How to avoid a holiday season travel nightmare

If you’re planning any sort of holiday or wintertime
, now is the time to start booking those flights.
Ken and Michelle Belcher say they fly every year and enjoy the experience.
“We are looking forward to the crowds and the excitement of the holiday,” Michelle said. “With everything going on in the world, it will be good to be around others celebrating Christmas.”
The Belchers and early bookers like Waka Blanchard are already noticing a change from last year. They are finding holiday fares are cheaper this time around.
“Yes, they’re lower, much lower,” Blanchard said.
But a word of caution: Katy Nastro, a travel expert with the airfare deal site
, said people need to book soon.
Nastro recommends booking domestic flights between three and seven months out, which means booking now for Christmas week.
For the best odds of getting to your destination on time, especially during the holidays, Nastro recommends opting for a nonstop flight.
“You’re not changing flights, worrying about missing a connection,” she said.
She notes that winter storms are more likely to affect a trip when a traveler opts for connecting flights.
Nastro adds that morning flights are a good option when available because they have higher on-time arrival rates. That’s due to the fact the plane is already at the airport, typically having arrived the night before.
With many morning flights, Nastro said, “They’re not running the risk of running into bad weather, which can develop later in the day and then sort of run amok across all routes and schedules.”
She says the risk of losing a bag also goes down when you can snag a nonstop flight.
Lastly, if you have yet to book, it’s a good idea to use a flight search engine like
to track if and when airfare drops.
Blanchard is keeping a positive mindset as she looks forward to her holiday travels.
“I take a deep breath and go with the flow, and if a flight is canceled i just go with it,” she said.
It’s a good attitude to have as we head into the holiday travel season.
And that way you don’t waste your money.
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