1. Expect (and accept) to pay more this year
The airfare tracking experts at Farecast.com have projected that holiday fares for 2008 are up more than 30 percent on average over those from 2007, and our editorial staff contends from our own searches that this is indeed one of the highest year-to-year increases we can recall. So, take a deep breath and make peace with the fact that unless you manage to nab the deal of the year, you’re going to have to dish out more to fly home for the holidays this year. Expect it, accept it, and (if, fingers crossed, you can still afford it!) buckle down to book your tickets just as soon as you possibly can.

2. Book now: Last minute fares won’t happen
Prices for flights will only increase the closer you get to the holidays, as inventory tightens. If you see a good deal, don’t dilly-dally — snatch it up on the spot, especially if you intend to fly at peak travel times, like the day after Christmas. Airlines have little incentive to discount this year, thanks to the old law of supply and demand: Passenger demand remains extremely high, while airlines’ capacity cuts have trimmed down available seats. Leave procrastination to the gamblers, or to those who are thinking of heading out on spur-of-the-moment vacation for the holidays and don’t have any particular destination in mind. While you just might find a great late-breaking sale to Timbuktu, chances are that any digestible airfares to get to Turkey Day at Grandma’s house in Boston will have been long gobbled up. In short, it’s never too early to book your holiday travel — as soon as you know your loose dates and destination, book your flight.

3. Be flexible: Avoid peak travel days
If you have flexibility with your travel days, you're pretty much guaranteed savings. By all means, know — and avoid — peak holiday travel dates, especially the Wednesday before and the Sunday after Thanksgiving, December 23, December 26, and January 2. With Christmas, like Thanksgiving, falling on a Thursday this year, delaying your return trip to the following Tuesday or Wednesday, as opposed to the weekend, can translate to huge savings. Do use fare search engines that feature a “flexible dates” search, like Kayak’s, Travelocity’s, and Orbitz’s, among others, which will allow you to search the cheapest fares available over a range of dates. Additionally, if you have any remaining vacation days, the holidays are the perfect time to cash them in — the lengthier your trip, the further away you can travel from the holiday itself, when there is the most demand and highest costs for flights. And don’t shy away from those off-peak early morning or red-eye flights, which are typically priced lower, and have the added bonus of boasting fewer delays (especially the crack-of-dawn morning flights), as the airports are less congested with both people and planes taking off.

4. Fly on the holiday itself
While it may not be the most ideal option for maximizing your holiday time, fares for flights on the holidays themselves can be exceptionally discounted. Most people are home or where they need to be on these days, so jetting off Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve (particularly later in the evening, closer to celebration time), or New Year’s Day (when most folks are nursing New Year’s Eve hangovers) can translate to big savings and less hassle due to fewer travelers competing for seats. However, keep in mind that there is some degree of risk here, as delays or cancellations could mean foregoing the planned festivities altogether. As a workaround, some families opt to celebrate on alternative days in order to take advantage of these discounted fares.

5. Consider alternate airports
If the city you’re leaving from (or headed to) is serviced by several airports, include them all in your search. For Chicago, you’ll want to check out smaller Midway in addition to O’Hare; in San Francisco, don’t overlook Oakland, San Jose, or Sacramento airports on top of SFO; in New York, you’ll have the biggies at JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark, but Westchester County and Macarthur Airports are viable alternatives, as well. It might even be worthwhile to drive an hour or two to a neighboring city's airport when factoring in the savings (Chicago-area travelers have turned up great deals at Milwaukee’s General Mitchell Airport, for instance). These secondary airports, which often host smaller budget airlines, can offer additional perks aside from savings, too, like fewer crowds, cheaper parking, and less frequent delays — just don’t factor out the cost of gas to get there. Similarly, if a smaller regional airport is the closest one to you or to your destination, keep in mind that larger airports may offer more airlines that service your route — and therefore, more competitive pricing. Always keep all of your options on the table.

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