Expert Tips to Find a Last-Minute Thanksgiving Flight Deal
What you need to know for booking this late in the game.
— -- One million more people are expected to travel this Thanksgiving as compared to last, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA).
That means not only more cars on the road, but more competition for deals on Thanksgiving flights.
Ideally, travelers should have purchased Thanksgiving flights weeks ago -- and let this serve as a reminder to book Christmas flights ASAP. But for those who procrastinated, here are three expert tips on how to get a deal this late in the game.
Multiple Airlines
"Fly out on one airline and back on another," George Hobica, editor-in-chief of Airfarewatchdog.com, told ABC News. Hobica recommends Expedia for booking a multi-airline trip.
Best Days to Fly
"The best bad deal you'll get at this point is flying early on Thanksgiving morning," Rick Seaney, CEO of FareCompare.com, told ABC News. "If you're within two hours of your destination, plenty of time to arrive and enjoy family, food and football. On the return, fly back either on Friday or on Tuesday."
Airport Options
"Check out alternate airports. Search within a 90-mile radius of your origin and destination airports for alternatives that may offer more carrier choices and cheaper airfare options," Jeanenne Tornatore, senior editor at Orbitz, told ABC News. "For example, roundtrip flights from D.C. to Sarasota (11/23 – 11/28) start at $856. The same dates from D.C. to Tampa, just one hour north of Sarasota, start at $498 on Orbitz.com."