The three weeks of winter holidays between Christmas and New Year are the most expensive times of year to fly, domestically and internationally, according to Scott Keyes, the founder of Scott’s Cheap Flights.
“It's an expensive time of year to travel,” Keyes said. “But many folks don't necessarily realize that it's actually the most expensive three-week period of the entire year to travel.”
But, as Keyes pointed out, the prices for flights drop “virtually overnight.”
“Around January 7 or January 8, it goes from the most expensive time to travel to the least expensive time,” Keyes said.
Keyes attributes the higher prices in late December to early January to the demand for flights during that time period.
“You've got teachers, students, families who might only be able to travel during this kind of brief period. And that surge in demand during that three-week period really drives up fares,” he noted.
Alternatively, mid-January to February is one of the least popular times to travel, even to warm weather destinations, according to Keyes.
“So, you can actually find some stellar deals, even to popular places if you're willing to travel in January or February,” he said.
Keyes compared flights from Phoenix Sky Harbor to San Juan, Puerto Rico in December near the Christmas holiday to similar flights in mid-January.
“Flying over Christmas, a round-trip flight is going to be $975,” he said. “But that same trip just two weeks later in mid-January from Phoenix to San Juan in Puerto Rico [is] only $280 round trip.”
Similarly, Keyes looked at flights from Phoenix to New York around the New Year’s holiday, and then in late January to compare prices.
“Flights over New Year's are going to be $479 round trip if you want to fly nonstop, whereas flights just two weeks later in mid-January, only $198 nonstop round trip. And these are all on full-service airlines,” he said.
Airfare is one of “the most volatile purchases that we regularly make,” Keyes said, so he suggested booking flights three to six months in advance to secure the best prices. Last-minute flights are “pretty common” in January and February, but not as easy to come by during the holiday season.
“Last-minute, cheap flights over the Christmas holidays are extraordinarily rare,” Keyes said. “You want to try to book during a Goldilocks window.”