Holiday travel from North America
Christmas abroad: five trips and when to book the flights
Christmas week is the most expensive week of the year to fly, and the fares are set early. Five trips our callers take in December, and the booking timing that makes each one affordable.
By All Travel Fun. Published November 1, 2026.
The Christmas markets of Europe
Vienna, Prague, Munich, Strasbourg and Budapest run markets from late November to the days before Christmas, with mulled wine, lights and cold air. Fly into one city and out of another; the trains between them are cheap and frequent. The markets close on Christmas Eve, so plan the trip for the first three weeks of December, when flights are also cheaper than the holiday week itself.
Mexico and the Caribbean in the sun
Cancun, Punta Cana and Jamaica fill with North Americans from the week before Christmas to New Year, and the all-inclusive resorts price accordingly. Book the flights by September. Flying on Christmas Day or December 26 is markedly cheaper than the Saturday before.
London in the lights
London in December is lights on Regent Street, skating rinks and theater. Everything closes on Christmas Day, including the Tube, so arrive by the 23rd or plan the 25th as a rest day. Fares from the US east coast are at their lowest in early December and climb through the month.
Family in India
Christmas week to India is the single busiest fortnight on the route, with fares two to three times the February level. Book by August, fly midweek, and consider returning in the second week of January when the rush home has passed.
The Holy Land and Rome
Bethlehem on Christmas Eve and Midnight Mass at St. Peter's draw pilgrims from everywhere, and both need tickets or passes arranged months ahead. The flights are the easy part; the agent prices Tel Aviv or Rome from your city and the connection that fits the services you plan to attend.
The dates that cost less
The cheapest days to fly in the holiday period are usually December 24, 25 and 31 and January 1. The most expensive are the Friday and Saturday before Christmas and the first Sunday of January. Shifting the trip by a day at each end is the biggest saving available.
Questions before you call
When should I book Christmas flights?
By September for Europe and the Caribbean; by August for India and other family-visit routes. After mid-October the good fares are gone and seats together become hard to find.
Is it cheaper to fly on Christmas Day?
Almost always, and the airports are quieter. December 24 and 25 are the two cheapest days of the holiday fortnight on most international routes.