7 key mistakes to avoid when planning your holiday travel

Though we’re still a few weeks away from Thanksgiving feasts and festive holiday music filling store aisles, now is the perfect time to start planning your holiday travel—especially when it comes to securing flights.

To avoid paying inflated prices for your holiday journey, it’s best to book your flights early. Based on a seasonal forecast from Google Flights, aim to lock in your Thanksgiving airfare by early October and your Christmas or New Year's tickets by late October.

But booking early isn’t the only thing to consider when finalizing your year-end travel plans, whether you’re headed home for Thanksgiving or planning a skiing trip to the mountains in December. The type of ticket you choose, your travel dates, and even the credit card you use to finalize your booking all play crucial roles in shaping your overall experience.

One of the most frequent errors is delaying flight bookings. Here are seven more mistakes to avoid when planning your 2024 holiday travel.

Mistake 1: Not being flexible with your travel dates

Rigid travel plans can prevent you from securing the lowest possible airfare.

For those of us tied to full-time, in-person jobs or family members with school and work schedules, flexibility is often more challenging—especially during the short Thanksgiving break.

Any step you take to broaden your airfare search can make a big difference, though.

Imagine I’m a college student or young professional in Washington, D.C., who needs to head back to Austin for Thanksgiving.

Given my schedule, I might feel like I need to depart from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) — the closest airport to me — no earlier than 4 p.m. on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and return the following Sunday.

With all those conditions in mind, the least expensive nonstop flight I can find is a hefty $858 on Southwest Airlines, based on a quick search through Google Flights.

Now, watch what happens if I adjust my schedule and expand my search to include all airports in the Washington, D.C. area.

Here’s a round-trip flight for just $564 — still with Southwest — departing from Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI). It leaves on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, but earlier in the day; and it still returns on Sunday, though with a layover to save a couple of hundred dollars.

That’s a 34% savings simply by loosening up my plans a bit, though always keep in mind that adding a layover during a peak travel period requires careful consideration.

Any flexibility you can find in your travel plans can pay off—whether it’s adjusting your departure day or, for the truly flexible, flying from a different location with cheaper fares.

Mistake 2: Traveling on the busiest days

In both 2019 and 2023, the Transportation Security Administration recorded all-time highs for passenger traffic at checkpoints.

This summer, those records were shattered multiple times, with nine of the 10 busiest TSA days ever occurring between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

We can expect the same this Thanksgiving, especially on the Sunday following the holiday, as millions of travelers make their way home.

Since airfare prices are driven by supply and demand, the most expensive flights are often found on the busiest travel days around major holidays. The more you can avoid those peak times, the better your chances for finding a better price.

For Thanksgiving, the booking app Hopper recommends flying on the Monday before the holiday or earlier. To avoid the heaviest crowds and highest return fares, the app suggests two options: fly home on Black Friday right after the holiday or on the following Monday after Thanksgiving.

Likewise, you can save money by skipping peak travel days during Christmas. According to Hopper, New Year's Eve is one of the best days to fly this year.

Another way to save—without extending your trip—is to fly to your destination on the actual holiday (Thanksgiving or Christmas). With so many travelers already at their destination, the crowds are typically lighter, and this often leads to lower prices.

Mistake 3: Forgetting to set an airfare alert

Booking your holiday flights now is ideal. However, if your plans are still up in the air or you’re not quite ready to commit, the worst thing you can do is put it off and simply think, "I'll check again in a few weeks."

Several websites offer services that will notify you about changes in airfare prices.

Let’s say I’m planning to book a Christmas flight from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Denver International Airport (DEN), but I’m not ready to commit to the $379 round-trip fare on United Airlines just yet. In that case, I’ll use Google Flights' "Track prices" feature.

Once I activate this feature, Google Flights will keep an eye on any price fluctuations for my chosen itinerary and send me email alerts if there are any changes.

Mistake 4: Choosing the wrong credit card

A common mistake travelers make is using the wrong credit card when booking a flight, hotel, or other trip-related expenses.

There are a few key things to consider when selecting the right card. You might want to choose one that offers the best rewards for airline or hotel purchases, or perhaps a card that will help you earn elite status as the year draws to a close.

However, the most crucial factor is using a card with travel insurance benefits. Many cards offer reimbursements for covered trip cancellations, interruptions, or other emergencies. Using the right card could save you hundreds if you’re stranded and forced to book an unexpected hotel stay.

In fact, credit cards with travel insurance benefits may cover expenses even if your flight is canceled due to weather—something airlines usually don’t reimburse for.

However, there’s an important condition: You usually need to book all parts of the trip with the same card to qualify for insurance coverage.

We’ve heard from numerous TPG readers who successfully filed a trip insurance claim with their card issuer after a cancellation and an unexpected hotel stay. However, they later realized they had booked their flight with a different card, meaning they weren’t eligible for reimbursement.

Mistake 5: Redeeming too many miles or points

At TPG, we’re the first to admit: Using points and miles is a fantastic way to cut down on your travel expenses.

But it’s essential to treat your hard-earned points and miles like valuable currency to avoid spending too many all at once.

With many airline and hotel loyalty programs now utilizing unpredictable dynamic award pricing models, you could end up paying far too many points or miles for a flight during the peak holiday season if you’re not careful.

As tempting as it might be to use all your points for that Thanksgiving flight, doing so could leave you with nothing for a vacation the following year. This would be especially disappointing if you were saving up for a long-haul business-class seat or another high-value redemption.

If you’re unsure, use TPG’s awards-versus-cash calculator to compare prices in both dollars and points to help you decide the best way to book.

Mistake 6: Overpacking

Overpacking can be costly for any trip, but during the hectic and often expensive holiday season, it can push your flight costs well beyond your budget.

Be cautious when booking a basic economy ticket or flying with an ultra-low-cost carrier. While it may seem like an affordable option for the base fare, you may end up paying extra for a small suitcase even if you hadn’t planned on checking a bag.

On budget airlines, baggage fees for both carry-on and checked bags tend to be higher at the airport compared to what you'd pay when booking online.

If you’re checking a bag, keep an eye on its weight—especially during Christmas, when you might be bringing home gifts. Checking multiple bags or exceeding the 50-pound weight limit can result in hefty fees.

This is where the right travel or airline credit card can pay off: The right card can often provide free checked bags for multiple family members traveling on the same reservation.

Mistake 7: Booking non-refundable or non-changeable reservations

Recent events have underscored the importance of having an exit strategy with your travel plans.

This is especially relevant during the holiday season. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the travel industry, and the omicron surge forced many people to cancel or adjust their trips. Then, there was the Southwest Airlines crisis in 2022.

One of the best ways to prepare for unexpected changes—before or during your trip—is to book reservations that allow you to cancel for a full refund or receive full trip credit.

Flights

For the major carriers, the three "legacy" airlines (American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines) typically offer full trip credit for cancellations—even on non-refundable main cabin tickets. They also do not charge change fees on regular economy tickets.

However, basic economy tickets on many airlines are much more restrictive, often not allowing any changes unless you pay, and rarely offering any form of refund or trip credit.

Southwest Airlines, on the other hand, guarantees full trip credit on all tickets as long as you cancel at least 10 minutes before your scheduled departure.

Hotels and car rentals

Changing your plans becomes much more challenging when you've already committed to prepaid, nonrefundable hotel bookings and car rentals.

While opting for the 'pay now' option for hotels and car rentals can be a tempting way to save a little money, it’s important to tread carefully when prepaying.

Typically, most standard hotel reservations and car rentals allow you to cancel without penalty up to a day or two before your trip. This flexibility allows you to adjust to any unforeseen changes—and also lets you rebook if you find a better deal later on.

As a side note, award flights or stays booked with points don’t come with the same restrictions as prepaid, nonrefundable reservations. If something unexpected happens, you can generally cancel and have your points or miles refunded.