travel peak holiday

Traveling Without a Passport

Your Ultimate Off-Season Travel Calendar

Everybody loves a summer holiday, but more often than not, traveling during the peak tourist season can be a bit of a drag. Here’s our guide to your off-season gems to discover.

Summer may be the best time to travel when it comes to the weather, especially in Europe. However… the flights you want to book are overpriced, the places you want to stay at are more expensive, and the attractions you want to visit are flooded with tourists. In the off-season, you don’t have to worry about dealing with any of those downsides. Sure, you won’t get the best weather, but booking your trip in the low season comes with a bevy of benefits: cheaper airfare, wallet-friendly hotel rates, and fewer crowds.

If you’re ready to jump on the off-peak travel bandwagon, the only question left to answer is: where should I go in the off-season? That’s where this guide comes in! We’ve curated a list of some of the most popular travel destinations and their corresponding low-season periods so you can start planning your off-peak adventure for 2023 and beyond!

North America

South america.

See Also: Iceland Off-Season: Your Complete Guide

For the most part, Europe’s off-season runs between November and March .

Of course, temperatures and weather conditions will vary by region; if you visit in, say, December, you may have to contend with freezing temperatures and snow flurries in Northern Europe, while Mediterranean countries like Greece offer a fair amount of sunshine and relatively mild temperatures. 

No matter what destinations you choose to visit (aside from ski resorts), you’re guaranteed to find fewer crowds and bargain-worthy prices when traveling to Europe during the winter months.

Here are a few great cities, countries, and regions to choose from for off-season travel — those places where you’ll get the most bang for your buck and have a fantastic overall experience:

• All of the continent’s most popular and iconic cities (e.g., Venice, Paris, Rome, Barcelona, or Amsterdam)
• Finnish Lapland

See Also: What to do in Greece in December (Updated 2022)

Southeast Asia – June to October

As you can imagine, Southeast Asia plays host to several climates to match its incredibly diverse landscapes. Many travelers avoid the off-season in this region completely, but — with a little extra planning and preparation — it can actually be a fantastic time to travel here.

Just remember: the off-season months typically coincide with the rainy season. Monsoon rains usually occur between June and October in most parts of Southeast Asia, but weather patterns can vary drastically depending on the destination. 

During this time, your trip can be disrupted by torrential downpours, or you might get lucky with sunshine and short-lived periods of rain — it’s a chance you take traveling during the low season!

Here are the off-season months for some of Southeast Asia’s top hotspots:

• Bali – April to June
• Bangkok and Northern Thailand – May to October
• Thai Islands (Gulf of Thailand) – Gulf of Thailand October to December and the Andaman Sea June to October
• Vietnam – May to September
• Cambodia – July to September

Japan / China / Taiwan – November to March

The best time to escape the crowds in China , Japan , and Taiwan is during the winter months, as long as you’re not traveling to wintry destinations or ski towns like Harbin and Hokkaido. As these destinations are pretty far north, it can get quite cold, however, so for trips to Tokyo, Seoul, or Beijing, your best bet is to dress for the occasion and check the weather reports thoroughly.

India & Sri Lanka – May to August/September

India and Sri Lanka experience varied weather conditions, with certain regions (such as Goa, for example) being dominated by rainfall at any given time of the year. 

With the exception of tropical states like Florida and Hawaii, the low season in Canada and the USA falls between the winter months of November and March/April. 

Los Angeles, Vancouver, and other West Coast destinations offer milder temperatures throughout this season, while cities in the northeast (New York, Toronto, Boston) transform into real-life winter wonderlands.

Prices skyrocket during winter holidays and school holiday periods, so it’s best to avoid Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and Spring Break if you don’t want to deal with inflated hotel rates and crowded attractions.

In Mexico and the Caribbean , the off-season period begins shortly after Easter and lasts until the middle of December, just before the holiday season is in full swing.

• United States – November to March
• Hawaii – April to early June and September to mid-December
• Canada – November to April
• Mexico – May to mid-December
• The Caribbean – May to mid-December

See Also: Low Season USA Travel: 11 Adventures in Your Backyard

Given its gargantuan size, it should come as no surprise that there’s a whole host of varying climates and microclimates occurring on this vast continent throughout the year.

Generally speaking, South America can be divided into two regions, the first being Chile , Argentina , Uruguay , and southern Brazil, where the low season falls during the chilly winter months. Please be aware that here, it’s winter from May to August! The other region is Colombia , Peru , Ecuador , and Bolivia , where the weather patterns are dictated by wet and dry seasons rather than significant temperature changes. In Brazil, for example, there may be temperatures as low as ° C 15.8 / ° F 60.4 in Foz do Iguaçu, in the south in July, while Salvador, Bahia up north will still have approx. ° C 23.7 / ° F 74.7 degrees.

If you don’t mind packing a few extra layers and waterproof gear, you’ll love traveling outside of peak season here.

• Colombia / Peru / Ecuador / Bolivia – December to March
• Mach u Picchu – October to February (The Inca Trail closes every February for essential maintenance.)
• The Galapagos Islands – May to June and September and October
• Brazil – May to September
• Chile and Argentina (excluding Patagonia) – June to August

In many African destinations (especially safari hotspots), low-season travel comes with loads of perks: the Kalahari Desert offers fantastic game viewing during the off-season; the low season in Kenya means better deals and cheaper international airfare; and Tanzania’s birthing period falls during the off-peak months, so you’re more likely to see lion cubs and other baby animals.

Plus, you’ll get great value for money, you won’t have to compete for space at wildlife sightings, and the rainy season brings lush landscapes — which makes for excellent photo opportunities. 

It may be wetter during the low season, but if you can bear a bit of rain, there are a number of fantastic benefits that come with off-peak travel on this continent.

North Africa

• Morocco – November to February
• Egypt – June to August

Central/East Africa

• Kenya & Tanzania – March to June and October to December
• Ugand a – April and May
• Rwanda – April, May, and November

Southern Africa

• South Africa – April to September
• Namibia & Botswana – December to April 
• Moz ambique – March to June

Australia – June to August

Most people want to experience summer Down Under, but visiting during Australia’s winter (June to August) will save you cash on everything from your airfare to tours and bucket list activities.

And, since the weather is still pleasant and warm in many places around the country, choosing to travel during the off-season comes with some serious advantages.

New Zealand – June to August

The off-peak winter season is similar in New Zealand : you’ll find far fewer crowds at all the popular tourist spots (besides the ski resorts dotted around the country, of course).

Prices go down; hotel rates drop, and, in some destinations, you might feel as though you have the whole place to yourself.

Things to consider when booking an off-season holiday

Not every destination is suited to off-season travel; you definitely don’t want to be trekking in the Himalayas in a foot of snow or sweltering in Northern Australia in 45-degree heat. 

You’ll have to weigh the pros and cons and do some additional research before you travel to any particular destination during the low season. Weather, seasonal closures, and safety are three of the main things to keep in mind while you’re planning your trip.

Ashley Nitransky

Ashley is a Content Editor at TourRadar. When she’s not writing, travelling, or obsessively checking flight prices on Skyscanner, you can find her attempting to fine-tune her photography skills or watching a shark documentary.

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16 Best Off-Season Travel Destinations For 2024

Traveling to major tourist destinations in the offseason is the best! Why? Because you can experience all the major sights without having to elbow other tourists and save loads of money as well.

Imagine experiencing no queues at the dinner tables, buying flight tickets for half the price, and not waiting for 7 hours to get into a museum. During peak season all these things can make you hate traveling while you silently wish for all the tourists to just disappear.

Smart travelers know how to avoid crowds and that’s what we are here for. Presenting you some of the best places in the world to have your amazing vacation without millions of people fighting with you for the perfect photo of the main attraction. Are you excited? We are as well, so let’s get started!

Tuscany, Italy

Tuscany is a real dreamland in summer. However, this season of the year brings higher hotel costs and a slew of travelers.

As experienced travelers know, this famous Italian wine region is beautiful at any time of the year. In fact, the region’s rich and famous vineyards and local cuisine are best enjoyed in winter.

Tuscany is also known as a cultural destination because of its art and history, and you do not need the sun to appreciate these components of their culture. 

The walled medieval villages of Montepulciano, San Gimignano and Pienza are even more pleasant to visit in the off-season because there are no crowds.

But Tuscany also has an adventurous side. Other activities you can do in Tuscany are,

• Going for a long hike in the mountains.
• Renting a Vespa and running through the countryside
• Visiting naturally formed hot springs – Popular hot springs are Bagno Vignoni, Bagni San Filippo, Petriolo, and Saturnia.

St. Lucia – The sun-soaked Caribbean

The hotels, attractions, and restaurants will be heavily booked and more expensive than in the offseason, so make sure that you reserve everything in advance.

June through November (The Caribbean’s hurricane periods ) are better if you want to avoid high prices and crowded beaches.

Prices on airline tickets and hotels drop for as much as 50% so this is the perfect opportunity to take advantage off. There doesn’t exist a person in the world that doesn’t enjoy the Carribean so don’t miss out on an experience of a lifetime.

Visit Fiji During Low Season!

Fiji is a pleasant tropical destination perfect for an excursion during any time of the year. Although this utopian island Shangri-la doesn’t have any discernible “seasons”, there are certain periods of time during which more or fewer people choose to visit this incredible place.

Fiji’s “wet” or “low” season can be just as inviting as the “high” season when tourism is at its peak.

During the months of November through late April , you’ll be able to catch much cheaper flights and score completely affordable lodging, all while not sacrificing any of the sunshine you’d normally expect to experience here, and simultaneously beating the crowds.

These are some of the perfect months to plan a visit for, especially if you’re looking for a quiet, relaxing trip for Adults. The swimming pools and beaches won’t be nearly as congested, and since school is in session, there won’t be as many noisy children to kill your vibe.

Christmas break is one of the only times during the winter months where you’ll find kids running about. Falling within the first couple of months of the low season, this is the perfect time to bring the kids for the ultimate family getaway during the holidays.

All in all, if you’re craving a bit of the island life during the winter months, Fiji is a must for you.

A Sub-Tropical Getaway During Hurricane Season? Yes.

Florida gets a bad rap during the months of August and September and as a direct result, vacations here can be much more affordable during this time.

Over 20 million people live, stay, and enjoy the state every year during the tourist dreaded “hurricane” season, when in fact hurricanes aren’t nearly as common as you’d think.

Prior to 2016, Florida hadn’t seen a hurricane make landfall in over 11 years. That all came to an end in September 2016, when Hurricane Hermine touched the coast and shortly thereafter, weakened into a tropical storm. In 2018, Florida saw the effects of Hurricane Michael along the panhandle. Although this may be enough to scare some people away during these months, you can take advantage of the cheap airfare and lodging prices. That being said, It’s always best to choose to be prepared for the unlikely, yet potentially extreme situations if they do so happen to arise.

Depending on where you are in The Sunshine State, you can anticipate rain showers for an hour or so nearly every afternoon, especially on the coast. Although this is true, it usually tends to clear up fast and things are bright, sunny, and back to normal in no time.

Purchase traveler’s insurance! This is a great option for anyone traveling under any circumstance, and it would be a smart move for someone visiting Florida during this time period.

Check with your airlines, hotels, etc. to confirm how they advise their guests of any potential dangers. Also, you can stay ahead of the game by downloading weather advisory apps to your smartphone and checking the hurricane and tropical storm information websites.

With this information at your fingertips, it’s up to you if you’re willing to make the decision to travel here during the off-season season, but if you do, you just might find yourself having the time of your life.

New Zealand – Travelling in Off Seasons

In the offseason, everything is cheaper and in spring and fall, everything is stunning. The winter is perfect if you love skiing and snowboarding.

During the off-season, you will also have the opportunity to meet locals and you can afford to be more impulsive and not have everything booked in advance. New Zealand has a good reputation all over the world, so booking a vacation there is not a bad idea. Nature is stunning and every sporty person loves the array of activities in New Zealand.

Greek Islands – The land of sightseeing

Yes, in the off-season you’ll miss the Mykonos nightfall, but in March still, visitors can enjoy Santorini and Athens sights with no regrets.

During this time hotel and travel prices drop largely. That’s why travelers should plan to visit it in the offseason.

Experience the amazing greek culture and food, have fun on the beach or dance sirtaki with the locals. Greece should be on everyone’s to-do list. If you haven’t been there yet, what are you waiting for? Take advantage of its off-season prices and have a trip of a lifetime.

The Bahamas – The Country without fall season

Anyhow there is no bad time to visit the Bahamas because of year-round it’s always delightfully warm.

Tourist attractions are bustling during the high season so if you want to book a cheap excursion, have no crowds and see more with less go there in the offseason. You will fall in love with the place and will yearn to return to it once again in the future.

San Francisco – Land of four distinct seasons

The best time to visit is from September to Novembe r , at that time it is the warmest and there are fewer tourists than in the summer.

It also is the perfect time to go to the beach because of its constantly sunny skies but don’t underestimate the bayside breezes and pack accordingly just in case.

Spring is also nice because there is not much rain. San Francisco definitely is one of the gems of America and you should definitely not miss out on it if you travel to the USA . It’s culture and tradition definitely made a mark in the history of the USA.

New Orleans – Enjoying Mardi Gras

New Orleans is known for its crazy Carnival ( Shrove Tuesday ) celebration which starts just after Christmas. At that time it is really crowded but it is well worth it and you should book everything a couple of months in advance otherwise it might get sold out.

The winter is the perfect time to avoid the crowds, get amazing deals on flight tickets and cheap hotels. December and January are the coldest months so pack accordingly.

If the weather is more important to you, then we recommend you go there in spring or fall. In spring the prices increase for quite a bit but the city becomes marvelous as it gets warmer. We know you will love New Orleans and look back on the memories you have made there with joy.

Cape Cod – The Summer destination gem

There’s immense satisfaction in exploring Cape Cod during the winter time. Expert voyagers can try hiking and biking to experience the full fun of the period between October and November.

You also don’t have to wait to for a plate of seafood on the table and the meals are extremely cheap. In autumn, travelers can explore Wellfleet Oysterfest to get a taste of the local culture.

Costa Rica -Travelling in Green Seasons

When crowds have gone back to schools and to work, smart tourists can start packing to get a better deal. The rain and clouds create beautiful green landscapes and transparent waterfalls throughout the downtime.

Enjoy pleasant moments in nature and find joy in the afternoon rain while resting in a hammock. How could you not enjoy that, Costa Rica definitely is a must go in the offseason. Nature is beautiful, people are friendly and the prices are low, seems like the perfect package.

Florence – The City with full of crowd

In the off-season, the crowds are gone entirely. The downtime starts in November and ends with Easter. Vacationers can get pleasure from rainy evenings and connect with locals all throughout the season. Except for Christmas and New Year eve, the prices go down for almost a half which is amazing for budget-oriented travelers.

You will definitely not regret visiting Florence in the offseason and you will be completely amazed at the beauty of the Renaissance architecture.

Italian culture is something you have to experience and their cuisine is something you won’t ever forget. What are you waiting for, book your flight tickets to Florence right now!.

Bali -The Romantic Honeymoon destination

Everything turns green at that time so you will definitely enjoy the scenery. You will be the only person visiting the sights so it will be perfect for taking photos for Instagram. Traffic is also non-existent in those months. Bali has been referred to as the paradise on earth, so it must be amazing. It is perfect for reconnecting with yourself and experiencing the world on a deeper level. Go to Bali and experience it yourself! 

There is plenty of things TO DO in Bali  and you won’t know what to do first, even when visiting in low / rainy season. 

Byron Bay, Australia

Though Byron is popular throughout the year, there are exciting things to explore in the offseason. The beginning of wintertime is awesome because it isn’t too cold to swim but surfing becomes way more enjoyable. Spring from September to November is also amazing.

Why? The weather is dry, the temperatures are pleasant, the prices go down and there are countless activities you can do. Australia is on most of the people’s bucket lists, we think it is time for you to cross it of yours! Though the country has a very strict decree for hunters, they’re allowed to take part in Red Deer hunt game throughout the year.

So an opportunist won’t miss the chance to take part in such a thrilling game with his best binoculars for hunting and will make his/her journey more meaningful.

Prague, Czech Republic

Spring and early fall are perfect as well. The climate is chillier than in the warmer summer months but there are fewer crowds and cheaper hotel rates. Spring and fall, however, offer clear skies and sunny weather.

There are still some tourists in the spring so still prepare yourself and book everything in advance. We know you will love Prague so tell us how it was once you come back from your trip!

Cape Town, South Africa

January to April is the best time to visit the city as the summer is just ending. December to February is the peak summer season when you can expect busy nightlife, crowded beaches, and a warm vibe.

By February most of the tourists leave making it perfect for saving money, chilling on an uncrowded beach and experience less wind. From July to September it is perfect for watching whales along the coastlines as well.

It can be a bit dangerous in some outside areas so don’t do foolish things if you don’t have to. Other than that Cape Town can be the perfect vacation destination.

If you are on budget or looking for great travelers community, check out our roundup of Best Hostels in Cape Town for Backpackers!!

11 places that are even better when you go off season

Our round-up of popular holiday destinations that really shine in shoulder or low season

With overtourism an increasing problem in certain very coveted destinations, leading to long queues at attractions and soaring hotel and restaurant prices at key times of year, we’ve turned a fresh eye on some iconic places you don’ want to miss out on.

From sun-drenched Mediterranean islands to soaring Alpine peaks, and blissful Adriatic beaches to shimmering lakes or lochs, our pick of places that are even better out of season are worth a browse.

Here's where to go if you're looking to beat the crowds and travel in the shoulder or low season for your next holiday.

Puglia in April

Peak season: June– August, plus the Easter and Christmas holidays

Off-peak season: April, May, September and October (shoulder), November–March (low)

May, September, and October are all brilliant months for discovering this southern Italian region forming the heel of the country’s boot – a region not only of gorgeous Mediterranean beaches but of conical-roofed trulli stone huts, whitewashed hill towns, stunning baroque architecture and farms.

With temperatures exceeding 24°C in late spring and early autumn, you can still swim in the sea and go cycling outside the heat of summer. Autumn is also the time to see the region’s olive harvest in action – perhaps first hand, on a farm visit.

Our six-day escorted tour of Puglia takes you to vineyards, olive farms and bakeries, with departures in April, May and October 2024.

FIND OUT MORE

Lake Annecy in May or October

Peak season: June–August

This is no less the purest lake in Europe thanks to a half-century of committed conservation work. It’s best visited in mid-May or June to avoid the crowds and hotel rates of high summer, for which you need to book very far ahead.

These are ideal months for the outdoors activities that are the chief lure of the lake, including cycling on the lakeside path (Voie Verte), mountain biking, canyoning, sailing, rowing, wakeboarding, water-skiing and paragliding over the sparkling waters ( Annecy is one of the world's top spots for the sport). You can also hike or trail-run the nearby mountains La Tourmette and Le Semnoz.

In winter, meanwhile, you could feasibly stay by the lake and go skiing for the day as resorts such as gorgeous La Clusaz or its cute neighbour Le Grand Bornand.

You can visit the lake shores on a Good Housekeepings six-day tour including a trip on Mont Blanc Express, with 2024 departures in May, September and October.

Malta in May or September

Peak season: July and August

Off-peak season: May, June, September and Oct (shoulder), November– April (low)

This bewitching Mediterranean island can be fiendishly busy during the main school holidays; if you want summer warmth, June and September are less crowded, while April, May and October are increasingly popular – still balmy and with some great deals.

But even winter can be thrilling here – you can’t swim, but you can have spellbinding cultural sights such as the Mdina and the megalithic temples almost to yourself, as well as experiencing Malta’s growing food and wine scene.

Our eight-day Malta and Gozo tour in May or September includes beaches, divine food and drink, and fascinating history tours.

Swiss Alps in October

Peak season: Mid-June to early September, December to March for skiing

Off-peak season: Late September–November, May–mid June (shoulder); April and November (low)

The mountains get busy in summer for their lovely walking and hiking trails and for riding the many scenic railways here, including the Glacier Express , Bernina Express and Mont Blanc Express . For skiing, Christmas, New Year and February half-term are the most popular weeks, as in other ski destinations.

May and September can be as alluring as summer, with warm weather perfect for walking, hiking and biking. Late spring sees Alpine wildflowers strewn across the meadows, trees in bloom and cows heading out to pasture. Meanwhile, September brings the grape harvest.

Our Swiss Alps trip in March and October 2024 includes a trip aboard the most scenic section of the Glacier Express route.

Dalmatia in May

Peak season: June– August

Off-peak season: May, September and October (shoulder), Nov-April (low)

This spellbinding seaside stretch running all the way from Zadar with its Roman and Venetian ruins via Split to Dubrovnik is the most popular part of the Croatian coastline so gets very busy during the summer months.

Dubrovnik in particular does have a reputation for crowding, but in May, early June, September and early October, you’ll enjoy warm weather and water but fewer crowds because there are less big cruise ships. Spring, when all the flowers come ino bloom and lots of cultural festivals take place, is also a lovely time to visit Croatia. And lastly, Croatian Christmas markets in major cities also make the country an interesting festive option.

Good Housekeeping's eight-day sailing adventure along Croatia's coastline aboard a boutique ship departs in early May.

Venice in April

Peak season: February, June–August

Off-peak season : March–May and September–November (shoulder), December and January

La Serenissima can get very crowded – often stressfully so – in the summer months, making it difficult to appreciate its architectural wonders and other charms. Prices are sky-high too. In spring, autumn and winter (except Carnevale in February), the milder temperatures are more pleasant for sightseeing.

Winter might see flooding, especially in St Mark's Square and along the Zattere promenade (you might even see waiters in tuxedos and wellies), but raised wooden walkways are set up. Sometimes mist or fog swathes the city, but that only serves to make it even more mysterious and atmospheric. The sites have shorter opening hours, but there are no queues and prices are lower (hotel rates by as much as 25–50%).

Good Housekeeping's fabulous eight-day cruise around Venice and the romantic Veneto with appearances by top chef James Martin departs on 28th April 2024 for the perfect off-peak jaunt around the city.

Peak season: Mid-June to mid-September

Off-peak season: April–mid-June, mid-September to October (shoulder), November–March (low)

The geography of Italy’s ‘Lake District’ means that in high season, traffic can gridlock. Lake Garda is also a highly seasonal place, however, with some hotels, restaurants and other venues closing up for the entire winter.

To avoid the crowds and highest prices, schedule your rip for April to mid-June or mid-September to October. Temperatures are good enough for sightseeing and many outdoor activities. And in spring the many jawdroppingly beautiful gardens dotting the Garda lakeshore are at their most delightful.

Our escorted tour of the spectacular Dolomites and exquisite Lake Garda runs in May and late September 2024.

Scottish Highlands in April

Off-peak season: April, May, September and October (shoulder), November –March (low)

The warmest weather in the mountains of northwest Scotland corresponds with much of the midge season – giving more of a reason to avoid the time of year that is most popular with humans as well as flying insects!.

The Scottish Highlands is actually a year-round destination, but April and October are particularly attractive months, free of midges and of the more unpredictable weather of winter (although these landscapes are incredible when swathed in snow).

Our six-night luxury yacht cruise of the Scottish Highlands and islands takes place in April and October.

Norfolk in May

Off-peak season: May, September and October (shoulder), November–April (low)

Summer staycationers take over the beaches of Norfolk during the warmest months, but the rest of the year there’s plenty of room to manoeuvre. You can also start boating on the Broads from as early as February and carry on to the end of October.

For wildlife lovers, May is the most exciting month as migrant songbirds flood in from the south and the wetlands and marshes come to life. September is equally alluring, with good weather, warm sea water and lots of wildlife to spot, but are fewer humans. And October is great for sighting rare birds.

Our trip to Norfolk including a cruise along the Broads on a paddle steamer and tour of royal retreat Sandringham with TV's Lucy Worsley departs in April, May and September.

Bordeaux in April

Peak season: June to September

Off-peak season: October, April and May (shoulder), November–March (low)

Spring or early autumn are the best time to visit this city and the wine-growing region of the same name if you want to avoid the crowds and high prices of high summer. Outside both of these times, the vineyards are closed. If that doesn’t worry you, the city with its Christmas market is a tempting place for a foodie festive break – after all, you can still enjoy local wine in restaurants.

In April, rising temperatures and decreasing rainfall make for some gorgeous days (temperatures of 13-18°C).

This is the perfect time to explore on a cruise such our Bordeaux and Médoc wine region itinerary with celebrity chef Monica Galetti.

Lake Como in April and September

Off-peak season: March – mid June, mid-September to Oc t o ber (shoulder), November–February (low)

Como’s lakeside town and villages are more spread out than Garda’s, so it never seems as busy as its bigger sister. That said, it’s still at its most hectic in summer, as you’d expect. And similarly, in winter many activities are off the agenda and many venues are closed.

But come in spring or autumn and you’re rewarded with the scenery at its loveliest. Lake Como has its own microclimate that makes March and April especially gorgeous thanks to wisteria, early hydrangeas and spring flowers bursting back into life all around the lake.

And the charming Como town of Colico is a great place for absorbing some stunning Alpine scenery, which is why our trip combining Como, St Moritz and the Bernina Railway has departures not only in April, May and September, but also in December 2024.

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These Are the Busiest Days for Holiday Travel This Year

It's the most wonderful time of the year—well, everywhere but at the airport.

Chaotic holiday travel is rapidly descending upon us, and if the record-breaking 26 million travelers that took to the sky during Thanksgiving week this year are any indication, it's time to calculate a game plan for navigating airport terminals, securing your overhead bin space , and getting through the crush of humanity in the security line. The best way to do that? Know the busiest travel days in advance.

While some holiday travel patterns can be quite consistent, some of this year's peak travel days have shifted, given that December 25 falls on a Wednesday.

No matter what days you plan to fly during the holiday rush, follow the standard advice of arriving at the airport earlier than usual (at least two hours before departure for a domestic flight, especially if you are checking bags). Another way to streamline your holiday airport experience: remove any food from carry-ons along with standard items like toiletries and laptops to help the Travel Security Administration officers get a clearer look at your bag, which will keep you moving to the gate faster.

And of course, enrolling in known traveler programs like TSA PreCheck or Clear is especially valuable during the peak holiday season, as you'll be able to take fewer items out of your bag and zoom by some of the worst security wait times. (P.S., Clear doesn't require an appointment like TSA PreCheck, so you can breeze through enrollment in about five minutes at the airport.)

Here are all the days to avoid travel, some key statistics, and the best days to avoid airport pandemonium and keep your holiday cheer in tact.

The busiest days for Christmas air travel

Unsurprisingly, passenger records continue to be broken during Christmas travel, the TSA says. The agency estimated last year that during the peak Christmas and New Year's travel days (between December 19 and January 5 for 2018), about 41 million passengers traveled through security screening checkpoints nationwide, a year-over-year increase of 6 percent.

In 2019, that number is set to jump another 3 percent year-over-year, according to industry group Airlines for America . The organization predicts that 47.5 million passengers will fly on U.S. airlines over the 18-day winter holiday travel period from December 19 through January 5. Divided into daily averages, about 2.2 million to 3 million passengers will fly each day over the holiday window, or an extra 72,000 travelers per day. Fortunately, U.S. airlines are meeting the increased demand with 884 added flights each day.

It seems that this year, most air passengers want to take a long Christmas and New Year's break, with the large majority of people expected to fly the Saturday before Christmas. Kayak, AAA, and Expedia all expect Saturday, December 21, to be the busiest travel day leading up to Christmas. Likewise, Airlines for America says December 20 and 21 will be the most popular days for travelers to start their Christmas trips. The estimates vary a bit on what the second most popular day before Christmas will be. Kayak says that Friday, December 20, will be the second largest wave of travelers leading up to the 25th—about 24,797 flights are scheduled to take off across the U.S. that day, according to aviation data firm OAG—while AAA predicts December 22 and 23 will see more fliers en masse.

As for return flights after New Year's? TripAdvisor says 44 percent of travelers are heading home Wednesday, December 30 or later. Expect the bulk of people to swarm the security lines and airport gates on Saturday, January 4, according to Kayak.

The busiest days for Christmas ground travel

TripAdvisor calculates that at least 46 percent of holiday travelers will drive to their Christmas destinations this year. "104.8 million Americans, the most on record, will drive to their holiday destinations," AAA says . "This marks the eighth straight year of new record-high travel volumes for the year-end holidays,” says Paula Twidale, vice president of AAA Travel.

The good news for drivers is that because Christmas falls in the middle of the week this year, AAA, along with traffic analytics company Inrix, predicts only "marginal" and even "lighter than normal" congestion on roads nationwide as travelers cruise to destinations before the holiday.

It's right after Christmas—on December 26 and 27—when drivers will be slammed with traffic and delays. "Nationally, drivers could experience double the travel times on Thursday and Friday afternoon, although New York City and Washington, D.C. could see triple the delays," the AAA report says. So if you are driving, it's probably best to wait until at least December 28 or later to start your journey back.

This story was originally published on November 2019, and has been updated with new information.

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Christmas travel is here: What you can expect this holiday season

Nearly every peak travel period in 2023 brought air travel records, and airports are again bracing for large crowds as the end-of-year holidays approach.

U.S. airlines expect to serve some 39 million passengers between Dec. 20, 2023, and Jan. 2, 2024, according to the airline trade group Airlines for America. That's up 16% from the same period last year.

The Christmas and New Year's rush follows a summer that proved to be the busiest in the Transportation Security Administration's history — a trend that continued over Thanksgiving , when the agency set a single-day record with 2.9 million passengers screened Nov. 26.

"We saw more travelers during this Thanksgiving break than we've seen in our history — not just for Thanksgiving — for any week of holiday peak travel," Ed Bastian, Delta Air Lines' CEO, noted during an appearance this week on CNBC while predicting an "equally strong" December holiday period.

Large crowds expected

Airlines expect the busiest days to fly will be Dec. 21-22 and Dec. 26-29. That's the Thursday and Friday before Christmas (which will be on a Monday this year) and the four days immediately following the holiday.

Though the TSA likely won't see any one day as busy as the Sunday after Thanksgiving, checkpoints are gearing up for sustained demand over the better part of two weeks, as is typically the case for the year-end holidays.

"We don't usually see the [single-day] volumes that we see around Thanksgiving," Dan Velez, TSA New England spokesperson, said in a recent interview. "But, a week before Christmas, it's going to pick up quite dramatically."

Crowded skies 

The holiday travel rush won't just play out in the form of crowded airport terminals.

In the skies, airlines will offer 5.6% more scheduled seats on U.S. domestic flights this month versus December 2022, according to data from Cirium. Also, domestic seats are up 2% this month compared with December 2019 — though with airlines offering 12% fewer flights . Airlines are flying larger planes with more capacity, so they can cut the number of flights and still fly more passengers.

Travelers — not to mention the U.S. Department of Transportation — will surely keep a close eye on how airlines perform over the holidays, particularly Southwest Airlines. Last year, a scheduling meltdown in the wake of a winter storm led to Southwest canceling 16,700 flights.

That operational failure drew scrutiny from lawmakers and prompted the carrier to bolster its winter weather equipment on the ground, make investments to improve its technology and overhaul internal decision-making processes — an effort that, Southwest insists, is already making a difference.

"We are now so much better prepared for these extreme weather events," Andrew Watterson, Southwest's chief operating officer, emphasized on the company's third-quarter earnings call.

Airlines confident about holiday operations

Southwest isn't the only airline voicing confidence heading into the holidays. Airlines for America has repeatedly touted carriers' hiring efforts in recent months, which have airline staffing levels at the highest point in two decades, according to the organization.

In the year to date, U.S. carriers have canceled a collective 1.3% of flights, according to data from FlightAware. That's down sharply from 2.4% last year. (It is worth noting, though, that delays have remained roughly steady from last year, at around a fifth of flights).

Also, with the exception of United Airlines' operational troubles over a few days in late June — which primarily stemmed from challenges at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) — this year has largely been without meltdowns of the sort we saw regularly last year.

"I do not expect another Southwest or similar meltdown. The airlines have cut the number of flights and are very focused on not overloading their systems," Michael McCormick, a longtime air traffic control veteran, said. (McCormick previously managed New York's critical center and currently serves on the faculty at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.)

Still, a continued shortage of air traffic controllers does bring at least some risk of disruptions, particularly when the weather is bad (more on that in a moment). However, the Federal Aviation Administration has routinely opened up new corridors in the skies during peak travel periods this year while extending a temporary policy allowing airlines to reduce flight schedules in New York through October 2024.

"The FAA is deeply focused on holiday travel and will [have the] staffing to meet it," McCormick told TPG. "The remaining unknown is the weather."

Early weather models look promising

Indeed, how Mother Nature cooperates may be the top factor this year in how smoothly air travel runs over the end-of-year holidays, as U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg acknowledged last month.

Fortunately, the early weather models look promising — in contrast to the winter storm that precipitated Southwest's problems a year ago.

"Overall, this December is going to be quite different from last year," Paul Pastelok, Accuweather senior meteorologist and long-range forecaster, told TPG. "This year, leading up to Christmas, it's going to be mild for a good portion of the country. In fact, it could be fairly quiet for a while."

Pastelok is watching two weather systems — one on the East Coast this coming weekend and another around Christmas Eve that could affect the northern Great Plains.

However, he says, milder temperatures mean those systems will likely bring wind and rain instead of snow and ice.

Indeed, Accuweather is predicting it won't be a white Christmas for much of the country.

Tips for traveling this holiday season

If you intend to fly this holiday season, it's a good idea to plan now. If you're a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck member, make sure you've added your Known Traveler Number to your reservation so you'll be able to access the TSA PreCheck lanes.

Driving to the airport? Book your parking online now to save money and guarantee yourself a spot.

Also, download your airline's app and familiarize yourself with its features. After all, that app can be your key to checking in, tracking a bag or rebooking if something goes wrong.

Related reading:

• When is the best time to book flights for the cheapest airfare?
• The best airline credit cards
• What exactly are airline miles, anyway?
• 6 real-life strategies you can use when your flight is canceled or delayed
• Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
• The best credit cards to reach elite status
• What are points and miles worth? TPG's monthly valuations

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Airline Peak and Off-Peak Award Charts: The Ultimate Guide [2024]

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Why is understanding peak/off-peak seasonality important, airlines that have peak/off-peak award charts, final thoughts.

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Commercial aviation is one of the most seasonal industries in the world. Typically, the busiest time of the year for airlines is from May to October.

Of course, this varies depending on the exact destinations, countries, or even cities that you visit. That being said, customer demand plummets in the winter months from November to March, especially when visiting Europe.

Airline revenue ticket prices fluctuate wildly thanks to revenue management departments, crazy algorithms, and seats sold. The same is generally true for airline award tickets. As a result, many major airlines have chosen to adopt a binary award pricing scheme, whereby there is an off-peak set of dates priced cheaper than the remaining peak dates.

In this guide, we’ll be taking an in-depth look into every major airline’s seasonality charts and discussing the nuances of each program, with the ultimate goal of minimizing the number of points you’ll use for award flights.

Travelers with flexible plans ought to book flights during off-peak when possible in order to spend fewer miles.

You’ve already worked so hard to earn your points and miles, so why spend any more than absolutely necessary?

By planning trips around off-peak award dates, you’ll extract the maximum value from your points and miles. There’s a minimal amount of work in understanding what constitutes peak and off-peak dates for each airline you want to fly on, but it’s all worth it in the end!

This guide is not about variable award pricing, which itemizes mileage and award prices based on distinct levels. Instead, we’re going to be talking about the major airlines that have specific peak and off-peak travel dates.

Before talking about each individual airline, keep in mind that some airlines adopt different seasonality policies depending on what route you fly on, while others have a simple binary system.

Let’s look into the airlines and dissect their peak and off-peak award charts.

Aer Lingus is Ireland’s flag carrier. Aer Lingus is owned by the same company that owns British Airways, IAG, and its frequent flyer currency is known as Avios.

Each calendar year, Aer Lingus publishes its off-peak and peak periods. The off-peak periods constitute two-thirds of the year, whereby you can book award flights for fewer Avios.

Additionally, Aer Lingus has a distance-based award chart along with peak/off-peak pricing. You can redeem Aer Lingus Avios for great value, especially if booking during off-peak dates.

Aer Lingus’s off-peak dates for 2024  are as follows:

• January 8, 2024, to March 21, 2024
• April 8, 2024, to June 6, 2024
• September 2, 2024, to December 12, 2024

Now that we’ve pieced together the seasonality, let’s talk briefly about how many Avios you’d save by booking off-peak. Here’s Aer Lingus’s award chart for one-way flights:

Suppose you wanted to fly from Miami (MIA) to Dublin (DUB) in Aer Lingus business class on September 18, 2024. Assuming you find availability on this date, you’ll be traveling on off-peak dates, meaning you’ll pay 62,500 Avios one-way as opposed to 75,000 Avios (the peak season price).

Let’s also suppose that the departing segment of your trip falls on peak dates while the returning flight falls on off-peak dates. In this case, you’d simply pay the peak price one-way and the off-peak price the other way.

Aer Lingus’ system is pretty straightforward, but you can save up to 12,500 Avios each way by planning your off-peak travel accordingly.

All Nippon Airways

All Nippon Airways’ Mileage Club loyalty program is a fantastic overall program. Although its online user interface is somewhat dated, ANA has so many fantastic redemptions that you can’t miss out on.

ANA Mileage Club takes some time to learn about, but once that time is invested, you’ll find yourself digging up value redemption after value redemption.

Hot Tip: You can start racking up ANA miles pretty easily by following our guide on how to earn lots of ANA Mileage Club miles !

You can only book round-trip award bookings with ANA, so keep that in mind, too.

However, you can book one-way award bookings on ANA using Virgin Points via Virgin Atlantic’s Flying Club .

Most airlines split up their peak/off-peak dates into a simple binary system, whereby a date is either a peak or off-peak date. ANA has 3 seasonality periods — low season, regular season, and high season.

ANA uses seasonality  only for ANA flights . Seasonality does not apply to partners like United Airlines. The following is a chart that depicts the most updated seasonality dates for flights between Japan and Europe/North America until early 2025:

Keep in mind that there are different seasonality periods depending on what regions you’re flying to/from , and even for domestic flights. For example, Hawaii has a slightly different set of dates to the above as it is in Zone 5, while the rest of North America is in Zone 6.

For flights between North America and Japan , here’s the round-trip award chart:

So, if you choose to fly on ANA business class round-trip from New York City (JFK) to Tokyo (NRT), departing on January 10, 2024, and returning on January 31, 2024, you’ll pay the low season price — an incredibly low 75,000 ANA miles.

On the other hand, flying during high season on the same route will cost a decent 90,000 miles. This represents a 20% hike in prices just for flying during different times.

Bottom Line: In order to figure out the price you’ll pay for a specific ANA flight during a specific date range, you’ll need to figure out the seasonality of the route first. Then, you can figure out the award price by matching the award chart pricing with the correct seasonality and route. Keep in mind that this only applies if you intend to use ANA miles on ANA flights. 

American Airlines

American Airlines  does offer off-peak awards, and these off-peak awards are often fantastic deals. However, American Airlines only does this for economy flights . Additionally, qualifying tickets include partner airlines and aren’t limited to flights operated by American Airlines.

That being said, American Airlines has off-peak economy tickets for just 2 regions — Contiguous 48 U.S. states and Canada and Europe — and these tickets are called Main Cabin Off-Peak .

The Main Cabin off-peak dates for 2024 are January 10 to March 14 and November 1 to December 14 . Tickets are 22,500 AAdvantage miles one-way.

Hot Tip: In order to minimize your out-of-pocket costs at the hands of fuel surcharges , try to plan your travel solely on American Airlines flights. 

Asiana Airlines

Asiana Airlines has deservedly garnered a great reputation with its loyalty program Asiana Club . In addition, Asiana Airlines continues to be a top airline of choice to earn miles on, thanks to its attractive (and niche!) ways to redeem for maximum value .

Asiana Airlines has off-peak and peak pricing  only for its own flights . It also has different peak season dates departing on your exact route. Lastly, you can avoid peak season surcharges if you’re an Asiana Club Diamond Plus or Platinum member for both award bookings  and upgrades.

Asiana Airlines charges 50% additional miles for flights during high season, so you’ll absolutely want to avoid flying during popular times. Here is the peak season chart for 2024:

Off-peak dates are every other date not listed.

The award chart for Asiana Airlines flights is as follows for round-trip flights:

For example, let’s say you want to fly from Los Angeles (LAX) to Sydney (SYD) via Seoul (ICN) on Asiana Airlines, using Asiana Club miles, departing on July 3, 2024, and returning on August 20, 2024. The first segment is during the peak season, while the returning segment is during the off-peak season.

Furthermore, these flights have Business Smartium Class installed, which is Asiana’s best long-haul business class seat. This means that you’ll pay 150,000 miles plus 100,000 miles for the returning flight during off-peak season. You’ll definitely want to be careful to avoid peak season if you can since a 50% price hike is huge.

Bottom Line: Asiana Airlines raises prices for peak season award tickets by 50% across the board. Therefore, if flying on Asiana Airlines while redeeming Asiana Airlines miles, you should book off-peak tickets when you can. 

British Airways

British Airways has previously employed a distance-based award chart with multiple zone brackets. In addition, there’s off-peak and peak pricing. British Airways also has had multiple award charts, but British Airways, Iberia, and Aer Lingus were the only airlines eligible for off-peak pricing.

While award rate charts for 2024 have not been made publicly available , according to Head for Points , British Airways’ peak and off-peak dates for 2024 are as follows:

Off-Peak Dates:

• January 8 – February 8, 2024
• February 13-14, 2024
• February 20 – March 14, 2024
• March 16-28, 2024
• April 2-3, 2024
• April 9, 2024
• April 15 – May 3, 2024
• May 7-24, 2024
• May 28, 2024
• June 3-7, 2024
• June 10-14, 2024
• June 17-21, 2024
• June 24-28, 2024
• July 1-5, 2024
• July 8-9, 2024
• July 16, 2024
• July 23. 2024
• July 30, 2024
• August 6, 2024
• August 13, 2024
• August 20, 2024
• August 27, 2024
• September 9-13, 2024
• September 16-20, 2024
• September 23-27, 2024
• September 30 – October 25, 2024
• October 29, 2024
• November 4 – December 6, 2024
• December 9-13, 2024
• December 26, 2024

If your travel dates fall outside of these dates, your award ticket will be priced as a peak flight.

British Airways’ peak and off-peak calendars have consisted of wide bands, but they also contained multiple single-date occurrences for off-peak dates. Once you’ve identified the seasonality of your travel dates, you’ll want to figure out how much your flight will cost, which has historically been distance-based. Great Circle Mapper is a valid resource to gauge your flight distance.

Hot Tip: See our guides on the top ways to earn lots of British Airways Avios , and then make sure you’re redeeming them for the best value possible !

Iberia is Spain’s flag carrier. The airline happens to be owned by the same company that owns British Airways and Aer Lingus (discussed in earlier sections of this guide), but interestingly, the peak and off-peak calendars haven’t matched those when using Avios from different frequent flyer programs.

Additionally, Iberia has used peak and off-peak dates for flights on Iberia, Iberia Express, and Iberia Regional/Air Nostrum. For all other airlines, a different award chart will apply and seasonality is not used.

Award rates and eligible peak/off-peak dates for 2024 have not been made publicly available yet.

Just like its main competitor airline Asiana Airlines, Korean Air uses peak and off-peak pricing. Korean Air SKYPASS is a fantastic program to redeem miles on , with plenty of options ranging from Korean Air first class to Etihad first class .

Although there aren’t very many ways to accrue Korean Air miles from transferable points, there are still great ways to earn lots of Korean Air SKYPASS miles .

Korean Air employs a region-based award chart. Also, one-way flight redemptions are only allowed on Korean Air. For all partners, you must book round-trip if you want to use miles.

Hot Tip: Korean Air is one of the few airlines that still operate the A380. Check out our review of Korean Air’s A380 first class .

To determine whether or not your flights fall into peak season, you’ll need to know the route and the travel dates. Peak dates for Korean Air are:

Korean Air’s round-trip award chart is as follows (one-way awards are half the price):

*Direct flights only

If flying from New York (JFK) to Seoul (ICN) on Korean Air first class on December 17, 2024, your flight will fall into peak season. For this, you’ll pay 120,000 Korean Air miles one-way compared to 80,000 Korean Air miles for off-peak travel.

Virgin Atlantic

Virgin Atlantic employs standard and peak seasons for Virgin Atlantic flights only, so they are not applicable to airlines like All Nippon Airways. Furthermore, Virgin Atlantic splits up seasonality calendars between Caribbean routes and all others.

For Caribbean routes, the standard (off-peak) season consists of the following date ranges:

• March 4-21, 2024
• April 16 – May 26, 2024
• June 3 – July 19, 2024
• September 3 – October 24, 2024
• November 6 – December 6, 2024

On the other hand, Caribbean peak dates are on all other dates.

The rest of Virgin Atlantic flights follow these standard dates:

• January 4 – March 21, 2024
• April 16 – June 15, 2024

All other dates are peak dates for non-Caribbean flights.

Flights on Virgin Atlantic can be significantly cheaper if planned during standard dates. Here’s the Virgin Atlantic award chart for round-trip, standard season bookings:

And here’s the Virgin Atlantic award chart for round-trip peak season bookings:

Let’s take an example flight from London (LHR) to Las Vegas (LAS), which is on the U.S. West Coast. If you book a flight during peak season in Upper Class , you’ll pay 77,500 miles, as opposed to the standard price of 67,500 miles.

Overall, there are a lot of airlines that have unique peak and off-peak season policies. For the most part, airlines tend to limit the price variation from seasonality to their own airlines. For example, Asiana Airlines levies peak surcharges only on flights operated by Asiana and not on any other carriers.

An exception to this would be American Airlines AAdvantage , which makes off-peak pricing in economy available on partner airlines such as British Airways.

Keeping track of peak dates and booking travel flexibly to avoid peak season is a recipe for conserving your hard-earned points and miles. As a result, you’ll want to confirm that you’re getting the best value redemption prior to committing to a flight.

Now, you have a one-stop shop for a guide on the airlines that carry peak and off-peak policies for award bookings. Happy booking!

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Peak season vs off-season travel: when should you book your next adventure vacation?

A re you dreaming of your next adventure vacation but wondering how you can save money, beat the crowds or find the perfect campsite? Adventure travel is on the rise, with more and more of us skipping cocktails at the beach and packing our trail running shoes or climbing shoes for a different type of vacation. But when is the best time to go?

Peak season travel, which is usually during school holidays and all winter for ski trips, often means that you’ll have the most options for activities and the best weather for what you want to do – but there’s a higher price to pay and plenty of others with the same idea. 

Savvy travelers swear by off-season travel – which typically means spring and fall in mountain areas popular for adventure vacations – citing lower fares and less congested trails as great reasons to risk the possibility of inclement weather. But what if you spend your whole climbing holiday waiting for the rain to let up?

The truth is, there are huge advantages and downsides to both, but not knowing what to expect can lead to some serious disappointment. In this article, we take a look at peak season vs off-season travel to help you find the best time to explore your next route.

Peak season vs off-season travel: prices

Almost across the board, if you travel during peak season, you’re going to foot a higher bill. Airline and car rental companies and raise flight prices during the school holidays, hotels raise room rates and while restaurants and tour guides might not technically plump their prices, you’re not likely to find deals or discounts when they have an opportunity to make hay, and that’s fair enough. 

Travel during the off-season, however, and you’re far more likely to find deals on flights and accommodation, while restaurants might be offering specials to get people in the door and activities and tourist attractions might even have deals. In short, you’ll pay less for off-season travel, and that's a huge bonus but as you’ve probably guessed, there’s more to the story, so keep reading.

Peak season vs off-season travel: lodging and flights

Since it’s almost always cheaper, you might think that off-season travel is the clear way to go, but while it’s true that you can save money on flights, you might also have a harder time finding convenient ones.

I traveled to Corsica , an island off the southwest coast of France, this past spring to do some mountain biking and a via ferrata . The weather was still mild and made it perfect for these types of activities, but the getting there? That was a different story. 

Because Corsica’s peak season is during the summer months, airlines cut back on flights during the rest of the year and my only options were to take three separate flights to get to the island or spend a night in Paris en route. I was meeting a group of around 20 others, all flying from different parts of Europe, and all seemed to have had a longer and more arduous journey than me when they arrived. Had we traveled a couple of months later, many of us would have been looking at direct flights.

Accommodation availability is also another story, depending on where you’re going. For places where accommodation is open year-round, you’ll find that a hotel room or apartment rental is much easier to book and far cheaper during off-season travel. 

However, in places where off-season is extremely quiet and weather conditions inhospitable – such as some National Parks and alpine huts – you could find that some folk have simply shut up shop altogether and there isn’t a bed for the night. Of course, if your idea of adventure travel is pitching a tent in a place where wild camping is allowed, then you don’t need to worry about rooms, rates or whether you'll need a late checkout.

Peak season vs off-season travel: crowds

One area where off-season travel offers a clear advantage over peak season is crowds. Peak season means peak visitorship and unless you’re expert at getting off the beaten path, it means that trails and climbing routes will be congested and bike rentals and guides booked up in advance, so it’s smart to plan ahead.

The real beauty of travel in the off-season, especially if you like empty spaces, is that everything is quieter. You’re more likely to have hiking trails and campsites all to yourself and shouldn’t run into any issues renting gear. That said, hotels and restaurants can feel a little depressing when they’re running on a skeleton crew and you’re the only person there, so there’s still a downside.

Peak season vs off-season travel: activities

Getting to a world-class destination on the cheap and bagging yourself a four-star hotel room at bargain basement prices certainly sounds like living your best life, but before you click on that Book Now button, have a think about what it is that you actually want to do once you get there. 

Just because a destination is known for a certain activity doesn't mean you can do it year round. Bocas del Toro in Panama is a world-famous surf spot, but visit in the fall and you might find the sea is as flat as a pancake. The cables to help you climb Yosemite's famous Half Dome come down in October until Memorial Day and in Vail, Colorado , where I used to live, the hiking trails are either impassable due to snow or a total mud bath in the spring.

If you have your heart set on hiking, check that the trail conditions are favorable outside of summer, or at the very least, upgrade your hiking boots . Want to get some late-season turns in on the slopes? Be sure you’re visiting a snow-sure ski resort and book last minute. Be aware that guides might spend their off-season in some other exotic locale and some areas and attractions may be off-limits during quiet periods, so make sure you can do the things you really want to do – or have the right gear for your second choice.

Peak season vs off-season travel: weather

Some years ago, my friend Rachel had a hiking trip to Thailand planned for the fall. She spent months saving, planning and looking forward to it but when she arrived, she discovered it was still monsoon season. It rained non-stop, she couldn’t do any of the activities she hoped to and she cried. 

While it’s certainly true that when it comes to adventure travel, there’s no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong gear, the weather can make a real difference to how much you enjoy your trip. Yellowstone National Park is magical in the winter, but only if you love winter sports and are backcountry-savvy. Hiking in the rain might be no problem, but you need a waterproof jacket and rain pants .

Put it this way: when a destination has a peak season, it’s usually because the conditions are favorable for what people generally want to do. Winter is peak season for northern hemisphere ski resorts because it brings snow, while summer means dry trails for hikers and trail runners. 

If you’re booking your trip based on activities, research what the weather is generally like at the time you’ll be going and make sure it’s supportive of your goals, and that you pack the right gear. And remember, off-seasons like spring and fall can be the perfect time to explore desert climates before they get too hot.

Peak season vs off-season travel: the verdict

So do you take your adventure vacation during the busy peak season and risk the crowds and high prices, or wait until the off-season? It all depends on how attached you are to doing certain activities. 

There are tons of advantages to off-season travel such as lower prices, more lodging options and fewer people on the trails, but the weather might not play ball and you could find that certain activities and areas are off-limits. Meanwhile, you’ll pay more for peak-season travel and encounter busier trails and campgrounds, but you’ll have more of a guarantee of favorable conditions and access. 

We think this one really highlights the benefits of being open to new activities and of hiring a local guide, who will always know the areas where you can escape the crowds if it’s busy or find the best conditions.

• I went on a 3-day guided trail running trip – here are 5 reasons why I think it should be your next adventure vacation

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The Vacationer • Air Travel • Air Travel Guides

Best & Worst Days to Fly & Travel for the Holidays – Thanksgiving & Christmas 2024

There are a limited number of flights available for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s, so it is important to book as early as possible (ideally by early September at the latest) for the best prices. Additionally, some days are much better than others to fly when it comes to crowds and cost. This guide will detail how far in advance to book travel for the 2024 holiday season as well as the best and worst days to fly.

Table of Contents

How Far in Advance to Book 2024 Holiday Travel

Ideally, you should book your Thanksgiving and Christmas flights many months in advance. As a rule, we suggest booking domestic flights at least one to three months in advance. For international flights, you should book at least two to eight months in advance, but the earlier the better. For the holidays, you should book even earlier if possible to guarantee a desirable route, time, seat, and price.

Thanksgiving (book before Halloween)

I recommend booking your Thanksgiving flight by late August or early September for the best price. If possible, book in June or July. Book international flights even earlier. If you wait too long, you should aim to book by Halloween at the latest. While it is possible to get a decent deal after Halloween, your chances dramatically decrease. Your odds of finding a desirable flight time also go down when booking after Halloween. Here is a ranking of our recommended times.

• June, July, and August  – Best combination of inventory and cheap prices
• Early through Middle September  – Still a great time
• Early October  – Deals are still available but desirable flights may be limited
• Halloween  – Book Thanksgiving flights by Halloween at the latest
• November  – High prices and poor flights (connections, middle seats, bad times, etc.)

Further Reading: When to Book Thanksgiving Flights – Best & Worst Times

Christmas (book before Thanksgiving)

The best deals on Christmas flights are usually available through late August and early September . If possible, book even earlier in June or July. At the latest, you should book by Thanksgiving, but the earlier the better. If it is December and you still do not have a flight, you should expect to pay a premium. Additionally, you will likely only have undesirable flight times to choose from with the potential for one or more connections. Here is a ranking of our recommended booking times.

• Early October  – Google’s recommendation. Cheap prices but lower inventory
• Thanksgiving  – Book Christmas flights by Thanksgiving at the latest
• December  – High prices and poor flights (connections, middle seats, bad times, etc.)

Further Reading: When to Book Christmas Flights – Best & Worst Times

Best & Worst Days to Fly for the Holidays in 2024

Being on a Thursday every year, the best and worst days to fly for Thanksgiving are predictable. Christmas is a little more difficult since it does not fall on the same day of the week every year. Here are the days you should target and the days you should avoid this holiday season.

To come up with our best and worst dates forecast, we sampled hundreds of flight prices around Thanksgiving and Christmas. Our sample included numerous departure and arrival cities around the United States. Additionally, we researched TSA data from previous years where Christmas has fallen on the same day of the week.

Thanksgiving (best departure and return dates)

Our 2023 Thanksgiving Travel Survey showed more than 45.21% of American adults intended to travel to a vacation destination or holiday gathering last year. That means tens of millions of people fought over seats for a very limited number of flights. We expect our 2024 Thanksgiving Travel Survey to show increased intent.

Best Thanksgiving Travel Dates for 2024

As the table shows, you want to depart early during the week. If possible, Sunday is even better than Monday. While not ideal, Thanksgiving Day is a great day to fly . Black Friday is also a good day to fly if you can swing a shorter trip.

Most people return home the Sunday after Thanksgiving, so aim to fly back on Black Friday or the Monday after Turkey Day. If you can wait another day, Tuesday is even better than Monday.

Worst Thanksgiving Travel Dates for 2024

Avoid the Wednesday before Thanksgiving at all costs. It is one of the most popular days of the year to fly, so it is very busy and expensive. Additionally, airports are always packed, so it is an extra stressful experience.

Avoid the Saturday and Sunday after Thanksgiving for your return flight. Most people fly that day to get home before the workweek. I recommend flying home on Black Friday or the Monday or Tuesday after Thanksgiving.

Christmas (best departure and return dates)

Our 2023 Christmas Travel Survey shows 50.44% of American adults intended to travel to a vacation destination or gathering. We expect our 2024 Christmas Travel Survey to show increased intent.

Since Christmas falls on a different day every year, the best days to fly change. Other things such as school and business closures affect the dates too. Christmas can fall on a weekend, which further complicates things. Generally, the worst day to fly for Christmas is December 23, but that is not a hard rule.

Best Christmas Travel Dates for 2024

The earlier you depart the week before Christmas the better. If possible, fly on Tuesday, December 17, Wednesday, December 18 or Thursday, December 19. Flying on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day is ideal for cheaper prices and fewer crowds too, but you may not want to travel on a holiday.

Christmas falls on a Wednesday this year, so many people will fly home the day after. Thursday, December 26 and Friday, December 27 will be popular travel days, so try and wait until Saturday, December 28 or Monday, December 30 to head home. Based on previous years, Sunday, December 29 is likely to be a busy travel day, so you should avoid it.

Worst Christmas Travel Dates for 2024

The four days before Christmas Eve, the 20th, 21st, 22nd, and 23rd, are going to be busy travel days. I recommend avoiding them and departing earlier in the week if you can.

Avoid the Thursday and Friday after Christmas for your return flight; Many people look to get home as quickly as possible after Christmas. Additionally, data from previous years when Christmas has fallen on a Wednesday indicate Sunday, December 29 will be a busy travel day.

New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day Travel Tips

Best Dates to Fly:

• Saturday, December 28
• Monday, December 30
• Tuesday, December 31 (New Year’s Eve – Specifically at Night)
• Wednesday, January 1 (New Year’s Day – In the Morning)
• Saturday, January 4, 2025

Worst Dates to Fly :

• Sunday, December 29
• Thursday, January 2, 2025
• Friday, January 3, 2025

We recommend flying out for New Year’s on Saturday, December 28, or Monday, December 30 because Sunday, December 29 is traditionally a busy day to fly. While it is not ideal, flying out on the night of New Year’s Eve or the morning of New Year’s Day is generally cheap. Unfortunately, you will probably miss New Year’s Eve activities if you opt for an evening flight. An early New Year’s Day flight is not optimal either unless you can go bed very early on New Year’s Eve.

Fly home on Saturday, January 4 because Thursday, January 2 and Friday, January 3 are likely to be much busier.

Average Holiday Flight Prices for 2024 – Thanksgiving ($300) and Christmas ($400)

With November here, flight prices are increasing for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Expect to pay on average $300 for a roundtrip Flight for Thanksgiving. For Christmas, expect to pay on average $400 for a roundtrip flight.

Those prices will vary by your destination and dates of travel, so we recommend doing your homework before booking. If possible, travel on our recommended days and avoid the worst days.

We’ve found many domestic Thanksgiving and Christmas flights for under $200. We’ve also found various international Thanksgiving and Christmas flights for under $500.

Flexibility is the key to finding the absolute cheapest holiday flights. Use the Google Flights Explore map to find the best flight deals from your home airport or city around Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Air Travel is Setting Records for the 2024 Holiday Season

On most days, hundreds of thousands more travelers are going through TSA checkpoints compared to the same day as last year. For 2024, we expect holiday travel numbers to increase from 2023 figures.

Further Reading: What to Do if Your Airline Cancels or Delays Your Flight and How to Avoid Airline Flight Delays & Cancellations

Other Tips For Scoring a Cheap Holiday Flight Deal

Check out our guide to finding and booking cheap flights for additional tips. A few of the major tips may not be applicable with holiday travel (being very flexible on dates and destinations), but other guidelines can help. Here are a few of them.

• Do: Start With Google Flights
• Do: Be Open to Different Nearby Departure and Arrival Airports
• Do: Be Open to All Airlines
• Do: Be Open to Flights With Connections
• Don’t: Waste Your Time Clearing Cookies
• Don’t: Waste Your Time Browsing in Incognito

Additionally, our best websites to book cheap flights guide and top airline credit cards tutorial can help you save even more money.

Further Reading: Clearing Cookies or Searching Incognito Does Not Show Cheaper Flight Prices

The best days to fly for Thanksgiving are the Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday before Turkey Day.

The worst day to fly for Thanksgiving is the Wednesday before.

The best days are the Friday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday after Turkey Day. The worst day are the Saturday and Sunday after Thanksgiving.

It is, but it is not ideal for most people.

It is, but most people do not want to fly home on the day after Thanksgiving.

Book by the middle of September at the latest for the best price, but you should ideally book earlier. Book even earlier for international flights. Do not wait until after Halloween to book.

It depends since Christmas is on a different day each year. Shoot for at least a few days before Christmas Eve.

Avoid the two days before Christmas Eve.

It depends since Christmas is on a different day each year. Shoot for at least a few days after Christmas.

Book by the middle of September for the best price. Book even earlier for international flights. Do not wait until after Thanksgiving to book.

The Vacationer’s Final Thoughts

Ideally, you have already booked your 2024 holiday travel. If you have not done so already, there is still time to get a deal, but you need to move quickly. Shoot for the dates discussed in the article and avoid the bad ones. After the holidays are over, follow our best days of the week to fly and our best day of the week to book flights guides.

By Phil Dengler

In addition to being a co-founder of The Vacationer, Phil Dengler is also the head of editorial and marketing. Previously, he ran a popular holiday deals website where he was a trusted source for all things Black Friday. With The Vacationer, Phil combines his knowledge of deals with his love of travel to help you plan the perfect vacation.

When to Book Thanksgiving Flights – Travel Guide & Tips for 2024

When to Book Christmas Flights – Travel Guide & Tips for 2024

Christmas Travel Survey 2023 – 50.44% (131 million American adults) to Travel for the Holidays; 59%+ Expect Airline Delays & Cancellations

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10 Holiday Travel Tips You Need to Know

Ed Hewitt started traveling with his family at the age of 10 and has since visited dozens of countries on six continents. He wrote for IndependentTraveler.com for more than 20 years, producing hundreds of columns on travel and offering his expertise on radio and television. He is now a regular contributor to SmarterTravel.

An avid surfer and rower, Ed has written about and photographed rowing competitions around the world, including the last five Olympic Games.

He's passing his love of travel on to the next generation; his 10-year-old son has flown some 200,000 miles already.

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Planning to visit Grandma’s for Thanksgiving or spend Christmas in Rome? Holiday travel can be notoriously busy, expensive, and stressful, but the news isn’t all bad. There are still deals to be found, provided you shop carefully and plan ahead. Check out these 10 holiday travel tips and find some joy this holiday season.

Avoid Peak Travel Dates

At Thanksgiving, Wednesday is the critical outbound “avoid” day as a rule. Traveling on Thanksgiving Day is often a breeze and more affordable, and if you can fly home any day other than Sunday, you’ll likely pay less.

At Christmas and New Year’s, the peak holiday travel dates change each year depending on which days the holidays fall. You can generally guess which dates will be the most expensive for travel (consider which travel days would allow you to maximize long weekends without taking too many days off work — and that’s probably when everyone will want to go). For more information, see The 12 Best and Worst Days for Holiday Travel This Year .

Shop Around

Whether you’re using booking sites like Expedia or metasearch sites such as Skyscanner , comparison shopping has never been easier than it is right now. During holiday travel season, casting a wide net will help you understand all your options. Be as flexible as possible with dates and airports in order to get the best fares and schedule. Keep in mind that flying into or out of a smaller airport can make a big difference in your holiday travel experience, since smaller airports tend to have smaller crowds and shorter lines.

Find a Great Rate on You Next Stay with SmarterTravel Hotels

Plot Connections Carefully

When booking flights, check your search results carefully for sufficient time during layovers, and build in some time for flight delays and weather woes. Particularly during the winter months, peak travel times often bring travel delays, and your connections are more likely to be jeopardized. Avoiding tight connections might save you a sprint through the terminal or, worse yet, a missed flight.

Also, it’s best if you can muscle your flight path into position so that connections are in places less likely to experience delays—specifically, airports in warmer climates. Better yet, book a nonstop flight and avoid the issue altogether.

Leave Early

During peak travel times, much of the trouble you’ll face lies on this side of the security check-in, from traffic jams and full parking lots to absent shuttles and long lines. Rather than striving to “arrive at the airport early,” you may want to try to “leave for the airport early” to anticipate all the peripheral delays you may encounter.

Many flights are completely full around the holidays, so if you miss your scheduled flight due to a flat tire or unexpected traffic, it may not be easy to get on another flight in a reasonable amount of time.

Most airlines recommend checking in 90 minutes early for domestic flights and two hours early for international flights. For holiday travel, however, it’s wise to arrive even earlier. Expect to encounter long lines at check-in and security, and plan accordingly. To save yourself time, put gas in your car the night before.

The Ultimate Checklist for Traveling Abroad

Pack Wisely

Has it been a while since you last flew? If so, you’ll want to make sure you’re familiar with the latest TSA rules regarding what’s allowed in carry-on bags. See Airport Security Frequently Asked Questions for a primer. Remember that the TSA’s liquid and gel restrictions apply to items like holiday leftovers (think mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce) and to gifts such as wine or body lotion; prepare to put these in your checked bag.

When packing, keep in mind that most airlines charge travelers a fee for checking any bags on domestic flights (and even some international ones), and that some bargain-basement fares don’t include a carry-on bag either. Check your airline’s baggage rules in advance so you know what to expect.

Plan Ahead for Parking

Don’t assume that you’ll be able to pull right into your airport’s economy lot and find a space the day before Thanksgiving or Christmas. Airport parking lots may be vast, but they do fill up during peak travel times. Consider alternatives to driving yourself such as taking public transportation, booking a shuttle, calling a cab or rideshare, or having someone drop you off.

If those options don’t work, reserve a parking spot in advance through websites such as AirportParkingReservations.com or ParkRideFly .

Take Advantage of Shortcuts

The latest self-service developments in online travel can be tremendous time-savers during peak travel times. Whenever possible, print your boarding passes at home or pull them up on your smartphone. Consider applying for trusted traveler programs such as Global Entry or TSA PreCheck , which allow you to skip the normal security lines.

If you buy most of your gifts online, have them shipped directly to your destination. This will cut down on luggage and the risk of them getting lost . (If you do decide to pack your gifts, don’t wrap them; TSA agents will rip them open if they need to screen them for any reason.)

The 11 Best Stocking Stuffers for Travelers

Travel Early in the Day

As a rule, airports are least congested at times when normal human beings would rather be at home or even asleep. Delays are far less likely for morning flights, and if you do encounter an issue with your originally scheduled itinerary, you’ll have options later in the day.

Caveat: Staffing can be spotty for really early flights in addition to the ongoing staffing shortage facin g airlines . So although your flight is highly likely to be ready to leave on time, check-in may take a while, as may other personnel-dependent steps like riding shuttle buses.

Bring Some Creature Comforts

As if cramped legroom, narrow seats, and crying babies weren’t enough to guarantee an uncomfortable journey, some airlines are now taking away the free blankets that were the only thing standing between passengers and hypothermia. Stay warm on a chilly holiday flight by packing your own cozy pashmina , fleece , or travel blanket .

For longer flights, consider bringing items such as earplugs , noise-canceling headphones , and an eye mask to help you sleep. And don’t miss SmarterTravel’s list of the best travel podcasts to keep you entertained.

How to Find the Cheapest Flights (According to Google Flights Experts)

Keep Your Cool

Don’t lose your temper, even if things go wrong. Airline employees have considerable power over your well-being. Unfortunately, some enjoy wielding it against you, and few respond well to anger.

Remember that everyone is harried, and have a little extra patience. The crowds, the weather, and the stress of the holiday season guarantee that a good 90 percent of the people you interact with on your journey are just as frazzled as you are.

A Few Bonus Holiday Travel Tips

• Check ahead for delays before you leave for the airport. The Federal Aviation Administration has a map showing general delay status at major airports across the U.S. so you can see if trouble might be lurking, even if your scheduled flight is still on time.
• Have phone numbers for everything: your hotel, your car rental agency, your airline, friends at your destination.
• Give your cell phone a full charge, and download your airline’s app so you’ll get alerts if your flight is delayed or your gate changes.
• If you’re leaving pets at home and you haven’t made kennel reservations, do so right away. If Fluffy is coming along, make sure you know your airline’s and accommodation’s pet policies.
• While many places have lessened or lifted COVID-19 restrictions, there are still some destinations, public venues, and events that require masks or proof of vaccination. Make sure you’re prepared by keeping a copy of your vaccine card with your travel documents and have a stock of masks handy just in case.

Do I Need to Be Vaccinated to Fly?

Put It All Together

Holiday travel is the time to lay all your travel savvy on the line. For example, if you:

• have your boarding pass sent to your phone
• leave early enough not to sweat the small stuff
• travel light enough not to have to check any bags
• proceed directly to and through security
• arrive at the gate on time and at ease
• and nail your connections …

… you might actually enjoy traveling this season!

Editor’s note: This story was originally published in 2017. It has been updated to reflect the most current information. Christine Sarkis and Jessica Labrencis contributed to this story.

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Best Time to Visit Russia

Russia Seasons

Visit russia in spring: culture & history.

Go back to the USSR with mega-soviet parades and then step back in time even further to ancient Rus’ with Slavic holidays like Maslenitsa and Paskha.

Visit Russia in Summer: Youth & Fun

Join the Russians celebrating the long-awaited arrival of the sun in their three-month-long jamboree of cultural festivals, parties and camping.

Visit Russia in Autumn: Peace & Quiet

Glorious or grey, whatever the weather, autumn is always a wonderful time to visit, not least because you’ll have the country all to yourself. The troops of tourists wielding selfie-sticks are replaced by locals pouring back to the city from their country dachas. Everything feels more down-to-earth, more authentic and more Russian.

Visit Russia in Winter: Tradition & Nature

The star of the Russian calendar is, of course, New Year. Visit cities in the Arctic Circle like Murmansk or Petrozavodsk to experience the eye-lash freezing temperatures of the real Russian winter.

Spring in Russia

The sun is slow to come when it starts its ascent in March. All signs of life are still shrouded under the snow that accumulated throughout the winter. But, after four months of darkness and bitter cold, the Russians are desperate for any excuse to make merry! Hence, the week-long blini feast at the beginning of March. Buttery, golden blinis, which represent the rising sun, are made by the dozen in homes and outside in street-fairs. One of spring’s most memorable sights is the burning of a giant pagan effigy, Lady Winter, atop a bonfire on the last day of Maslenitsa .

Sadly, this spectacular end to winter is mere theatrics— the threat of biting cold, stinging snow and treacherous ice looms till May. In fact, the onset of pleasant days can be pinned down to an exact date— May the 1st. This day is often referred to as Spring day, though its real name is Labour day. Russians flock in the hundreds of thousands to the main cities to take part in terrific soviet-era parades. The atmosphere is jubilant, the weather almost always t-shirt appropriate but the period between the two May holidays from the 1st to the 9th can be as busy (and dear) as the peak of the summer. Those willing to brave the erratic, sometimes arctic, conditions of March and April will be rewarded with discounted accommodation, crowd-free museums and the chance to partake in iconic Soviet celebrations like Women’s Day.

Dates to save

• March 8th: International Women’s Day
• April-May: Paskha (Russian Easter)
• Last week of April—first week of May: Grand Opening of Peterhof’s Fountains (Saint Petersburg only)
• May 1st: Labour Day
• May 9th: Victory Day

Locals’ advice: Exploring the great outdoors can be difficult in March and April when the fluctuating temperatures create puddles of thawing snow which then freeze over. May, on the other hand, offers clear skies, clear streets and attractions that are still reasonably clear of crowds. The last weeks of May are arguably the best time to visit Russia.

Summer in Russia

The word “Russia” may be analogous with snow but, for the most part, the country is best seen from June to August. Under the surprisingly warm rays of the sun, royal estates with magnificent fountains and stunning gardens blossom and cities are abuzz with cultural festivals. In Saint Petersburg, the phenomena of the White Nights colours the evenings rosy pink. Time seems to stop, as days stretch into infinity under the sunlit night-sky. Further south in Moscow, it isn’t unusual for temperatures to rise into the 30s. But don’t forget to bring your parka! Except during July and the first half of August, low teens and drizzly days are a far too common occurrence.

For sun-soaked days and balmy waters, follow the trail of Russians taking the night-train or plane to Krasnodar Krai. One of the most southerly regions of Russia, it gleefully dispels the myth that Russia is a cold land with cold people. Krasnodarians are famed for their warmth, so much so that some northern Russians find their chumminess a little overwhelming! Yet Krasnodar is no provincial backwater. The jewel in the region’s crown, Sochi, is referred to as "the Riviera of Russia”. The sparkling azure waters of the Black Sea backgrounded by the stunning peaks of the Caucasian mountain range first captured the hearts of greek merchants. One thousand nine hundred years later, even the cold-heart of Stalin was so moved by Sochi’s natural beauty that he had a dacha built overlooking the city. His palace-sized “dacha” along with the romanesque Soviet sanatoriums and today’s mega-yachts docked in the harbour create an unrivalled aura of grandeur that is unique to this particular part of Russia.

Russia’s ritziest spots, like Sochi, are also the priciest. But even in the exceedingly popular holidaying locale surrounding the Black Sea, there are some gems that have yet to be capitalised by overpriced resorts. Gelendzhik is one such example of a seaside paradise which, unlike other more affordable cities like Anapa, isn’t overrun with crowds. For an even more secluded holiday, there’s no better place to enjoy the sun than the verdant mountains of the Altai— the least populous region in Russia’s wildest district, Siberia. Under the warm rays of the sun, Altai’s alpine meadows make for heavenly hiking terrain while the glacial rivers cascading down from the snow-capped Altai Mountains are prime rafting waters.

• Last week of June: Scarlet Sails (Saint Petersburg only)
• July 7th: Ivan Kupala (folk holiday)
• Last Sunday of July: Navy Day
• August 2nd: Paratroopers' Day
• August 12th: Russian Air Force Day

Locals’ advice: Crowds are drawn in by the magic appeal of Russia’s fleeting summer season and prices rise. Of course, this is no surprise, but there is a catch to visiting in summer that most tourists aren’t aware of. As the last snows melt, Russia’s famous theatre troops pack up and head on tour overseas and only subpar performances are staged locally (though there are festivals aplenty).

Autumn in Russia

Fleeting are the golden autumn afternoons in Russia. Like sunburnt leaves quivering on trees, there’s no knowing how long they’ll stay. After the last two weeks of August (which are almost always miserable and grey), the sun suddenly reveals itself for what can be the entirety of September and sometimes even October! This period of surprisingly pleasant weather is known in Russian as Babye Leto. Ask the locals, and the majority will tell you that Babye Leto is the best time to visit Russia. The autumnal foliage of Russia’s famed forests seems to set the entire country ablaze. From buzzing metropolises to tranquil villages, the beauty of this season is gloriously apparent.

“I love the lush nature of wilting, In scarlet and gold clad forests” A.S. Pushkin

Many of Russia’s greats took their inspiration from this season. Pushkin made the low-lying hills of Pushkinskiye Goriy in the western region of Pskov famous with his odes to fall. There is no image more emblematic of Russian autumn than that of Pushkin’s secluded dacha surrounded by apple orchards. Karelia too is another region within reasonable distance of Moscow and Saint Petersburg whose other-worldly beauty would make it a worthy muse for any poet. At this time of year, swarms of mosquitoes are no longer an issue and the endless landscape of forest, powder-white cliffs and mirror-like lakes are flooded with nature’s bounty of mushrooms and cranberries.

On the opposite coast of Russia, autumn reveals itself in an entirely new light. In this far-flung territory, the air only really starts to warm up in the last weeks of summer. By September, the stark volcanic landscape is bathed in magnificent sunbeams and the temperature averages at a lovely 22c. This season is especially apt for exploring Primorsky Krai and its capital city, Vladivostok. Hikers, mountain-bikers and even surfers fly from all over to the make the most of the splendid weather in the “San-Francisco of Russia”.

• November 4th: Unity Day

Locals’ advice: There aren’t many celebrations of note in autumn. The lack of holidays, however, doesn’t translate to a lack of reasons to visit Russia. On the contrary, the lack of crowds makes it one of the best times to go! While the extravaganza of outdoor summer festivities dims down, locals retreat to snug jazz bars and richly decorated theatres. Russia’s prized prima-donna dancers return from abroad, heralding the start of the ballet season.

Winter in Russia

Visiting Russia in winter truly is an experience like no other. And, contrary to popular belief, one needn’t brave temperatures of -40c or megalithic snowstorms. Unless you have your sights set on Siberia or the Arctic Circle, temperatures shouldn’t go beyond -20c and will most likely hover around -7c during January, the coldest month. The snow is simply stunning and all the traditional winter activities that Russians relish, like ice hockey, cross-country skiing, troika-riding and ice-fishing, make holidays at this time of year very special. A changing climate, however, means that a white Christmas can’t be guaranteed in cities like Saint Petersburg and Moscow. For a snow-filled holiday that won’t disappoint, zip up your duffle coat and head to the Arctic Circle!

In the land of tundra and polar bear, daring tourists can travel to the coldest inhabited place on earth— Oymyakon, a village in Russia’s Far East where the mercury plunged below -70c. It may sound frightfully cold but, although Napoleon was scared of the Russian winter, there’s no reason you should be! Locals in the world’s largest arctic city, Murmansk, live perfectly normal lives with temperatures that often go below -30c. As long as you wear thermals and fleece-lined boots, you’ll be fine. Many Russians purposefully travel to places like Karelia, Baikal, the Urals and Yakutia to experience the sub-zero conditions. No, the Russians aren’t deranged! The cold truly does work wonders. Locals teach tourists how to make “ice art” by hurling cups of steaming water into the frigid air. Excursions by foot, bike or even snowmobile take visitors on adventures over the crystallised waters of vast lakes and the Aurora Borealis mesmerise those brave souls willing to wait out through freezing nights. If you have a fire in your soul.

• 31st December-8th January: Russian New Year *
• 7th January : Orthodox Christmas
• February 23rd : Defender of the Fatherland

* In Russia, New Year’s celebrations don’t end with the fireworks at midnight. Music, dancing, feasting, gift-giving and the terrific exuberance of almost everyone you meet lasts an entire week…as stipulated by Russian law!

Locals’ advice: Winter may be the low-season for foreign visitors but the first week of January is as packed and pricey as the height of summer, if not more so, as almost all Russians splurge out during this extraordinary nation-wide holiday. If you’re keen on immersing yourself in Russian culture, rowdy crowds, lavish parties and all, then New Year will be the best time to visit Russia.

Rules of Thumb When Planning a Russian Vacation

Being such an enormously diverse country, Russia is a year-round destination. Though there may be a better season to suit your interests and holiday plans, one could almost say that anytime is a good time to visit Russia. Should you wish to avoid crowds and paying higher prices, however, there are a few dates you should avoid. Namely, the periods when Russians go on holiday:

March 23-29th and May 1-10th (official holidays from May 1-3rd and May 8-10th)

June 11-14th and all of August

October 26th-November 2nd

December 30th-January 13th (official holidays from January 1-10th)

• holiday travel

LAX's busiest days of holiday travel season are here. Here's what to expect

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The peak holiday travel days are here.

As Christmas Day approaches, Los Angeles International Airport is expecting 200,000 passengers to pass through each day during the holiday travel season from Dec. 16 through Jan. 3.

Traffic around the Central Terminal Area is also expected to increase with as many as 89,000 vehicles in a single day from Dec. 19 - 21.

"A lot more people, and a lot more hectic than years before," said traveler Lilly Lane of Valencia. "I've traveled for 30 years and it's never been like this. Never."

Airport officials advise travelers - and those driving them or expecting them - to plan ahead and leave plenty of extra time. Parking, in particular, should be planned out in advance and reserved when possible.

"LAX wishes our guests, employees and partners a very happy holiday season as we create a smooth and enjoyable travel experience," said Justin Erbacci, CEO of Los Angeles World Airports. "We ask that you come to the airport prepared by planning your parking ahead of time and arriving early, especially if you are traveling with us on one of our peak travel days."

Christmas airport crowds can be trickier to predict than Thanksgiving crowds given that the holiday falls on a different weekday each year and that air travel patterns are often dictated by the workweek.

But just as the Sunday after Thanksgiving tends to draw huge crowds, the days just after Christmas are wildly popular. And much like how few people travel on Thanksgiving Day itself, relatively few people travel on Christmas Day or New Year's Day.

Here's a look at Christmas and the seven calendar dates before and after over the past three years, ranked by most to fewest average air travelers nationwide, based on TSA checkpoint data:

• Dec. 27 (most crowded).
• Jan. 1 (New Year's Day).
• Dec. 24 (Christmas Eve).
• Dec. 31 (New Year's Eve).
• Dec. 25 (Christmas Day) (least crowded).

The 2022 holiday travel season will be different because Hanukkah, which begins on the 25th of Kislev in the Hebrew calendar, aligns closely with Christmas. While the eight-day celebration sometimes happens in November or early December, it begins this year on Dec. 18 and runs through Dec. 26.

There's also the weeklong celebration of Kwanzaa, which runs from Dec. 26 through Jan. 1. Thus, travelers during that period might be celebrating more than just Christmas, potentially concentrating more holiday crowds in airports than in other years.

What's more is that one of the busiest travel days of the year, Dec. 23 - the day before Christmas Eve - happens to fall on a Friday this year. Friday is typically the busiest travel day in any given week. Dec. 23 is not an official holiday, but many holiday travelers may leave on that day.

City News Service and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Related Topics

• LOS ANGELES
• LOS ANGELES COUNTY
• AIRLINE INDUSTRY
• LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
• HOLIDAY TRAVEL

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TSA breaks record for most individuals screened on a single day, readies for record-breaking Independence Day weekend travel volumes

WASHINGTON — As airline passengers prepare to take to the skies this Independence Day holiday, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is prepared for a sustained period of high passenger volumes. TSA expects to screen more than 32 million individuals from Thursday, June 27 through Monday, July 8, which is a 5.4% increase over 2023 Independence Day holiday travel volumes. On Sunday, June 23, TSA broke the record for most people screened on a single day, screening nearly 3 million (2.99 million) individuals . This summer’s record-breaking travel volumes reflect the role TSA and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have in securing the nation’s transportation systems, while ensuring freedom of movement for people and commerce, which is vital to our country’s economic well-being.

TSA anticipates the peak travel day will be Friday, June 28, when the agency expects to screen more than 3 million individuals. TSA is staffed to meet its wait time standards, which are 10 minutes and under in TSA PreCheck lanes and 30 minutes and under in standard screening lanes. Seven of the top 10 busiest travel days ever have occurred over the past month.

“We expect this summer to be our busiest ever and summer travel usually peaks over the Independence Day holiday,” said TSA Administrator David Pekoske. “Compared to last year, we have cut our attrition rates by almost half and increased our recruiting as a result of the TSA Compensation Plan that was funded in the budget passed by Congress and signed into law by President Biden. The traveling public is on the move, which is a sign of a healthy economy. We are ready, along with our airline and airport partners, to handle this boost in passenger volumes.”

Airline passengers should be aware that security screening technologies may vary by airport. Although TSA follows strict standardized screening protocols, it is important for passengers to arrive early and listen to the guidance provided by Transportation Security Officers (TSOs).

Below are some frequently asked questions that provide an overview of the TSA technologies and procedures individuals may encounter during screening process.

Do I need to show a boarding pass to the TSA officer?

All airline passengers must have their acceptable ID and boarding pass ready at the security checkpoint entrance.

Do I need to take off my shoes?

TSA requires individuals in standard screening lanes to remove their shoes during the screening process. However, individuals 12 and under or 75 and older are always permitted to keep their shoes on during the security screening process.

Passengers with TSA PreCheck may leave their shoes on unless they alarm during screening. Most airports have dedicated TSA PreCheck lanes during some peak hours. Some airports have blended lanes where passengers with TSA PreCheck are screened in standard lanes, but they will receive a card indicating they have TSA PreCheck to carry with them during screening, and will be screened as a TSA PreCheck passenger.

Can family members go through the TSA PreCheck lane with me?

Teenagers aged 13-17 may accompany TSA PreCheck enrolled parents or guardians through screening when traveling on the same reservation and when the TSA PreCheck indicator appears on the teen’s boarding pass. Children 12 and under may accompany an enrolled parent or guardian in the TSA PreCheck lanes without restriction. This benefit is another reason to join the nearly 20 million people who have enrolled in TSA PreCheck. For customer flexibility, there are three TSA PreCheck enrollment providers from which passengers may choose: Telos, CLEAR and IDEMIA. For more information on any of the enrollment provider options and TSA PreCheck, visit www.tsa.gov/precheck .

Other advice from TSA

With more than 430 federalized, commercial airports nationwide, 685 security checkpoints and 2,412 security screening lanes, it may be challenging to know what to expect at any airport. Here are some additional tips to help ensure an efficient screening experience:

• Pack smart. Always start packing with a bag that is empty to ensure there are no prohibited items present during security screening. Place electronics larger than a cell phone and travel size liquids at the top of your carry-on so they can be easily accessible if they must be removed. Remember that all liquids must be 3.4 ounces (100 ml) or less if they are in your carry-on bag.
• Arrive at the airport two hours before scheduled boarding time. Allow ample time to park,  navigate to the terminal, check luggage with the airline if needed and proceed through the checkpoint. Most flights board 30-45 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time.
• Review guidelines for traveling with children. Airlines may request proof of age documentation during check-in for children 12 and under traveling unaccompanied. Proof of age documentation must also be provided for children two and under planning to sit on an adult passenger’s lap. A birth certificate is an acceptable proof of age.
• Get assistance prior to traveling. Do you have a question about an item and whether or not it is allowed through security screening? Download the MyTSA app and use the “What Can I Bring?” feature to determine whether an item is allowed or prohibited in carry-on luggage. You may also snap a picture of an item and send it to @AskTSA on X (formerly Twitter) or Facebook Messenger for real-time assistance. Passengers may text their question to TSA by texting “Travel” to AskTSA (275-872). Passengers who need additional assistance through security screening may request a TSA  Passenger Support Specialist (PSS). A PSS is a TSO who has received specialized training, including how to effectively assist and communicate with individuals with disabilities, medical conditions or those who need additional screening assistance. Individuals should request passenger assistance at least 72 hours in advance by contacting  our TSA Cares passenger support line  at (855) 787-2227. Live assistance for both the TCC and TSA Cares is available weekdays, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET, or weekends and holidays from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET.
• Double-check your luggage tags. Many bags look alike, so passengers should tag every piece of checked luggage with their name and address. We also recommended they include additional addresses inside each bag in the event the outside tag falls off. When retrieving checked luggage at baggage claim, it is important that individuals check the tags to ensure they have picked up the correct bag.
• Do you carry a firearm? Prepare, pack and declare. Passengers may travel with a firearm , but it must be secured as the passenger’s checked baggage; packed unloaded; locked in a hard-sided case and declared to the airline when checking in at the airline ticket counter. Firearms are prohibited at security checkpoints, in the secure area of an airport and in the passenger cabin of an aircraft, even if a passenger has a concealed carry permit or is in a constitutional carry jurisdiction. TSA does not confiscate or seize firearms. If a passenger brings a firearm to the security checkpoint on their person or in their carry-on luggage, the TSO will contact local law enforcement to safely unload and take possession of the firearm. Law enforcement may also arrest or cite the passenger, depending on local law. TSA may impose a civil penalty up to almost $15,000, and for the first offense, passengers who bring a firearm to a security checkpoint will lose TSA PreCheck® eligibility for five years. Second violations will result in permanent disqualification from the program and additional civil penalties.
• Do you have TSA PreCheck? Make sure your Known Traveler Number (KTN) is in your airline reservation. TSA PreCheck passengers do not need to remove shoes, belts, 3-1-1 liquids, laptops, food items and light jackets at the TSA checkpoint. TSA’s wait time standards for TSA PreCheck lanes are under 10 minutes whereas as standard lanes are under 30 minutes. If you are not yet enrolled in TSA PreCheck, you may enroll via one of TSA’s authorized enrollment providers starting as low as $77.95 for a five-year membership. Most new enrollees receive their KTN within three to five days. Members may renew membership online up to six months prior to expiration for another five-year term starting as low as $68.95. Visit TSA PreCheck at www.tsa.gov/precheck for more information, and to begin your enrollment.
• Respect frontline aviation workers. Violence and unruly behavior in airports and onboard aircraft are not acceptable and will result in significant delays at security checkpoints. TSOs, along with all frontline airport and airline employees and local law enforcement, are working together to ensure safe and secure travel. Assaulting a TSA employee is a federal offense and will result in penalties and/or arrest.

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Smart Money Podcast —The Best Time to Book Holiday Travel and How to Use Points to Save

Many, or all, of the products featured on this page are from our advertising partners who compensate us when you take certain actions on our website or click to take an action on their website. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

Welcome to NerdWallet’s Smart Money podcast, where we answer your real-world money questions. In this episode:

Learn expert tips and tricks for saving money on holiday travel booking, from the best time to book to when you should use rewards points.

When should you book your holiday travel? How can you save money on travel during the busiest travel season? Hosts Sean Pyles and Meghan Coyle talk to travel rewards Nerd Sam Kemmis about how to save money when booking holiday travel, with tips and tricks on using companion fares, the optimal time to book holiday flights, and understanding the fine print of airline programs. They also discuss the challenges and benefits of standby flights, the value of subscribing to flight deal newsletters, and the advantages of using credit card points and transferring them to partner airlines. By exploring these topics, the hosts aim to provide listeners with actionable advice to make holiday travel more affordable and less stressful.

Check out NerdWallet’s roundup of the 16 Best Travel Credit Cards of September 2024: https://www.nerdwallet.com/best/credit-cards/travel

Check out this episode on your favorite podcast platform, including:

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NerdWallet stories related to this episode:

16 Best Travel Credit Cards of September 2024

The Best Days to Book a Flight and When to Fly

TSA PreCheck vs. Global Entry: Which Is Better?

Have a money question? Text or call us at 901-730-6373. Or you can email us at [email protected] . To hear previous episodes, go to the podcast homepage.

Episode transcript

This transcript was generated from podcast audio by an AI tool.

Sean Pyles:

Over the river and through the woods, to Grandmother's house we go. And if you don't want that to break the bank, have we got an episode for you — and Grandma. Today, tips and tricks for saving money on holiday travel booking.

Sam Kemmis:

Because changing and canceling flights for most airlines is a lot easier now than it used to be, and there aren't as many change and cancellation fees, that actually is a pretty good strategy.

Welcome to NerdWallet's Smart Money podcast. I'm Sean Pyles.

Meghan Coyle:

And I'm Meghan Coyle.

And this is episode two of our Nerdy deep dive into holiday travel and the costs therein. And Meghan, I know you and I are both in the camp of avoiding holiday travel if at all possible. As much as we love our families, sometimes the hassle of getting to them just isn't worth a wing and a leg of, you know… turkey.

Yeah. I heard what you did there, Sean. As we know, plenty of people do brave the crowds and the lines and the delays to see their loved ones over the holidays, so we are here to help smooth that process as best we can, especially when it comes to what you're spending on that travel.

The holidays are infamous for higher prices, especially on airfares, and there are definitely ways to save money if you're willing to be a little flexible.

And when you know some of the secrets to booking ahead of time .

Ooh, I love secrets, and we're going to share lots of them today. So listener, perk up your ears like you're listening for sleigh bells in the distance because we're going to drop a lot of insider knowledge on you today. It's our holiday gift to you.

That's right, wrapped up all pretty and nice.

We want to hear what you think too, listeners. To share your ideas and experiences around holiday travel with us—the good, the bad, and the insanity—leave us a voicemail or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373, that's 901-730-NERD, or email a voice memo to [email protected] . So Meghan, who are we hearing from today?

Today, our guest is our Nerdy colleague, Sam Kemmis, and we're going to explore all the ways you can save yourself some cash when you're booking holiday travel , and you don't necessarily need to redeem your points to do it.

That's coming up in a moment. Stay with us.

Hey, Sam. So great to have you back on the show.

It's so great to be here.

What are your travel plans for the holidays?

They're not the most exciting, but I'm going to go home to Montana, where I'm from, with my kids to see family.

Aw, that sounds really sweet.

Is it going to be cold there?

Oh, yeah. It's always cold. I always go for the cold snap. It always gets into the negative temperatures while we're there.

Oh my goodness. I don't know if I could handle that. What are some strategies you are using to save money on your holiday travel this year?

This is always the question, and I wish I had that silver bullet where I'm like, "Here's the one weird trick to saving money on holiday travel," but the truth is it's hard to do. But I do have a few tricks up my sleeve. So one of them is using companion fares. My partner and I both have the Alaska companion fare, which is great because we have two kids, and it lets us book a second ticket for just a little over $100 no matter how much the first ticket costs. Because you're spending the same amount on that second ticket no matter what, the more expensive your first ticket is, the more value you're getting from it. Holiday travel tends to be pretty expensive, so I usually save that companion fare for the holiday so I can kind of maximize that difference between the $100 and whatever I end up paying for the actual fare.

So it's kind of like you're almost using your companion fare as a kid discount, a child discount on your airfare for the holidays.

I wish my oldest was still young enough that I could put her on my lap. That's the real discount for the holidays. In a pinch, I use companion fares. Alaska has a great one, but there's also one from Delta. Southwest has its sort of famous one. There are some companion fare options out there.

And tell us how Alaska's companion fare works. I believe you get that through a credit card, is that right?

Yes. You get it through its co-branded credit card and you get one of them to use every year.

Is this an annual tradition of yours to use the companion fare on the holidays?

Yeah, I guess it is becoming one as my kids get older. It used to be I would try to just book the most ludicrous flight that would still qualify with stopovers and multi-cities and going to Costa Rica and whatever I could do. But for one thing, Alaska has sort of changed the terms of it so it's not so easy to do that. And now, yeah, not as exciting and my most expensive trip is usually home for the holidays.

Makes sense. Yeah. And I know some of the other companion fares have different terms and things like that, but Southwest's companion pass lets you get flights for a discount for the entire year, so the holidays are also a great time to use that for a really high value.

Just no blackout dates on those, as far as I know.

That's what we're looking for for holiday travel because the travel companies know that these are such high demand times. You have to be really careful with the deals. Let's talk about when you book your holiday travel. Have you done that already?

I have not. I have learned from covering this beat for so long that it's actually usually better to wait until the fall to book, and maybe even a little later in the fall. So that's easy for me because I'm a procrastinator, but I know there are a lot of people who want to book as early as possible. But the data show that booking months in advance doesn't actually save you money. One piece of data I got from Google Flights that they shared with me showed that the lowest prices for the holidays usually happen between 80 and 20 days before departure, so about one to two months before departure, and that's true for both Thanksgiving and the December holidays. If I'm booking for Christmas, that will put it somewhere in October, likely, that I'm booking. That's a rule of thumb, but every year is different. It could be that if you wait until that 20-day cutoff that prices will actually go up, or that may be when prices are actually lowest. Just like anything that revolves around supply and demand, there's no way to really play the market. Booking way in advance is usually not a great idea.

Okay, that makes me feel a lot better because I haven't even started thinking about it yet.

I know. It's like 95 degrees here. It's hard to imagine.

I know we're talking a bit early about holiday plans, and one thing I wanted to float out there is that you could book something now and kind of lock in a lower rate, and then you might be able to rebook it or change it or cancel it if something happens, your travel plans change, or even the price goes down. Can you talk a little bit about that and why that might be a good option for the holiday travel?

Yeah, because changing and canceling flights for most airlines is a lot easier now than it used to be, and there aren't as many change and cancellation fees, that actually is a pretty good strategy. If you're just one of those people that doesn't want to wait and you see a decent price right now, you can always book it now and, like you said, either change the ticket when you see a better price and you might get a refund on that difference, or just cancel your ticket outright and rebook the lower price. So that's not a bad idea.

You want to be a little careful, though, to make sure that you're actually booking a refundable flight . And that doesn't mean a fully refundable fare, but usually basic economy flights and flights with budget airlines like Spirit and Frontier do not have full cancelability. They won't offer a full refund, especially those basic economy tickets. You want to watch out booking those. You probably won't be able to get your money back. The same thing applies for hotels. Hotels are usually a lot easier. They're usually much more flexible in terms of letting you rebook and even cancel last-minute. You can always book some hotel rooms in advance as long as you're checking that fine print and making sure that you can cancel it later.

Something I used to do in college as well was I would take advantage of same-day changes and standby to help save a bit of money on holiday travel. I'll tell you how this worked and then you can tell me if that was a good strategy or not to use.

Yeah, I want to hear about this.

I went to school out of state, so I had to fly home for the holidays. The cheapest flights were usually these super early morning, 6:00 AM flights, or maybe they would have some stops or I would take the red eye. I mean, these were just awful flights I was booking. But if you look into some of the same-day change policies and standby policies, you might actually be able to sometimes call your airline ahead of time, like the day before, or even look in the app and see if there was any availability on a better flight. As long as your departure airport and your arrival airport didn't change and you were still taking off on the same calendar day, you can save a lot of money by just taking any of those extra seats on a better-timed flight. Something I would do is I would book maybe the earliest flight back on the Friday after Thanksgiving, and then I wouldn't actually get up at 6:00 AM after eating tons of turkey the day before. I would just check on Thanksgiving and change it, sometimes for free if you have elite status, or there's some type of policy that'll let you change for free, or I would pay a pretty nominal fee, like $75, and fly back at a much more normal time. What did you think about that strategy?

That's not bad, and I've definitely done things like that. I think it's for sure a good college student strategy because it works as long as you're pretty flexible on what actually ends up happening. You can have this great plan and, "Oh, I'm going to change it to a better flight," and there may just not be better flights available. Or you could sort of go on standby, that fills up, and then you've got to get over to your actual flight or onto another standby. You could kind of end up in this purgatory where you're not on any flight.

Obviously, I'm speaking in generalities because every airline is going to have different policies for this.

I love it. I love that kind of thing. I've done that with red eyes where I've booked a red eye that's way cheaper and then just said, "Oh. Actually, could I just fly a normal flight?" and it works out. Totally a possibility if you're willing to put in a little extra uncertainty work.

That's a good call out. And probably wouldn't work if you have multiple people traveling, like your family, so that would make it a bit more difficult.

Yeah, I think my kids would break up with me.

So where should people look for deals, whether on hotels or airlines, for holiday travel?

Airline deals themselves can be tough for the holidays. You might see airlines promote different sales, but usually those have blackout dates that are actually around the holidays. And so unless you're willing to fly quite far off from the holiday itself, that's probably not going to apply. That said, it might be worth subscribing to some flight deal newsletters or social media accounts. You can find those on Instagram or TikTok, and email newsletters are all over the place. And every once in a while, those will have deals around the holidays, especially internationally, especially around Thanksgiving. Because other places don't celebrate our Thanksgiving, you can find deals around then for sure. Hotels also might have some deals around the holidays depending on how popular that particular property is around that particular holiday, so it's worth going to the hotel's website to see if they have any packages that might be a good deal.

I know we talked about this earlier in the episode—your credit card can come in handy for saving cash on travel purchases. Yours was through a companion fare through your Alaska co-branded card. What are some other situations where you should maybe look at your credit card and see how it can save you cash for holiday travel?

There's a few options. One is using your credit card points . The most obvious way to do that is through the booking portal that the credit card has, so Chase Travel or AmEx Travel, whatever it is. Then you're basically using the points for a fixed value, so you're essentially buying cash tickets and using the points to pay for those cash tickets. If you've got a big pile of points and you want to use them up and you're going to book a flight anyway, that's not a bad way to do it. But there is another way to do it, which is to transfer those credit card points to a partner airline, and then book award travel through the partner airline. For instance, you might transfer them to American Airlines and then book using miles through American. So I say that's another option. We've looked into the data and have seen that those bookings don't usually offer a better cent-per-point value than booking at any other time, but they're also not much worse. If a flight is twice as expensive as it normally is around the holidays, it will probably be about twice as expensive using miles. So again, there's no free lunch here, there's no way to game the system, but you might be able to find a little bit more value by transferring those credit card points to an airline and then booking through the airline.

Okay. Yeah, that makes sense. And you could also do half points, half cash in a lot of cases if you're booking through the portal, right? So that might be a way to save some cash as well.

Yeah, it's all relative. Do we call our credit card points cash? Are they their own thing? What is it?

Now we're getting super nerdy. Are they cash?

Yeah. Yeah. Sometimes, also, your credit card might have cash back offers on certain hotels or other travel opportunities. Chase offers or AmEx offers might give you 10% back on a statement credit, so you could add that offer to your travel card before you book. Some travel credit cards offer statement credits on travel purchases either booked through the issuer's travel portal or booked directly with a certain airline or a hotel. That's a way to offset both the airline cost and the hotel cost.

Okay. Now let's make it a little bit spicy. Let's say you don't have to go home for the holidays. You want to use that time off to go somewhere else. What are some good ways to save money on this type of holiday travel that's more like a vacation?

One option is to go international. Like I said, other countries aren't necessarily celebrating Thanksgiving. Some don't celebrate Christmas or the same holidays in December. It might be worth looking at some of those countries to see if there's some cheaper flight options . And then you can always check out Google Flights or Skyscanner search tools and put in "Anywhere" for the destination. Just be like, "Surprise me," and just see what's cheap.

I love that. You could end up literally anywhere for the holidays. Any other tips for saving on holiday travel without using your points?

I plug this all the time. I'm always promoting selling your family on doing Thanksgiving the week before or after actual Thanksgiving because...

Oh, yeah. I remember you wrote an article about this.

I did, and nobody ever cares and nobody ever bites, but I'm going to say it again. If you just convince your family to do it the week after, airfare will be half as expensive. There will be so much availability for vacation rentals, anything you need, and it still feels like the holiday. It doesn't really matter as long as you all agree. Then you could extend that out to anything and be like, "Is anything real? Is everything arbitrary? Is it all just in our minds?"

And with that, we'll leave everyone with a lot of existential questions.

That's right.

Well, Sam, I know it's a couple of months away, but I hope you have a great holiday season, or let's just say a great fall/autumn season, and thanks so much for helping us out today.

My pleasure.

As ever, I am impressed by how far a little flexibility can go when it comes to saving money on travel. And I say that as someone who is totally inflexible with my travel plans and therefore will never save money like you described doing in college, Meghan. That might be another reason why traveling around the holidays is not my thing.

I'll say I did a lot of crazy things as a college student to save money. I remember going to these hour-long talks about the economy so I could get a free Chipotle burrito, and then it turned out it wasn't even a whole burrito. That tells you how much my time was worth back then. One hour equals half a Chipotle burrito. But back to holiday travel, flexibility is really the key to getting deals on travel at any time of the year.

Yeah. This is really something that I've taken to heart, which is that if you're going to travel for the holidays, try to do it on the days when other people don't. I mean, if you travel on the holiday itself, sure, you might miss out on some meal prep and maybe some games in the backyard if it's not snowing where you are, but the hassles you'll avoid just might be worth it. Now of course, that might not work if you have to deal with layovers or you're going, say, from the West Coast to the East Coast and the time change makes it untenable. But if you don't have those factors, why not? I'm sure the captains and flight attendants would love to have your company on the actual holidays.

Yes. And a hearty, “happy Thanksgiving” is always welcome when you have to work the holiday. And just think of the money and potential annoyances you're saving by traveling the day of. If you can swing it, why not?

All right. Well, our series continues next week. Meghan, what have you got in store for episode three?

Well, Sean, I would venture a guess that the biggest worry people have about traveling for the holidays is probably a flight getting canceled or maybe a road getting iced over so you can't get somewhere. But a close second would be your luggage, all your stuff, the stuff you'd need to look and feel great at your destination, not to mention the presents. You lose that and, well, sad face. We're going to have some tips and advice for getting your stuff from one place to another without losing your mind or your money.

Jessie Beck:

Once you add on the cost of paying to have a carry-on bag on that basic economy ticket, you might as well just get an economy ticket and be able to be a little bit more flexible. I think that's the most important thing for me. If I did have to make a last-minute change, I can do that penalty-free.

For now, that's all we have for this episode. Do you have a money question of your own? Turn to the Nerds and call or text us your questions at 901-730-6373. That's 901-730-NERD. You can also email us at [email protected] . And remember, you can follow the show on your favorite podcast app, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and iHeartRadio to automatically download new episodes.

This episode was produced by Tess Vigeland, Sean helped with editing, Claire Tsosie helped with fact-checking, and a big thank you to NerdWallet's editors for all their help.

Here's our brief disclaimer: We are not financial or investment advisors. This nerdy info is provided for general educational and entertainment purposes and may not apply to your specific circumstances.

And with that said, until next time, turn to the Nerds.

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Sunshine, £2 pints and beautiful beaches – inside the lesser-known Black Sea city that is a holiday hit

Seeking a lesser-known seaside destination with fewer crowds and low prices, benjamin parker heads to bulgaria’s coast to explore varna, article bookmarked.

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A t the southern end of the beach , the swathe of sand abruptly gives way to large rocks and jagged stones. The sea, a shifting canvas of emerald and cobalt, is untroubled by the change in terrain, continuing to push and pull with abandon.

Not wishing to tap dance across the sharper edges of the weathered coastline ahead of me, I retreated 10 paces away to a no-frills beach bar. I ordered a Kamenitza beer , droplets of condensation quickly forming as it encountered the summer heat; at only £2.17 a half-litre, I ordered two more. As the setting sun lingered on the back of my neck, I drank quickly, sinking my feet into the speckled shore and ignoring the familiar ping from my phone, of messages from those at home. It was starting to feel, here in Varna, that I was on holiday.

I’d come to this Bulgarian beachside amid a renewed wave of protests against mass tourism in Europe , with concerns about overtourism spilling into the streets most notably in Barcelona , Mallorca and Tenerife . I craved somewhere new, and, like many, wanted a summer break without a break to my bank. With the launch of new flight routes from London to the Black Sea city – Wizz Air now fly three times a week from Gatwick, from £26.99 – and the promise of a warm escape in a country that is frequently listed among the cheapest places to visit in Europe, I’d gone to Varna to see if it could be a new holiday hotspot for Brits.

Read more: The best Greek island hotels, for sea views and romantic retreats

It would be wrong to call Varna an undiscovered gem (even if, on a straw poll, in a south London pub, 90 per cent of people failed to recognise it, let alone have it in their travel plans). Those seeking the health-giving qualities of the water made their way to the city’s ‘sea baths’ at the end of the 19th century; in 1921, Varna was officially labelled a seaside resort.

Now, it attracts around 2 million tourists a year, popular with Romanian, Polish and German holidaymakers. When I stopped for lunch one day, I found myself chatting with a Romanian chap in his mid-twenties, who told me he visits every year from his home in Craiova.

“There is fun on the sea breeze,” he said, between mouthfuls of grilled local fish. “Relaxation, yes, but it’s an easy place for good times.”

Long before it was co-opted as a regular haunt by my new Romanian friend, Varna has had a sense of flux imprinted on its bones. Under the ancient Romans, it was a vital port. Over a millennium and more, it has fallen under Byzantine, Russian, Ottoman and Soviet rule; it was even briefly renamed Stalin for seven years from 1949.

These chapters have woven their way into the fabric of Varna, creating an intriguing medley, apparent from the moment I arrived. After a 15-minute taxi ride from the airport to downtown (costing 14 lev, or about £6), I wandered through a glorious juxtaposition between brutalist blocks of flats built post-Second World War – the communist commitment to utilitarian size and scale is on show – and Neo-Baroque and Neo-Renaissance beauty, all sculpted facades and bold decorations. The lavish Varna opera house, with its imposing dome over the main hall, and the Dormition of the Mother of God Cathedral, where Renaissance-style symmetry is paired with Russian Revival features, are among the highlights.

Read more: I went to Europe’s last true wild frontier to find adventure and escape the crowds

It’s such an easily walkable city that you quickly discover Varna’s various nuances. Expect wall-to-wall prettiness, and you’ll be disappointed. The city has an inescapable grittiness that sets it apart from other, more polished tourist destinations: crumbling buildings, cracked pavements, and graffiti scrawled hastily on weather-beaten walls. Turn 90 degrees from the Instagram-curated shot and you can easily find an overwhelmingly industrial view, Varna’s vast port still playing an important role in maritime trade. I chuckled at the bus driver who, unable to close his vehicle’s door as it should function, grabbed a rope to hold it (just about) shut. The rough-edged charm is what makes for a real destination – it lets you, in that horrible cliche, ‘live like a local’.

Peeling paint and corners of neglect make the highlights even more welcome. Roman ruins, particularly the thermal baths, the largest ancient building discovered in Bulgaria , offer a captivating glimpse into antiquity. On-trend coffee shops, brunch spots and craft beer bars are found on otherwise modest streets; places like Surch Coffee Specialty and Art wouldn’t be out of place in hipster neighbourhoods in cities around the world. For a jolt of quirk, visit the Retro Museum and Wax Museum. One is packed with 20th-century nostalgia, from vintage cars to household items, while the other brings to life well-known figures with unexpected accuracy.

I stayed at City Boutique Inn , opting for something low-key over the imposing resort-style hotels. It’s close to the main strip and the coast but, thankfully, hidden peacefully away on a narrow street. It promises the ambiguous “American hospitality”; what I found was a quaint, home-style welcome (shoes off when you enter, thanks), simple and comfortable rooms with a pop of colour, and spot-on service. There’s also an infrared sauna and gym – both unexpected facilities in this unassuming property.

Read more: How to travel sustainably around Europe by train

The delightful owner, Magdalena, enthused over the city. When I asked why people should visit now, she was clear: “It is not yet overly crowded. It feels lively, there’s lots of entertainment – but it can offer quiet and secluded corners.”

She suggested that I have dinner at Staria Chinar, less than a three-minute walk away. It’s not hard to find casual dining in the city, but there’s some monotony in the offerings, especially along the seafront. But here, under the shade of an ancient sycamore tree, rustic regional cuisine is served with unpretentious aplomb.

I decided against what the menu described as “special traditional treats”, which included roasted lamb head and slices of beef tongue sauteed in butter and paprika; though I was the only non-local in the restaurant that evening, I saw nobody else order from it. Instead, the minced beef and cheese of gurmanska pljeskavica – traditionally a Serbian dish – was a smoky, gently spiced winner, cooked over a charcoal grill. I stuck to that bargainous Bulgarian lager, still not reaching £2.50 a pint, but should have probed the wine list: a bottle of domestic red would have set me back £13. Magdalena later told me of all the vineyards you can reach from Varna without trouble – enough to make me think about returning next year.

It is the beach, though, where Varna excels – and the key element that could lure UK holidaymakers looking for a warm, fly-and-flop break. I strolled up and down numerous times, and it marvellously hums with life: families finding their spots for the day, couples basking in rays from the sun and swimmers venturing into the sapphire water. The golden arc is backed by cafes and bars, which light up at dusk and music is turned up, and behind them it is hugged by the Sea Garden, a behemoth of landscape architecture. If you wish, a holiday can be little more than days horizontal on the shore.

My last hours in Varna are spent with my toes once more in the sand. I’ve developed an affinity for the place; is it because I too am unlovable until you look below the surface? I don’t pull at that thread – a final £2 beer, antidote to the heat on my skin, pushes that thought away. But I do realise that there’s not a word of English being uttered around me; that I’ve got satisfying tan lines from wearing flip-flops; that I have had a brilliant time and spent far less than expected. Varna should be in your travel plans – the trick is to go now before the rest of the UK figures that out.

Travel essentials

Wizz Air flies direct to Varna from various London airports: Gatwick, Luton and London City.

Stay at the peaceful City Inn Boutique, which is within easy reach of Varna’s beaches, shopping streets and main cultural attractions. Breakfast is included, and there’s an infrared sauna and gym for use. Rooms have vintage accents and modern amenities.

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The dos and don'ts of visiting Russia for the first time

Sep 24, 2021 • 6 min read

These top tips can help you make the most of your visit to Russia © MarinaDa / Shutterstock

The world’s largest country beguiles and fascinates with its world-class art, epic landscapes and multifaceted society. You may also find that perseverance  and a sense of humour will go a long way in enriching your first-time Russian travel experience. From the things you absolutely must do before you travel to the things we recommend that you steer clear of once you're there, here are some top tips for avoiding common pitfalls when visiting  Russia .

DO apply for a visa early and register on arrival

Visas must be applied for in advance by all visitors. How you do that varies depending on your nationality and where in Russia you are traveling to. Travelers from many countries, including the UK and US, need to apply in-person at an embassy or consulate and provide biometric data. An e-visa may be an option for passport-holders from 52 countries, which include many EU travelers, as well as those from China, India, Japan, Singapore, and some Middle Eastern countries. However these are temporarily suspended due to COVID-19.  Check with your local Russian embassy or consulate for confirmation, or get up-to-date information here . 

You can apply at the last moment, but it may cost you a fortune. Start the application process at least a month before your trip and consider using a specialist travel agency to arrange visas and make key transport bookings. Every visitor to Russia should have their visa registered within seven days of arrival, excluding weekends and public holidays. The obligation to register is with your hotel or hostel, or landlord, friend or family if you’re staying in a private residence. Also keep in mind that your visa entry and exit dates will be written according to European calendar convention (day/month/year) as opposed to the American style, so don't get mixed up or over-stay your visa. 

DO check the events calendar

During major holidays – the first week in January (between New Year’s Day and Orthodox Christmas) and the first week or two of May (around Labour Day, or May Day, and Victory Day) – Moscow and St Petersburg empty out. Despite this, both cities are festive during these times, with parades, concerts and other events, but museums and other institutions may have shortened hours or be shut altogether. May to September is the best time to visit St Petersburg but mid-June is when the city is irresistible, with the White Nights revelry at its peak.

DO dress up for a night out

We can’t guarantee you’ll make it past Moscow’s "face control" (the term comes from clubs trying to "save face" by only letting in patrons who meet their image standards) but you can better your chances of getting in to the top clubs by making a sartorial effort – high heels and skirts for women, all black for men. Russians also make an effort when they go to the theater or a posh restaurant – you should do likewise to fit in.

DO learn the Cyrillic alphabet

Making an effort to familiarize yourself with the Cyrillic alphabet repays tenfold. It will help you decode street and metro signs, maps, timetables and menus, even if you don't know many Russian phrases. While digital tools like the Russian Metro app  and Google Translate make it easier than ever to visit countries where you don't speak or read the language, brushing up beforehand can reduce frustration and endear you to the locals.

Rideshare options such as Taxovichkoff and Yandex Taxi upended the taxi industry in Russia as much as anywhere else. That means less pressure to know the Russian phrases you'd need to hails cabs in the streets, but it still is wise to learn key phrases in case there's a navigation mixup, like the address of your hotel or intersection of your short-term apartment rental. 

DO expect to spend your money

Moscow is one of the most expensive cities in the world and St Petersburg is not a cheap destination either; wallet-thinning shock is common at many restaurants and hotels. As a foreigner you’ll also find yourself paying more than a Russian for some museums – often as much as 10 times the price Russians pay. If you’re a student, flashing your ID can save you money at museums and other institutions.

You can save on dining out a few different ways. Many restaurants offer "business lunches" that are great value and very filling. Several years ago the trend for " anti-cafes " cropped up in larger Russian cities, and there are still a few where you pay by the minute for coffee, biscuits, and a little wi-fi time. 

Food markets  that blend farmers markets and food halls are popular, and are often found in architecturally significant vintage buildings. You can shop for ingredients to cook yourself or sample cuisines from around the world from dozens of  vendor stalls. Many food markets are less expensive than sit-down restaurants and let you try a wider variety of local and international dishes. 

DON’T ask for a mixer with your vodka

Few traditions in Russia are as sacrosanct as the drinking of vodka , and any foreign notions of drinking it with orange juice or tonic are anathema to your average Russian. If you need something to wash it down, you can chase it with a lemon, a pickle or, perhaps, a separate glass of water. Vodka is drunk in swift shots, not sipped. It’s traditional (and good sense) to eat a little something after each shot, so order some vodka snacks too.

DON’T be disrespectful in a church

Working churches are open to everyone, but as a visitor you should take care not to disturb any devotions or offend sensibilities. There's no face control, but women should cover their heads and bare shoulders when entering a church. In some monasteries and churches it’s also required for a woman to wear a skirt – wraps are usually available at the door. Men should remove their hats in church and not wear shorts.

DON’T take photos of government buildings

Be very careful about photographing stations, official-looking buildings and any type of military-security structure – if in doubt, don’t snap! Travelers have been arrested and fined for such innocent behaviour.

DON’T be surprised if you’re stopped by the police

Although new laws were passed in 2011 that ostensibly reconfigured Russia's police and their interactions with the public, it's still wise to carry a photocopy of your passport, visa and registration – not to mention travel documents that indicate how and when you'll return home – and present them when an officer demands to see your documents. You may also see special tourist police near major attractions like the Red Square , who have special training and language skills to assist travelers.

If you're issued a fine, Russian authorities might expect an "unofficial payment" to expedite their service on the spot, as opposed to handling the matter later at the station. Either way, always ask for an official receipt, and consider carrying the phone number for your country's embassy in case matters get more complicated. 

You might also like: How to spend a perfect weekend in Moscow    How to plan and pack for the Trans-Siberian Railway    Beyond the Trans-Siberian: travelling Russia's unexplored northwest by train   

This article was originally published in August 2009.

This article was first published Oct 30, 2019 and updated Sep 24, 2021.

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