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When is the best time to buy airline tickets for the upcoming holidays?

The biggest travel dates for the remainder of the year are Thanksgiving and Christmas, and also the busiest. When is the best time to secure your tickets?

The best time to buy airline tickets for the holidays
LINDSEY WASSONREUTERS

The best time to book trips for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays starts now and won’t last long, according to travel experts. Prices fluctuate between three and five months before the holidays, which means that on those dates the offers improve and prices are reduced.

“Ahead of time, airfare changes a lot in a way that’s unpredictable,” said Scott Keyes, founder of travel deals site Going.com speaking with CBS. “Some days it’s up, some days it’s down, whereas in the close booking period, last-minute tickets move in one direction, and that’s up.”

Keyes said travelers have a couple more weeks to get good deals: “I wouldn’t put it off later than mid-October,” he said. Don’t wait any longer to book a Thanksgiving trip. “Now is the sweet spot,” added Hayley Berg, chief economist at flight search site Hopper.

You may be interested in: What days of the week are more expensive to book vacations?

Avoid booking at the last minute

One of the most important parts when planning an outing is the period prior to your trip and anticipating the organization. Avoid booking at the last minute, which is considered up to six weeks before you set off on your trip, is something that all travel agencies and companies recommend.

“Prices really spike during that last month before the holiday. They tend to get significantly pricier,” said market specialist Keyes.