Google shares updated flight booking trends for 2026

Google released data showing the best times to buy flights for U.S. holiday and vacation periods, based on five years of Google Flights searches. For Thanksgiving, cheapest fares usually appear 34 days ahead, while for Christmas, the optimal window has moved earlier—56 days out. International and European trips still reward booking even further in advance. These updates reflect shifting patterns, with certain booking deals arriving sooner than last year.

• Thanksgiving: lowest fares 34 days before departure
• Christmas: book 56 days out, earlier than last year
• International and Europe: book at least 90 days ahead
• Based on five years of aggregated Google Flights data