I've Always Planned Holiday Travel for My Family. Here Are 11 Things I've Learned Over the Years

If you’ve ever considered flying for the holidays, you know it can be expensive. Airfare prices for the year are expected to peak in December at an average cost of $283 per ticket, according to Hopper’s Q3 2024 Consumer Travel Index. 

For almost a decade, I lived on the opposite coast from most of my family, but I still made it a priority to be home for the holidays. And our cross-country airline tickets usually cost much more than $283 each. When we had our daughter, my husband and I had to learn how to save even more to afford another ticket for our holiday trip. 

While holiday travel will always be costly, there are ways to lower the price tag. After years of figuring out how to cut down on my family’s holiday travel expenses, I’ve got some tips to share. 

Read more: Traveling This Holiday Season? Here’s How to Get TSA PreCheck for Free

11 tips my family uses to save on holiday air travel

Whether you are visiting family for the holidays or want to celebrate the season somewhere special, air travel is expensive. Use these strategies to find the best deals on holiday airfare. 

1. Shop early

Sometimes it pays to wait for airfare prices to go down, but this isn’t true with holiday air travel. Prices for airline tickets during the holidays tend to just keep going up. Nail down your holiday air travel plans early, so you can buy tickets as soon as possible. 

2. Start saving in January

If you know you plan to travel home for the holidays, start saving early. Allocating a fund for your travels can help you spread out costs throughout the year. This way, your wallet will hurt less when you have to pay for airline tickets. 

Consider setting up a saving strategy by estimating airfare ahead of time. Let’s say you need to buy three tickets that you think will cost around $500 each. You need to save a total of $1,500. If you start saving in January, you can save enough by December if you set aside $125 per month. 

3. Use airline rewards

If you travel by plane a lot, it makes sense to stick to one airline and sign up for its rewards program. Many airlines also have credit cards where you can earn extra rewards. These rewards can be redeemed for airfare. 

Which airline rewards program will be best for you depends on where you fly from and where you tend to travel. 

Our family lived in Washington state for a long time and we most often traveled from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Since this is a hub for Alaska Airlines, we applied for its rewards credit card. This helped us earn the most miles to save money whenever we traveled by air. 

If you do get a travel credit card, look into which transfer partners it features. Point transfers let you convert your card’s rewards into airline miles, often worth more than had you redeemed them for travel through the card issuer. You can use those converted miles to book airfare at a lower price.

4. Search all nearby airports

If you live near multiple airports, check them all before booking a flight. Driving an extra hour to or from the airport can be worth it if you’re saving hundreds of dollars per ticket. 

We currently live closest to Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI), but there are two other airports in the DC area if we are willing to drive a bit further. I often check flights from all three airports to find the best deal. 

5. Shop sales and deals

Watch out for special deals that many airlines offer throughout the year, and use a discount or sale to book holiday travel. But beware of blackout dates during the holidays when promotions can’t be applied. 

With our Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card*, we can purchase tickets once a year using a buy one, get one deal and just pay the fees. We often saved this for holiday travel, as that saved us the most money. 

Southwest offers something similar. Qualifying rewards members earn a Companion Pass. This means one traveler can fly with you for just the cost of the fees. 

6. Be flexible with travel dates

Flying on the day before Thanksgiving or Christmas and leaving the day after are when prices are typically highest. Consider adjusting your arrival or departure days to save on airfare. 

If you work remotely, consider getting there a week or two before the holiday to avoid peak prices. If your dates aren’t flexible, think about arriving or leaving on the holiday. You can usually find a good deal if you are willing to fly on Christmas. 

7. Factor in bag costs

Not all airlines operate the same way when it comes to bag costs. For example, Southwest customers always get two checked bags for free. Delta charges $35 for your first checked bag and $45 for a second one. Keep in mind when comparing rates that some airlines, including Spirit Airlines, may charge for a carry-on bag.

Many airlines will give you free checked bags if you reach a certain rewards tier or offer it as a credit card perk. For example, our Alaska Airlines Visa Signature allows two free checked bags for anyone in our party. For noncardholders, the airline typically charges $35 for the first checked bag and $45 for the second. 

8. Get a ride 

Taking an Uber or parking at the airport can be expensive. If you have friends or family willing to drop you off and pick you up at the airport, you can save on some of these travel expenses. If it’s a long drive to the airport, offer to chip in for gas. You’ll likely still save on transportation costs. 

9. Borrow travel items

Purchasing a new suitcase or travel stroller can quickly make your trip more expensive.  Instead, ask friends or family if they have items you can borrow. You could also check thrift stores for used luggage at cheaper prices.

When our daughter was first born, we quickly realized that kids need quite a few travel items. Instead of purchasing expensive travel cribs and baby carriers, we tried to make do with what we had or borrowed items from friends. 

10. Pack your own food

This might not save you millions, but airport food can be expensive, and every little bit helps. Many travelers assume you can’t bring your own food into the airport, but you can. And packing your own food and snacks can help you avoid subpar airport meals and spending money. 

TSA regulations allow you to bring many food items through security, but there are a few rules:

• Liquids are allowed if they are 3.4 ounces or less. 
• Canned foods may require extra screening, so pack them in your checked bag or leave them at home.
• You can bring any amount of solid cheeses, but creamy cheeses are limited to 3.4 ounces or less.
• Fresh fruits and vegetables are allowed unless you are traveling from Hawaii, Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Islands to the mainland. 
• You are allowed to pack ice packs, but they must be completely frozen when you pass through security. 

Consult the TSA website for rules around other specific food items. 

11. Know your priorities

Sometimes convenience is worth the extra cost. Know what’s important to you. If there are ways to save money, but it makes your trip more stressful, it may be worth it to pay a bit more. 

Before we had a child, my husband and I were much more flexible. Now, options like getting a ride to the airport or booking a red-eye aren’t as convenient. When we had our daughter, we started driving our own car and booking airport parking services so we didn’t have to go through the hassle of lugging her car seat around. 

You may have different priorities, but there are probably conveniences you are willing to pay for. Save where you can and splurge on the things that really matter to you. 

*All information about the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature credit card has been collected independently by CNET and has not been reviewed by the issuer.