Between the long lines, sold-out flights and sky-high airfare prices, holiday travel can be a stressful experience.
While there isn’t much to be done about the crowds and less you can do about getting bumped from your flight (something that Americans really, really despise), you can at least make some smart money moves when it comes to holiday travel.
Here are 8 top tips for saving money on your Thanksgiving odyssey:
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1. Set a fare alert
If you know where you’ll be traveling ahead of time, do yourself a favor and create an airfare alert for that destination on various search sites.
Travelers can save an average of 6% when creating airfare alerts to help them book tickets, said Kelly Soderlund, communications director at Hipmunk, a travel search company.
You can sign up for travel alerts at Hipmunk or other travel sites, including Skyscanner, Hopper and Airfarewatchdog.com.
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2. Check alternate airports
If you are flying to a large metropolitan area that’s serviced by more than one airport, be sure to check all of the airport options for your inbound and outbound flights. Smaller airports may reduce your ticket cost by as much as 14%. They may also be less congested, said Molly Cowen, travel expert at TravelPirates.
“Since many budget airlines fly out of smaller airports, a different airport in your region might have a cheaper route that you never even knew existed,” she said.
Check out this list of the least reliable airports in the U.S. to see if you can avoid delays by searching for nearby alternatives.
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3. Research when to book your ticket
The worst time to book your tickets are the weeks of November 12 and November 19. Tickets will likely be most expensive during these weeks, said Gracia Larrain, communications director at Skyscanner.
Larrain said that the day of the week you book also matters. It’s cheaper to book tickets to Atlanta on a Monday or a Friday. If you’re going to Chicago, you’ll want to book your ticket on Saturday, Sunday or Wednesday.
If you’re flying to Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco or Washington, D.C., book your ticket on a Friday to get the best deal. If you’re headed to Orlando, book your ticket on a Monday.
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4. Consider traveling on these days…
If you are flexible with travel days, booking flights the week before can save you money. Those who want to visit New York City for the holidays can save 42% by flying there between November 13 and November 17, as opposed to November 20 through November 24, said Larrain.
You can find similar savings for other destinations the week before Thanksgiving: Chicago (44%), Los Angeles (32%), Las Vegas (35%) and Orlando (54%).
Larrain said that the biggest price difference lies in flights to Miami, where ticket prices are 73% cheaper the week before Thanksgiving.
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5. …But not these ones
The most expensive days to travel (and usually the most popular), are the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Sunday after Thanksgiving, said Patrick Surry, chief data scientist at travel company Hopper.
“If you can avoid traveling on those days, you’ll be able to save,” he said.
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6. Don’t overlook basic economy seating
While there are certainly drawbacks to basic economy flights, such as being unable to select your seat and paying extra for nearly everything, there are also upsides to these fares. For one, they’re often substantially cheaper.
You can save an average of 13% by booking basic economy, said Soderlund.
There are a lot of nuanced differences between the major airlines. You can find out about them in this airline-by-airline guide.
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7. Consider alternative modes of transportation
A long-distance trip may require flying, but if you’re traveling a shorter distance, you may want to rethink your options.
“Driving or choosing a bus or train could potentially save you hundreds,” said Cowen.
If you are driving, consider looking around for a carpool buddy who is traveling to the same location. Cowen said that carpooling saves on gas money and is better for the environment then going it alone.
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8. Book a vacation rental
If you aren’t staying with family during the holiday, hotel rooms can be a pricey alternative. Booking a vacation rental instead can save you an average of 10%, said Soderlund.
Companies like Airbnb, HomeAway and VRBO provide cheaper prices, and sometimes include added amenities like fully-stocked kitchens and laundry machines, said Cowen.
“Save money with these amenities by cooking your own meals and doing laundry to limit the amount of clothes you need to pack,” she said.
It’s easy for travel expenses to quickly add up. Before you book your trip, check out these six things airlines don’t want you to know.
This article originally appeared on Policygenius and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org.
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
