Tips on last-minute holiday travel

AccuWeather

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.

Transcript

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.

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