Flying for the Holidays? Book Your Flight This Week

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Buy tickets by the weekend to save the most on flights for the holidays.

That is the advice of travel website Orbitz. This week, fares for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve 2015 are all as cheap as they’ll get before the holidays, according to Orbitz’s analysis of its booking data.

Jeanenne Tornatore, a senior editor for the travel website, tells CNBC:

“This early week in October is when prices are dipping the most before they head back up as we get close to the holidays. …

“Book your holiday airfare sooner than later because once you hit mid-October you are only going to see those prices continue to rise.”

More people plan to travel for at least one of the big three year-end holidays this year, Orbitz found.

Those travelers include 71 percent of adults under age 65, a 6 percent increase from last year. About 30 percent of them have already booked a flight or hotel for at least one year-end holiday.

Alas, the best day to book for Thanksgiving has passed — that was Tuesday, according to Orbitz. But the best day to book for Christmas is Friday, and the best day to book for New Year’s Eve is Saturday.

If you can’t book a holiday flight this week, note that Orbitz forecasts that the last day on which you can book one for a below-average fare is:

  • Nov. 14 for Thanksgiving flights
  • Nov. 8 for Christmas flights
  • Dec. 2 for New Year’s Eve flights

To save more money on your next flight, visit the Money Talks News Solutions Center, where you can find help finding the perfect frequent-flyer or other rewards credit card.

Have you booked a flight for later this year? Do you plan to do so? Let us know where you’re heading and how much you paid below or on Facebook.

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