It is never cheap to fly during the holidays. The busiest travel time of the year naturally brings higher airfares. In fact, some airlines may add surcharges to their ticket prices during certain time periods during the Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's holidays, on top of charging fares that may be almost double the price of other periods. There are ways, though, to get to grandma's house just in time for the festivities, without breaking your budget.
Avoid flying non-stop. These fares tend to be the most expensive.
Check prices for the first flight out in the morning, or those around dinnertime, as they may be cheaper.
Fly during off-peak times; in particular, avoid weekend flights, or flying the day before the holiday. Prices can be 25 to 50 percent lower if you avoid flying on peak days, according to CBS News.
Watch news stories for signs of last-minute airfare deals. Some airlines announce specials that are only good for travel on particular days.
Sign up for tweets, if you use Twitter, or real-time email notifications from Fare Compare to find out about any last-minute airfare deals (http://www.farecompare.com/resources/twitter/twitter.htm).
