11 Smart Moves: Cheapest Day to Fly for Christmas (And the Day to Avoid)

8. Book in the sweet spot: roughly 51 days before departure

Timing your booking can matter as much as choosing the right travel day. Google Flights analysis reported in USA Today and other outlets identifies a common booking window for holiday travel: about 32–73 days before departure, with a useful midpoint near 51 days out. Booking around that timeframe often gives you enough inventory to compare prices without paying early-bird premiums or waiting until last-minute fare spikes hit. For example, if you plan to depart around December 20–26, start serious monitoring in early to mid-October and aim to lock in a fare by late October or early November. Use the flexible-date calendar in Google Flights to see how fares change across a range of days, and set alerts so you can act if a price drop occurs within that sweet spot. Keep in mind that earlier booking helps for very popular routes or holiday weekends, while some off-peak routes may offer good deals even closer to departure.