The holidays are rapidly approaching, but there's still time to make those last-minute travel plans. Christie Hudson, Travel Expert from Expedia, shares tips on how to secure the flight you want this holiday season.
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00:00And as we head into this afternoon,
00:01big changes will be moving into the forecast.
00:03The holidays are rapidly approaching,
00:05but there's still time to make
00:07those last minute travel plans,
00:08if you're anything like me.
00:10With smart tips on how to get those flights and more,
00:13here's Christy Hudson.
00:14She's a travel expert with Expedia.
00:17I'm sure you are very busy this time of year.
00:20Yes, we are talking about tips
00:22for navigating the whole holiday season.
00:25Well, I'm sure a lot of folks
00:26are gonna be looking forward to hearing what you have to say
00:28but if you haven't booked flights
00:29to see friends and family just yet,
00:31are you gonna pay higher fares
00:33and are there any tricks to get any better deals
00:35on any flight dates or times that could cost less?
00:40Absolutely, well, we are looking at
00:42yet another record-breaking week of travel
00:46over the Christmas holiday.
00:47Millions of Americans are setting out,
00:49they're going abroad, they're staying somewhere nearby,
00:53but they're out there at the airports
00:54and they're on the roads.
00:55So you definitely need a plan.
00:58The weekend before Christmas this year
01:00is gonna be one of the busiest, so Friday and Saturday.
01:03It's also gonna be some of the pricier days to depart.
01:06So my tip, if you haven't booked yet,
01:08is to look at either a Monday through Monday itinerary
01:12because Christmas is on a Wednesday this year, reminder,
01:15or fly on Christmas Eve.
01:17I was looking at the Expedia app
01:18and Christmas Eve is the cheapest
01:20of all the days around the holiday to depart.
01:23I saw a New York to London round-trip flight
01:26where you saved $500 just by flying on Christmas Eve
01:29instead of the Friday before.
01:31Well, I didn't have plans to go to London,
01:32but I might just now after hearing that.
01:35All right, well, here at AccuAir,
01:36of course, we're always concerned about weather.
01:38What if you do get hit with any kind of winter weather
01:40at your takeoff or arrival airport?
01:43What are some smart ways to be ready
01:45and what should you do if weather impacts your flight?
01:48Yeah, there's not a lot of ways around
01:50weather-related delays and cancellations this time of year.
01:54Some of the airports that tend to see those
01:57more than others are New York area,
01:59Denver, Chicago, and Boston.
02:02So if you're flying to one of those airports,
02:03definitely keep an eye on the weather.
02:06But one of the things you can do
02:07other than bring extra snacks and chargers
02:10so that you're entertained is download the travel apps.
02:13So don't wait in line to speak to the gate agent.
02:16Don't get on the phone and call.
02:18If you do get delayed or canceled,
02:19you can manage your booking on the app
02:22through their self-service tools.
02:23It's super straightforward.
02:25Can I get a refund?
02:26Can I find a different flight to book?
02:28You can do all of that on the app.
02:30All right, so what do you expect this year
02:32to look like at the airports?
02:34More record numbers at many of the airports
02:36over the next week, what's your forecast?
02:38Yes, we are expecting record numbers again.
02:41So more than last year, millions more than last year,
02:45even surpassing 2019, which held the previous record.
02:48So it is looking very, very busy.
02:51Arrive, here's the tips.
02:52I'll make it simple.
02:53It's the ABCs.
02:54You wanna arrive early, bring valid ID that's not expired,
02:58and carry-ons only.
03:01Good tips.
03:02My parents always made us do carry-ons.
03:03I hated it.
03:05I just wanted to pack everything.
03:06Leading up to New Year's,
03:07are there some destinations with good fares?
03:10If you can plan maybe a short getaway.
03:13Yes, so it's very popular to go away
03:15between Christmas and New Year's.
03:18And the name of the game this year seems to be warm weather.
03:21Everyone wants the beach internationally.
03:23Cancun, Montego Bay, San Juan
03:26are all really, really popular.
03:28Domestic destinations range between warm and city.
03:32So New York, LA, and Orlando
03:33are some of the top destinations.
03:35Okay.
03:37Christine Hudson, travel expert with Expedia.
03:39Thank you so much for joining us here on AccuWeather Early.