Best tips and practices to stretch your vacation dollars

NEW YORK (WABC) — The holiday season is just weeks away and if you’re planning to hit the roads, rails or sky, experts say the ideal booking window is now.

Travel expert Katy Nastro joined Eyewitness News with a few tips to help travelers get the best bang for their buck.

When to book your trip:

The most ideal time to book your winter getaway is during the summer months, according to Nastro. While most people are not thinking about winter during the peak of summer, booking a trip months in advance will help alleviate some of the financial strain that comes with booking closer to a travel date.

“Take advantage of some deals that are still available like New York to LA — if you have friends and family over there. $283 round trip; so below $300, which is a good price,” Nastro said.

Travel windows to avoid:

When it comes to holidays like Thanksgiving, there are some dates that experts suggest travelers avoid.

Nastro highlighted the Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving as bad travel days.

“Those typically, on average, are the most expensive and busiest. As well as that Sunday after the Thanksgiving holiday. It is, on record, according to the TSA, the single busiest day out of the entire year,” she added.

Nastro said the best travel outcomes are usually presented to those who are more flexible with dates. She also suggested traveling on actual holidays to save money on airline prices.

Ideal holiday travel destinations:

While many travelers use this time to reconnect with family at home over turkey, others are looking for destinations that might offer an alternative to the typical holiday celebrations.

According to Nastro, Thanksgiving week is the most ideal time to travel internationally.

“You can take advantage of having your turkey dinner and then hopping on a flight to say, New York to London for only $393 roundtrip. Even cheaper: Paris. $365 roundtrip and these are on full service airlines that you can take advantage of,” she said.

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