AAA says best holiday flight booking options start end of September

It’s still summer, but it’s never too early to start thinking about holiday travel plans and when to find the best deals. We looked into optimal travel periods for 2019, and it may be a good idea to start booking this weekend.

Nearly empty security lines at Southwest Florida International Airport will begin to fill up pretty soon, as the 2019 holiday season nears.

“I haven’t started thinking about holidays yet,” said Nicole Pasricha, who was traveling out of RSW. “I think it’s about time.

AAA says the time to start preparing is now, as the best flight options for the holidays become available starting at the end of September.

“The best time to buy your flights is going to be starting September 25 and booking by the end of October,” AAA spokesperson Jeanette Casselano.

AAA reports booking during this time period will give travelers the most flight options and some of the best deals.

“I think that’s probably right because I find that the prices kind of start to go up around October,” Pasricha said.

AAA said travelers can still catch good deals buying tickets closer to the holidays, as airlines look to fill the last few seats. AAA said the cheapest days to travel for Thanksgiving are the Monday prior and on Thanksgiving Day. AAA says Christmas Eve is the best day to travel for Christmas Day.

Travelers like Christopher Ficher learned from experience that waiting is risky when it comes to booking holiday plans.

“I priced tickets last year, and it was ridiculous. AI didn’t go anywhere for the holidays,” Ficher said. “They were over $2,000 just for me and my son to travel to Texas.”

That’s why some travelers have already booked their flights for this holiday season.

“It gets busy fast, and you get your best deal if you book your ticket early,” Susan Staker said at RSW.