The best (and worst) day to fly for Thanksgiving

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When my cousin texted photos of her “backyard” in Hawaii (spoiler: it’s the beach) to our family group chat and asked if we wanted to visit for Thanksgiving, she got an immediate YES from everyone. Then we looked at flight prices.

A nonstop round-trip flight from New York City to Honolulu would cost me around $1,700 in basic economy — or $2,500 for a higher class with more legroom, which is what my lower back requires these days — if I flew out the weekend before Thanksgiving. And it’d be even more expensive than that for my family flying from Austin, Charlotte and Boston.

So we did what anyone desperate to make their tropical vacation a little cheaper would do: We decided the federally designated date for Thanksgiving didn’t matter all that much, and we bumped our trip up to the week before. Everyone saved a couple hundred bucks.

I know that’s not realistic for everyone; my grandmother would never have let us move the holiday around all willy-nilly. If that’s not an option for you, one thing you can likely do is fly on the cheapest days, which is what I’m doing for my return trip to New York.

Thanksgiving flights are always pricey. But this year, holiday airfare could hit a 10-year high. If you can, avoid flying on the weekend before: Kayak says that Friday and Saturday were the most expensive days to fly last year, and Expedia reports the Sunday after Thanksgiving is the most expensive day to come home.

So, when should you go? If your schedule’s flexible and you can fly on a weekday, go on Monday, Nov. 23. Expedia, Hopper and Going all say that’s the cheapest day to fly, unless you’re willing to travel on Thanksgiving Day, which, according to Kayak, could be the least expensive day of all. And if your schedule allows, venture home the following Monday, Nov. 30, or Tuesday, Dec. 1.

Just don’t count on a last-minute price drop; Hopper recommends booking by the end of October. So while hand-tailoring your dog’s Halloween costume (just me?) is important, don’t get so distracted that you forget to find the best deal.