Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, November 26 this year. If you haven't booked yet, you've probably already searched the obvious trip: out on Wednesday, back on Sunday. Those are the days most people want, and the results show it. You still have options. They come from where and when you search, not from waiting.
Search the Whole Metro, Not One Airport
Many cities have more than one airport, and holiday demand doesn't spread evenly across them. New York has JFK, Newark and LaGuardia. Washington has Dulles, Reagan National and Baltimore/Washington. Chicago has O'Hare and Midway. Search all of them at once, at both ends of the trip. Our guide to city codes explains how.
Then add the ride. A farther airport is only a better option once you've counted the trip to and from it, for everyone traveling, on a holiday weekend.
Move Your Dates a Day or Three
A ±3 day window around Wednesday, November 25 runs from Sunday, November 22 to Saturday, November 28. Around a Sunday, November 29 return, it runs from Thursday, November 26 to Wednesday, December 2. Within those windows, check:
- Leaving Monday or Tuesday instead of Wednesday.
- Flying on Thanksgiving morning, if you can arrive in time for the meal.
- Coming home Monday or Tuesday instead of Sunday, if work allows.
- Both ends separately. Moving only one of them can be enough.
Our earlier article on holiday fares covers when to book. This one is about how to search once you're already late.
Keep the 24-Hour Rule as a Safety Net
US Department of Transportation rules require airlines selling tickets for flights to, from or within the United States to offer a 24-hour hold or free cancellation within 24 hours, on reservations made at least seven days before departure. For a Wednesday, November 25 departure, that means booking by Wednesday, November 18.
Airlines can meet the rule with either one, so check which yours offers before you pay. With free cancellation, book directly with the airline, keep searching for a day, and cancel inside the window if something better appears. With a hold, hold the fare without paying while you keep looking. Booking sites set their own policies, so check before you rely on one.
How Wayzuno Helps
One Wayzuno search covers every airport in a metro area, for example JFK, EWR and LGA for New York, or only the exact airports you pick. Airports farther out are searched too, but only shown when they save enough to be worth the trip.
Dates can be exact, ±1 day or ±3 days. ±1 day is the default, so switch to ±3 days for Thanksgiving week. Wayzuno is free to use and needs no account.
