The Most Expensive and Busiest Days to Travel Revealed
Everyone wants to be “home” for the holidays. According to the Bureau of Transportation, Thanksgiving day and Christmas/New Year’s holiday periods are two the busiest long-distance travel periods of the year. It’s no surprise, but what may make you want to re-think travel plans is the day you travel during these busy seasons. (FYI – Fridays in June, July and August are other travel dates that rival holiday travel.)
I usually avoid the roads, grocery stores and airlines in the days leading up to Thanksgiving. Thoughts of packed highways and lines are conjured into my head when I entertain the thought of traveling on Tuesday or Wednesday. However, when personal vehicle trips are added to the mix of flights, trains and buses, the National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) reveals that Thanksgiving Day is actually a heavier long-distance travel day than Wednesday. For those solely worried about flying, Wednesday and Sunday are the busier days for travel.
Christmas is a bit trickier. The days that see the most traffic vary depending on what day the holiday falls on. In 2001, when Christmas and New Year’s Day fell on Tuesday, the Saturday and Sunday preceding Christmas and Christmas Day were generally the busiest travel days of the entire 17-day holiday travel period. Orbitz adds that the period between Dec. 20 and Dec. 28 – airfares are up 8.6% year-over-year.
As for New Year’s, prices for travel between Dec. 28 and Jan. 2 have seen a 2.4% increase. You might find the air is busier than the roads and will see a spike in costs. December 28th will host the most expensive day to fly during the post-Christmas season. New York is one of the top destinations to watch the ball drop in Times Square, so plan for crowds and an increase in costs for trips to the Big Apple.
If there is one day you want to avoid stepping on a plane thanks to inflated prices and crowds…it is December 21st. Jeanenne Tornatore, senior travel editor at Orbitz.com states, “The day really to avoid is Dec. 21. That’s what we’re seeing is the most expensive travel day.”