Best Days to Fly for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's 2026 (and When to Book)

Learn the best and worst days to fly for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's, plus when to book to save on airfare.

Hosts Sally French and Meghan Coyle discuss the best days to fly and book around Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's to help you dodge crowds and save on holiday airfare this year. They break down why airfare has climbed so much in 2026, which travel days could be cheapest or most crowded for each holiday, how far in advance to book domestic and international holiday flights, the cheapest and most newly discounted destinations for holiday travel, and how to put expiring credit card credits to use before the year ends. They also share their favorite festive travel traditions, from Christmas markets in Berlin to a giant Peeps drop on New Year's Eve.

Then, they break down the latest travel headlines, including the American Express Platinum's newly renamed lodging credit and its Airbnb Luxe option, Airbnb's new limits on checkout chores and host fines, Bilt's 2027 program changes, a refresh and higher annual fee for the Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select card, free BlueFirst upgrades for JetBlue Mosaic members, and Hilton's new option to pay with points at checkout.

Join Sally and Meghan November 5th for a night of live Q&A, games (hint: brush up on those obscure travel credit card benefits), and mingling with fellow travelers! The drinks are on us. And yes, there are prizes, courtesy of some of the travel brands you already use. Meet other locals who love traveling with points and miles. RSVP required. Let us know if you’re coming and we’ll save you a spot. https://partiful.com/e/OOSMfQpFw9PPNn4Cat0H

Card benefits, terms and fees can change. For the most up-to-date information about cards mentioned in this episode, read our reviews:

American Express Platinum Review: Top-Notch Lounge Access, Big Credits

Chase Sapphire Reserve Review: A High-End, High-Maintenance Card

Chase Sapphire Preferred Review: Strong Option for Travel Rewards

Bilt Palladium Card: Rewards on Housing Are Almost Secondary

Bilt Obsidian Card: Fine for Foodies, Complex for Housing

Citi AAdvantage Platinum Card Review: Worth the Fee for Airline Loyalists

JetBlue Premier Review: $300 Credit, Lounge Access and More

Resources discussed in this episode:

Travel Inflation Report: October 2026

The Busiest Travel Days Around Thanksgiving in 2026

The Best Days to Travel Around Christmas In 2026

AmEx Adds Airbnb Perks, Restricts Platinum’s $600 Hotel Credit

Reasonable house rules and requests

Bilt Improves Bilt Cash, but Keeping 4% Back Takes Action

American Airlines Revamps Platinum Select Credit Card, Increases Annual Fee to $150

JetBlue Expands TrueBlue® Benefits for 2027, Bringing Space-Available Upgrades to All Mosaic® Members

Hilton Becomes First Major Hotel Brand to Offer Digital Solution to Pay with Points

What’s the Value of Hilton Points?

Want even more tips and tricks to get the most out of your travel dollars? Subscribe to TravelNerd, our free newsletter designed to help you crack the code on spending less on your travel.

*The show notes were created with the assistance of AI. They have been reviewed by our editorial team for accuracy and quality.

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