Oct 22, 2026

7 Booking Tricks To Make Your Holiday Vacation Way Cheaper

Anyone who has flown home to see Grandma for Christmas knows end-of-year travel is notoriously expensive.

How expensive, you ask? One Reddit user anecdotally reported an increase of six times the price of airfare over Christmas and New Years 2025 compared to nonpeak travel times later in January 2026! And that’s before factoring in food, lodging and car rentals.

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There are, however, a few clever tricks to help you save money on holiday travel — and they all stem from how your vacation is booked. Here are seven booking tricks to make your holiday vacation way cheaper (so you can put those extra savings toward Black Friday deals instead):

1. Use Miles and Points

Individual companies behind most major travel industries (airlines, hotels, trains, car rentals) issue loyalty currency in the form of miles and points that can be redeemed in place of cash. So, if you’ve accrued points that are just sitting there, use them for holiday travel.

Plus, James Larounis, travel industry analyst at Upgraded Points, said that, if fares subsequently drop, “most programs allow travelers to re-book free of charge and receive whatever the lower rate is.”

2. Travel on the Holiday Itself

“Holiday flights are rigid,” said president at International Citizens Insurance, Joe Cronin. “People need to be home by a certain date so airlines know demand will hold even at high prices. The trick is finding the small window where that logic breaks down.”

One of these windows? The day of. Book a flight directly on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day or New Years Day when most travelers will already be at their destinations. You’ll save 15%-20% versus traveling at peak times.

3. Travel Off-Peak

If you don’t wish to fly on the holiday itself, travel a couple days before and/or after the holiday when demand is still low. Melanie Fish, a travel expert at Expedia Group, said the cheapest day to fly in 2026 during the Thanksgiving holiday is Monday, November 23; the cheapest days to fly during the Christmas holiday are December 24 and December 28; the cheapest day to fly around New Year' s is December 30.

4. Catch 'Saver Fares'

Cronin said that airlines typically release a limited number of basic economy “saver fares” at a discounted rate two to three months out. For Thanksgiving, these fares are released in September. For Christmas and New Years, these fares are released in October. Catch them before they sell out!

5. Lock in Rates Early — And Make Sure They’re Refundable

No one needs to tell you that prices increase the closer you get to the holidays so do your best to book your trip a few months out for cheaper rates. Herman Hartanto, founder of Tampa Fast Home Buyer, recommended taking this one step further and locking in refundable rates for airlines and hotels. That way, if you come across a promotional price drop as the weeks go on, you can re-book for the lower rate.

6. Book a Layover

Layovers are a hassle, but trips with stopovers are typically cheaper than direct flights.

“A one-stop flight on a lower-demand route can run half the price of a nonstop during peak weeks,” said Cronin.

7. Book a 'New Listing' on Vrbo or Airbnb

When booking a vacation rental, hosts typically offer reduced prices on new listings to attract their first guests. Fish recommended using the “New Listing Discount” filter on the apps to find the best rates. You’ll typically save 20% per night during the listing’s first 90 days.

This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.

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Written by

Cara Danielle Brown

A graduate of Northwestern University's School of Communications, Cara has worked in both publishing and Hollywood as a journalist, essayist, and script writer. Recent bylines include Variety, Travel & Leisure, Huffington Post, Shondaland, MSN, Cosmopolitan, and Yahoo! Finance.For her work as a script writer, she was awarded the Humanitas New Voices Prize for her nuanced writing on the human condition; an award Barbra Walters once called The Pulitzer Prize of American Television. In her spare time, she enjoys discovering new restaurants, meeting new and interesting people, and snuggling every dog and cat in a 10-mile radius.

Edited by

Brendan McGinley

Brendan McGinley is a New York-based editor and writer.