Some last-minute Holiday travelers are embracing so-called Travel Tuesday, the day after Cyber Monday and Black Friday, which is Dec. 3 this year.
If you still haven’t booked your holiday travel plans, take note: You will find that prices increase as you approach the days you want to travel.
In a survey by the travel site Hopper, 50% of respondents are saving on other expenses to pay for holiday trips, while 49% are picking up discounts and deals, as per the 2024 Holiday Travel Outlook. Some last-minute holiday travelers are embracing so-called “Travel Tuesday” which comes a week after Cyber Monday and Black Friday, on December 3 this year.
Travel Tuesday’s search interest increased by over 500 percent between 2021 and 2023, as per a report by McKinsey and Company. That is why shoppers are looking for the term.
Last year, 83% more deals were offered on Travel Tuesday than Cyber Monday and 92% more than Black Friday, data from Hopper showed. However, there are may be some constraints on the kind of deals that one can do, according to the experts.
“The issue for many becomes: ‘Do I wait?’” French said, who is a travel specialist at NerdWallet. The answer may be “no” for those travelers who are determined with the days and places they want to visit.
“Airlines and online travel agencies are going to promote flight deals on Travel Tuesday, but there is no need to wait for that,” Phil Dengler, co-founder of The Vacationer said.
As with most things in life, how much you stand to benefit from the potential discounts on Travel Tuesday will depend on how flexible you are, according to the experts.
If you still haven’t booked your holiday travel plans, take note: The prices are usually higher when you are within the days you want to travel.
For holiday trips, about 50% of respondents are willing to sacrifice other expenses while 49% are willing to grab discounts and deals as highlighted in the 2024 Holiday Travel Outlook by Hopper, a travel site. Some last-minute holiday travelers are going for what is known as Travel Tuesday — the Tuesday after Cyber Monday and Black Friday, which will be December 3 this year.
A recent report by McKinsey and Company showed that search interest for Travel Tuesday increased by over 500% between 2021 and 2023. This is why shoppers are looking for the term in the first place.
Hopper data reveals that last year, there was 83% more deals on Travel Tuesday than Cyber Monday and 92% more than Black Friday.
However, the experts add that there could be some constraints on the deals that are possible. “The problem for many is, ‘Do I wait?’” said Sally French, a travel specialist at NerdWallet.
For those who have a ‘must-see’ list of places and dates to be there, the answer could well be ‘no’. “Despite the fact that airlines and online travel agencies are planning to release flight offers on Travel Tuesday, there is no need to wait,” said Phil Dengler, co-founder of The Vacationer, a travel site.
Travel experts say that how much you stand to gain from potential discounts on Travel Tuesday will depend on how flexible you are. “If you have zero flexibility,” said Hayley Berg, economist at Hopper, then “if you see a good deal before Travel Deal Tuesday, feel free to book it.”
How Holiday Travel Tuesday Works
Like with Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, Travel Tuesday offers can start appearing earlier than the day itself, Dengler added.
However, one will often need to purchase the flight, hotel accommodation or the cruise vacation by the end of the day to be able to unlock the bonus, he explained.
When purchasing tickets, pay attention to the small letters in case the discounts are valid for some routes and days only, Dengler added.
Some stores have a small stock for Black Friday and Cyber Monday specials. Travel Tuesday may mean there are few airline seats or hotel rooms available as French of NerdWallet noted. “They are not going to have two planes on the same flight at the same time,” she said.
‘Be Ready’ To Book
Travel Tuesday might be better used to determine when and where you will want to travel for a trip in the year 2025 instead of the detailed plan of getting back home for the holidays.
If you are not flexible on the days and destinations you plan to travel to and you find a flight available at a price you’re comfortable with, “book that trip right now,” French said. “If you wait until Travel Tuesday, then that deal could be gone,” she said. “You don’t want to wait for Travel Tuesday for it to be sold out.”
Sometimes, it is not bad to pre-book a flight and continue searching for a lower price, according to the specialists. This can range from 24 hours from the time it was booked, up to seven days prior to the flight’s scheduled departure time, according to Dengler.
Also, he said that some of the airlines do not charge change fees for anything except basic economy fares. If those terms are in your favor, “if you see a better deal on Travel Tuesday, simply cancel your current bookings and book the Travel Tuesday offer,” Dengler said.
