Skiplagged Editorial Team · Last updated November 10, 2026
Still sorting out Thanksgiving? Whether you’re flying home or planning a getaway, you have more options than you think. Last-minute flights tend to be expensive, but a few simple moves can help you save, starting with the day you fly.
Key takeaways
- Fly on Thanksgiving. Last year, flights on Thanksgiving Day were the cheapest of the holiday week, 23% less than the Wednesday before.
- Avoid a Sunday return. The Sunday after Thanksgiving cost about 68% more than the Wednesday before. Flying home on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving (Dec 1) cost about half as much as that Sunday.
- Book ahead if you can. If you can’t, check skiplagging fares. Booking a few weeks out usually costs less than booking last minute. If you have to book late, skiplagging fares can still turn up a deal when you travel with just a carry-on.
Is it too late to book Thanksgiving flights?
No. Last year, booking a week before the flight cost only 11% more than booking a month ahead. It’s when you wait until the week of Thanksgiving to book your flight that prices skyrocket: fares booked in the six days leading up to the flight cost nearly twice as much.
Here’s what Thanksgiving travelers paid last year depending on when they booked, compared with booking four weeks before their flight.
Source: Skiplagged bookings for Thanksgiving travel, Nov 22–Dec 2, 2025. Median fare paid per traveler, same routes and ticket types.
The jump happens because airlines sell each flight in price tiers. As a flight fills up, the cheaper tiers sell out, and the seats left in the final days are usually the most expensive ones. (Our guide to how airline pricing works goes deeper.) So if Thanksgiving is still a week or two away, you haven’t missed it. Just don’t wait until next week.
What are the cheapest days to fly over the Thanksgiving holiday?
Thanksgiving Day itself (Thursday, Nov 26) was one of the two cheapest days to fly last year, as was the Monday before (Nov 23).
Flying on the holiday is easier than it sounds. Going home for dinner? Depending on your route, an early Thursday morning flight can get you to the table on time, and last year it cost up to 23% less than flying Wednesday. Just put some of those savings toward dessert. Skipping the family plans this year? Thanksgiving is one of the cheapest days to start a long weekend away.
The Wednesday before Thanksgiving is one of the most popular days to fly out, but if you can be more flexible with your dates, you can save money on flights. The chart below compares each day with that Wednesday (below the dotted line costs less, above it costs more).
Source: Skiplagged bookings for Thanksgiving travel, Nov 22–Dec 2, 2025 and Nov 23–Dec 3, 2024. Median fare paid per traveler by departure day, same routes. 2026 dates fall on the same days relative to Thanksgiving.
When should you fly home after Thanksgiving?
Fly back on Tuesday, Dec 1, if you can, and avoid Sunday, Nov 29, which is typically the most expensive day to fly.
Compared with the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, coming home on the Saturday after cost 37–40% more, the Sunday after 68–69% more, and the Monday after 12–19% more. The Tuesday after cost 12–15% less.
Airline pricing assumes everyone heads home on Sunday. If you can work from your parents’ couch on Monday and fly Tuesday, the fare rewards you for it.
Can a nearby airport get you there for less?
Often, yes. Searching every airport within driving distance of where you’re leaving from and where you’re going shows you more flights and more prices.
These metro areas have more than one major airport:
- New York: JFK, LaGuardia (LGA), Newark (EWR)
- Chicago: O’Hare (ORD), Midway (MDW)
- Washington DC: Reagan National (DCA), Dulles (IAD), Baltimore/Washington (BWI)
- San Francisco Bay Area: SFO, Oakland (OAK), San José (SJC)
- Los Angeles: LAX, Burbank (BUR), Long Beach (LGB), Orange County (SNA), Ontario (ONT)
- South Florida: Miami (MIA), Fort Lauderdale (FLL), Palm Beach (PBI)
Before you switch, add up the drive, parking or rideshare. A slightly lower fare isn’t worth a two-hour drive each way.
Does traveling carry-on only help you save?
Yes. With only a carry-on, you skip checked-bag fees and can book skiplagging fares, a great last-minute travel hack. Roughly 4 in 10 of our holiday bookings made 0–2 days before the flight were skiplagging fares, compared with about 1 in 10 of those made five to eight weeks ahead.
Tips for skiplagging over Thanksgiving.
Here’s how skiplagging (hidden-city ticketing) works. Sometimes a flight that connects through your destination costs less than a flight to it. You book the longer itinerary, get off at your layover and skip the last leg. A few rules matter:
- Book a one-way skiplagging ticket. Skipping a leg usually cancels the rest of the ticket, including any return.
- Bring a carry-on only. Checked bags go to the final city on your ticket. A bag that fits under the seat can’t be gate-checked to the final city either.
- Plan for reroutes. Airlines sometimes reroute flights during the holidays, which can change your connecting city (aka your destination). Trips booked through Skiplagged are backed by the Skiplagged Guarantee, which covers certain disruptions, including route changes and missed connections.
Our guide to hidden-city travel covers the rest.
How to check your Thanksgiving options in five minutes.
- Search a range of dates. Look at Tuesday, Nov 24 through Tuesday, Dec 1, not one fixed pair of days.
- Price Thanksgiving Day. Check Thursday, Nov 26, and the Monday before, Nov 23.
- Pick a Tuesday return. Put Tuesday, Dec 1 next to your Sunday option.
- Add a nearby airport. Try one more airport at each end of the trip.
- Try carry-on only. If you can pack light, look at skiplagging fares on the same route.
Frequently asked questions
Is it cheaper to fly on Thanksgiving Day?
Yes. In Skiplagged booking data, flying on Thanksgiving Day cost 23% less than flying the Wednesday before in 2025, and 13% less in 2024, on the same routes. The Monday before Thanksgiving was almost as cheap. In 2026, Thanksgiving Day is Thursday, Nov 26.
What is the most expensive day to fly around Thanksgiving?
The Sunday after Thanksgiving was the most expensive day to fly in Skiplagged booking data in both 2024 and 2025. It cost 68–69% more than the Wednesday before, on the same routes. In 2026, that Sunday is Nov 29. The Tuesday after cost about half as much.
Does the day of the week you book a flight matter?
No. In Skiplagged’s holiday booking data, no booking weekday was more than about 2% above or below average, and Wednesday versus Sunday showed no measurable difference. Google found the same: about 1.4%. The day you fly matters far more than the day you book.
How far ahead should you book Thanksgiving flights?
In Skiplagged booking data, Thanksgiving fares were lowest when booked 14 to 41 days before departure. For a Thanksgiving Day flight, that’s about mid-October to mid-November. Fares booked in the final six days cost 88–96% more than fares booked four to five weeks ahead.
Bottom line
Late doesn’t mean out of options. Fly on Thanksgiving, avoid a Sunday return, and book ahead if you can. Booking last minute? Pack a carry-on and check skiplagging fares.
How we measured this
We used Skiplagged bookings for Thanksgiving travel on Nov 23–Dec 3, 2024 and Nov 22–Dec 2, 2025. Each figure compares the median fare paid per traveler on the same routes and ticket types, so a change in where people flew can’t skew the result. We show percentages, not prices, because fares change from year to year. Data as of Oct 27, 2026.
