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When To Book Holiday 2025 Flights for the Biggest Savings, by Region

November 3, 2025

3 min Read

Written by Gabrielle Olya

Edited by Molly Sullivan

Christmas tree and holiday decorations in terminal 4 at the John F. Kennedy International Airport or JFK stock photo

Tanaonte / iStock.com

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The holiday season will be here before you know it, which means it’s time to start planning for holiday travel if you’ll be heading out of town. Flying during Thanksgiving and Christmas time can be pricey, but if you choose your days strategically, you can find savings opportunities.

“Flying on the holiday itself continues to be the best bang for your buck when it comes to holiday travel,” Katy Nastro, a Going travel expert, said in a press release. “However, it’s not the only option for savings. Depending on where flyers are heading this year, just shifting their dates by as little as one day before can help save up to 19%, which can add up for families.”

Going’s research uncovered the cheapest travel days for each region — here’s when to book flights for the biggest savings depending on where you’re going.

Cheapest Days To Fly for Thanksgiving 2025, by US Region

The most expensive departure date is the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, Nov. 26, with average one-way fares of $756. Here are the most affordable departure dates by region:

Midwest

Cheapest date: Nov. 27
% savings: 15.3%
2nd cheapest date: Nov. 24
% savings: 13%

Northeast

Cheapest date: Nov. 27
% savings: 16.5%
2nd cheapest date: Nov. 24
% savings: 6.9%

Southeast

Cheapest date: Nov. 27
% savings: 16.7%
2nd cheapest date: Nov. 24
% savings: 13.4%

Southwest

Cheapest date: Nov. 24
% savings: 19.9%
2nd cheapest date: Nov. 27
% savings: 12.3%

West Coast

Cheapest date: Nov. 17
% savings: 15.4%
2nd cheapest date: Nov. 26
% savings: 4.6%

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Cheapest Days To Fly for Christmas 2025, by US Region

The most expensive departure date during Christmas time is the Saturday before the holiday, Dec. 20, with average one-way fares of $905. You can save big by choosing one of these alternatives: