. If your family and friends are close to home, you can plan a cost effective get together which may better fit into your budget. Tori K. says,

“When planning a family trip think close to home. Is there a dear friend you haven’t seen in a while? Are they busy? Do you have family within driving distance you could visit? Are there people that could come to you? Our family has a close friend that we see every year about halfway between Thanksgiving and Christmas. She lives 4 hours away so we take turns which house we will be at each year. We cook food at home and enjoy visits to parks and museums. We have ‘vacation’ fun without the huge bill.“