It may only be August, but it's time to start thinking about booking your flight home for the holidays (opens in new tab) already.
Whether you plan on traveling this Thanksgiving (opens in new tab), Christmas, or New Year's Eve (or all three!), the experts at KAYAK (opens in new tab), the fare aggregator and travel search site, crunched the numbers to determine the best dates to find deals for travel between November 18 and January 3.
RELATED STORY
Flying from East Coast? Now's the time to book your holiday flights. KAYAK says they start seeing a decrease in median airfare after July 31 typically.
Flying from the West Coast? June and July are historically the months when airfare for the holiday season is at its highest. For the best deals, you'll want to wait until after September 4 to book your flights, according to KAYAK.
Check out more flight deals at Expedia. (opens in new tab)
Flying from the Southwest? If you're looking for flights from airports in the Southwest this holiday season, wait to book until after August 16. According to KAYAK, this is historically when they've seen median airfare start to decrease.
Flying to Europe? If it's always been a dream of yours to visit Europe (opens in new tab)'s Christmas markets you still have plenty of time to find amazing deals for flights across the pond. While airfares start to decline from now until the end of September and mid-October, if you wait to book your flights until October 10, you're likely to find the best deals about six to eight weeks ahead of your travel dates, according to KAYAK.
RELATED STORY
Read more about Christmas travel at TripAdvisor. (opens in new tab)
But remember, if you see an airfare that fits your budget earlier than these dates, just go ahead and book it.
Methodology: KAYAK pulled internal data based on all coach, roundtrip flights from the U.S. with search dates between January 1 and November 17, 2016 for travel dates of November 18, 2016 to January 3, 2017.
Follow Marie Claire on F (opens in new tab)acebook (opens in new tab) for the latest celeb news, beauty tips, fascinating reads, livestream video, and more.
Lyndsey Matthews is the Destination News Editor for AFAR; previously she was a Lifestyle Editor across all of Hearst Digital Media's brands, and a digital editor at Martha Stewart Weddings and Travel + Leisure.
-
Fashion Test Drive: Bottega Veneta's Andiamo Bag
The bucket list bag for work or travel.
By Sara Holzman
-
Royal Fans Are Swooning Over a Resurfaced Video of Prince William's Romantic Gesture Towards Kate
Love them.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Prince William and Princess Kate Are Super Compatible, According to an Astrologer
Well, duh.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
The Ultimate Guide to Paris
Where to stay and what to do in the City of Lights.
By Sara Holzman
-
The 17 Best Luggage Sets of 2023
BRB, setting my "out of office" message.
By Emma Childs
-
The 14 Best Overnight and Weekender Bags for Women, According to Editors and Experts
In case you needed another reason to be pumped about your trip.
By Julia Marzovilla
-
Weekend Guide to the North Fork: Where To Stay, Eat, & Drink
Wine, oysters, and more wine please.
By Sara Holzman
-
13 Romantic Weekend Getaways For Every Kind of Couple
Find love in all the right places.
By Sara Holzman
-
The Instagram Guide to the Galápagos Islands
For special experiences with beautiful wildlife, skip the safari and hop on a boat to the Galápagos Islands.
By Michelle Stansbury
-
The Instagram Guide to Rome, Italy
Beyond the tourist sites, experience Rome through la dolce vita—extraordinary food, art, and beauty.
By Michelle Stansbury
-
The Instagram Guide to Albuquerque, New Mexico
This Southwest gem is home to white sands, hot air balloons, and even wine country.
By Laura Studarus