Coloradans already booking holiday travel, AAA says

The first day of fall is Sunday and after a record-breaking summer travel season, Coloradans are already beginning to make travel plans for the year-end and cold-weather holidays.

A new AAA survey released Wednesday says more than half of all Coloradans (55%) plan to take an overnight vacation between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day.

Forty percent of Coloradans begin booking their year-end trips before September, while nearly half of all bookings are started from September to October. Only a small percentage of folks wait until the last minute to book in November (7%) and December (5%).

“With red-hot travel demand, there’s no such thing as a last-minute deal,” Regional Director of Public Affairs for AAA Skyler McKinley, said. “To get the best value, with the most options, you’ll want to book before October. Wait too long, and not only will you pay for the privilege, you’ll be forced to take what you can get.”

Thanksgiving booking trends

• More than two-thirds of Colorado travelers (67%) are planning a trip with at least one overnight stay for Thanksgiving. According to the survey, 60% of them will have already finalized their travel plans before October.

Tips for booking flights during Thanksgiving week

• The busiest travel days will be Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday of Thanksgiving week. Consider booking a flight Sunday or Monday before Thanksgiving and Saturday after the holiday. Airport lines should be shorter, and flights should have more availability.

Christmas booking trends

• More than three-quarters of Colorado travelers (77%) are planning a trip with at least one overnight stay for Christmas. According to the survey, only 12% of them will wait until December to book their Christmas vacation(s).

• The most popular months to book are September (30%) and November (21%). A fifth (20%) will book in October. 15% of Coloradans booked in August or earlier.

Tips for booking flights for Christmas

• Most travelers prefer to be settled at their destination by Christmas Eve. Christmas Day falls on a Wednesday in 2024, and travelers should expect longer lines at the airport during the weekend, especially the Monday before the holiday.

AAA’s advice for booking a flight

• Book early for the best combination of price and availability. Most travelers want to skip layovers and get right to their destination. Nonstop flights, especially those going cross-country and internationally, will fill up fast.

• Book a direct flight that leaves early in the morning. Afternoon and evening flights are more susceptible to delays/cancellations due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances. Connecting flights multiply the risk of something going wrong.

Budget time for delays

• Consider traveling a day or two earlier than planned. Even if you face delays, you are still likely to arrive on time.

• If your flight has connections, build in a couple hours between flights. This way, if your first flight is delayed, you are less likely to miss your second one.

• You’re likely packing too much. Do you really need a checked bag? You can minimize the risk of missing a flight or losing a bag by traveling with carry-on luggage only.

Winter weather’s impact on air travel

• Air travel becomes less predictable as weather patterns change, causing cascading flight cancellations, even affecting passengers in warmer environs. AAA urges travelers to consider travel insurance, which provides financial compensation if your flight is affected by covered reasons that are often whether-triggered.

“More and more, there are moments when we all wish we could control the weather,” McKinley said. “Short of that, at least consider travel insurance, so you’ve got someone on your side when weather controls your vacation – or lack of one. Good travel insurance will make you whole for lost or delayed luggage, flight cancellations, and flight delays of as little as three hours.”