Book Cheap Thanksgiving Flights — November 27 Travel Guide
Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, November 27 — the most traveled holiday in the United States. More than 30 million Americans fly during Thanksgiving week, making it the single most expensive and capacity-constrained air travel window of the year. The key to cheap Thanksgiving flights: book early and choose your travel dates carefully.
FareOptic compares every airline on every Thanksgiving route in real time — so you can see exactly which dates offer the best fares and book with confidence before prices spike.
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Cheapest & Most Expensive Days to Fly for Thanksgiving
Not all Thanksgiving travel days are equally priced. Understanding which days are cheap and which are peak-priced can save you hundreds of dollars on a single round trip.
Saturday–Sunday Before Thanksgiving
Dates
Nov 22–23
Flying out on the weekend before Thanksgiving (November 22–23) typically saves $100–$250 per ticket compared to the peak Wednesday departure. You arrive early and avoid the Wednesday surge entirely.
Best For
Travelers who can take Monday or Tuesday off work
Monday–Tuesday Before Thanksgiving
Dates
Nov 24–25
Monday and Tuesday before Thanksgiving offer a solid mid-price compromise — fares are noticeably lower than Wednesday but you still arrive with time to settle in before the holiday.
Best For
Working professionals who can't fly the weekend
Wednesday Before Thanksgiving
Dates
Nov 26
The Wednesday before Thanksgiving is the busiest single travel day of the US year. Expect the highest fares, maximum airport congestion, and lowest on-time performance. Avoid if flexibility is possible.
Best For
Only if no other option — book as early as possible
Thanksgiving Day & Black Friday
Dates
Nov 27–28
Flying on Thanksgiving Day itself (November 27) or Black Friday (November 28) can yield surprisingly low fares — most travelers are already at their destination. These are ideal outbound days for non-traditional holiday travelers.
Best For
Non-traditional holiday plans; solo travelers
Return: Saturday vs. Sunday
Dates
Nov 29–30
Saturday return flights are typically $50–$150 cheaper than the Sunday post-Thanksgiving surge. If you can return Saturday instead of Sunday, the savings are significant on most domestic routes.
Best For
Anyone with flexibility on their return date
Most Popular Thanksgiving Flight Routes in the USA
New York (JFK/LGA) → Chicago (ORD)
One of the busiest Thanksgiving routes — book by September.
Los Angeles (LAX) → San Francisco (SFO)
Heavy demand both directions; trains/driving often competitive.
New York (JFK) → Miami (MIA)
Snowbirds + family travel; Saturday or Monday flights are best value.
Dallas (DFW) → Houston (HOU/IAH)
Short haul — flexible dates yield the cheapest deals.
Chicago (ORD) → Denver (DEN)
Ski season opens; mix of Thanksgiving and winter travel demand.
Los Angeles (LAX) → New York (JFK)
Transcontinental — Tuesday–Wednesday outbound is peak; Saturday–Sunday best value.
How to Find Cheap Thanksgiving Flights — Expert Booking Strategies
Book Thanksgiving Flights by Late September
Thanksgiving is the single most booked air travel event in the US calendar. Fares for November 26 and November 27 departure days start rising in September. Booking by late September locks in the best prices before the October surge.
Fly Tuesday Out, Saturday Back for the Best Fare Combination
The Tuesday-before-Thanksgiving outbound combined with a Saturday return is consistently the cheapest round-trip Thanksgiving travel window. Avoid Wednesday out and Sunday back — those are the two most expensive days of the entire holiday.
Consider Flying to the Closest Major Hub
If your destination is a smaller city, flying into the nearest major hub and driving the last leg is often $150–$300 cheaper than booking a connecting flight to the final destination airport during Thanksgiving week.
Set Fare Alerts in October for Last-Minute Drops
Airlines occasionally release unsold Thanksgiving inventory at reduced prices 10–14 days before the holiday. Set FareOptic fare alerts in October so you catch any sudden drops without having to check daily.
When Is Thanksgiving &?
Thanksgiving is always the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, November 27. Thanksgiving falls Thursday, November 26.
Canadian Thanksgiving
Canadian Thanksgiving falls on the second Monday of October — in that is October 13, which coincides with the US Columbus Day holiday.
Thanksgiving vs. Christmas — Which Is More Expensive to Fly?
Thanksgiving typically generates more concentrated domestic flight demand than Christmas — most US travelers fly within a 5-day window, creating an intense demand spike. Christmas travel is spread over a longer period (Dec 20 – Jan 2), which slightly softens the demand peak.
Bottom Line
The Wednesday before Thanksgiving is typically the single most expensive domestic travel day of the year — more expensive than Christmas Eve.
Most Popular Airlines
Best Airlines for Domestic & International Routes
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about booking cheap Thanksgiving flights
When is Thanksgiving?
Thanksgiving is always the fourth Thursday of November.
What is the cheapest day to fly for Thanksgiving?
Thanksgiving Day itself (November 27) and Black Friday (November 28) are often the cheapest days to fly outbound — most travelers are already at their destinations. For return flights, Saturday (November 29) is significantly cheaper than Sunday (November 30), which is the busiest return day of the holiday.
How far in advance should I book Thanksgiving flights?
Book Thanksgiving flights by late September — ideally by October 1 at the latest. Thanksgiving is the most traveled holiday in the US, and fares for peak departure days (Wednesday November 26, Thursday November 27) begin rising in September as seats fill. Booking in September typically saves $100–$300 per ticket versus waiting until October or November.
Why is the Wednesday before Thanksgiving so expensive?
The Wednesday before Thanksgiving (the day before the holiday) is the single busiest travel day of the US year — more passengers fly on this day than any other. Airlines know demand far outstrips supply, so fares spike dramatically. Flying Tuesday instead typically saves $100–$200 per ticket on most domestic routes.
What are the busiest airports on Thanksgiving?
The busiest US airports on Thanksgiving week are Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta (ATL), O'Hare Chicago (ORD), Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), Denver International (DEN), LAX Los Angeles, and John F. Kennedy New York (JFK). If you're flying through a major hub on peak days, build in extra time for security and potential delays.
Are there cheap Thanksgiving flights available?
Yes — cheap Thanksgiving flights exist, but they require early booking and date flexibility. Flying on Thanksgiving Day itself, the Saturday or Sunday before the holiday, or on Black Friday can yield fares $100–$300 below peak Wednesday pricing. FareOptic compares all available fares across airlines to surface the best Thanksgiving deals for your route.
What should I do if Thanksgiving flights are sold out?
If your preferred route is sold out, consider: flying into a nearby alternate airport and renting a car; flying on Thanksgiving Day itself (often has remaining seats); checking smaller regional carriers; or contacting FareOptic's 24/7 travel support team who can access consolidator inventory not visible on standard booking sites.
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