Travelers heading out on fall flights say the cheaper, post-pandemic fares seem to be disappearing.
"I can't remember the last time I found a trip for under $200," traveler Julia Evans said.
Frequent flier Samir Patel says fares are out of control; "Even short one-hour trips are like $500, $600," he said.
The newest government consumer price index confirms those suspicions, finding that airfares overall are up 5.9% from August 2024 to August 2025.
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With that in mind, now is the time to start setting price alerts for holiday flights to avoid overpaying around Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Watch a travel expert show the best times to book your flight for the lowest price:
Key time to book holiday flights
Getting the best deal on a holiday flight means not booking too early – or too late, according to Clint Henderson, travel expert with the rewards and travel site The Points Guy.
Henderson recommends booking:
- Thanksgiving flights by the end of September
- December holiday flights before Halloween
"Once we get to Halloween, prices will go up astronomically every day from then on," Henderson said. "So, you do want to get ahead of the curve."
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Right now, airfare around the holidays is up 6% to 7% compared to last year, but Henderson says prices will fall between now and October.
"You get a lot of people who are early birds who are already booking, and so prices are artificially inflated," Henderson said.
More travel savings
For the biggest savings, Henderson recommends travelers:
- Set price alerts with their favorite fare tracker
- Book when prices drop
- Be flexible with travel dates
- Rebook later if prices drop – but that is a tactic that won't work with basic economy fares
We also wanted to know – is it worth asking an AI chatbot like ChatGPT for help? According to Henderson, the technology isn't quite ready yet.
"It doesn't do a very good job finding cash deals or points and miles deals. It's just not there yet, however, I always say use every tool in the toolbox," Henderson said.
Leo Stanger is booking holiday flights for his family now to avoid stress later.
"I always book three months early, if possible," Stanger said. "They say if they go down, you are better off, but I don't want to take the chance."
So start looking now and set fare alerts on Google, Kayak, or similar tracking sites so you don't waste your money.
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