11 Smart Moves: Cheapest Day to Fly for Christmas (And the Day to Avoid)
Traveling for Christmas comes with one big question: when should you fly to spend the least on airfare without sacrificing too much convenience? Data from multiple travel authorities points to a clear winner. Christmas Day—December 25—has consistently been the least crowded travel day during the holiday week, and that lower demand often translates into lower fares. At the same time, the days immediately before and after Christmas drive the most demand and feature the steepest price spikes. This guide gives you a practical playbook: the exact day most likely to save money, the days to avoid when possible, and the booking moves that increase your chances of getting a deal. The recommendations below use travel-industry findings from NerdWallet, Google Flights (reported by USA Today), Expedia, and TSA passenger trends. They balance savings with real-world trade-offs like spending holiday time in an airport or adding a short overnight to avoid peak fares. Read through the numbered tips and pick the combination that fits your schedule—whether you need a full round-trip plan or a single cheap outbound leg. As of September 2025, these patterns held across multiple years of data and are the best available guidance for planning December travel.
