Holiday travel in 2024 could be ‘earliest’ ever, experts predict

What are you so worried about?

Experts say the upcoming holiday travel season could be the ‘best’ yet – a dramatic change from the post-pandemic shock that turned airports into a waking nightmare.

Analysts at KAYAK tried to shed some light on an issue said to be troubling 84% of US travelers, according to a survey conducted by the travel search site – offering some surprisingly positive numbers that should put everyone at ease.

Only 5% of flights were delayed more than 60 minutes last Thanksgiving, and only 6% around Christmas, according to data sources.

This is in stark contrast to the busiest time of the year – summer, when travelers face 28.6% of flights suffering long delays.

There’s very little risk of being stranded—only 0.33% of Thanksgiving flights were canceled in 2023.

And if you’re worried about blizzards and other weather that might stop you from crossing the proverbial river and through the woods this year, tell Grandma it’s all good—only 27% of that small number of holiday delays last year were climate – related.

Still worried? KAYAK pros have tackled a number of travel myths surrounding the holiday season – here’s some of what they had to say.

May travel on current holiday help me avoid delays?

Yes – which will no doubt come as a surprise to the 87% of people who say it’s best to fly before the big day. According to historical data, there are fewer delays on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Christmas than any day around. This year, KAYAK said, the busiest travel dates will likely be December. 20 and 21.

Can flying early or late help me avoid delays and cancellations?

KAYAK said 50% of respondents thought they had an equal chance of getting injured regardless of the time of day – wrong, according to experts. Flights departing before 10am on both Christmas and Thanksgiving were 12% less likely to be delayed compared to those departing after 5pm.

Larger airports are at greater risk for delays and cancellations

yes and no. Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson (ATL), the nation’s largest airport, ranks in the 20 busiest airports during the holidays, the professionals reported. The worst offender? Fort Lauderdale (FLL), a much smaller airport. A safe bet – West Coast airports are well represented on the timely list.

Is flying over Thanksgiving and Christmas more expensive than ever?

While 87% of travelers consider such trips expensive and they’re not wrong, prices are said to be the lowest observers have seen in three years — an average of $439 round-trip for a domestic trip.