Money Saving Monday: Tips for Christmas travel

SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - If you’re planning on heading home for the holidays but haven’t booked your flight yet, it’s time to do so.

It may be too late to find a good deal on Thanksgiving flights, but there are still some things people can do to save on Christmas flights.

An AAA travel expert said when it comes to Christmas travel, flying off-peak days and during off-hours will be the best way to save money. They said Christmas Eve is one of the lightest travel days of the year, but the day after Christmas is one of the most expensive days of the year to fly.

Before booking a flight, people should research all of the airports near their destination. Some airports may be offering a better deal than others, so switching where they fly from and fly to could save them money.

If a person is using a website that compares flights, they should make sure they know all of the airlines that are included in the search. For example, Google Flights doesn't include Southwest in its search, so a person would want to check out Southwest's website along with Google Flights to make sure they're not missing out on a cheaper flight.

When searching for flights people should take the baggage fee into consideration. Some airline tickets may look cheap at first, but don't include a carry-on. After paying for that carry-on or checked bag, the price may be higher than another airline that comes with a complimentary carry-on.

Lastly, if a person is flying with presents, to avoid extra fees on the plane, a good option would be to ship the presents to the destination instead of flying with them.

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