This Is the Best Time to Book Holiday Flights

We know that booking flights in advance for holiday travel saves money. But when is the best time to book: 6 months, 3 months, or just a week ahead?

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For domestic flights, you should aim to book 1-2 months in advance. But sometimes, domestic flights are not the most sustainable option. In some cases, driving might be more planet-friendly.

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For international holiday travel, start watching fares 6-7 months out and aim to book 3-5 months before your trip. The best time to book flights for Christmas and Thanksgiving is September and October but you should start tracking by July or August.

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You can also use tools like Google Flights and Hopper's Watch This Trip to track prices and find the best time to book holiday flights. These tools use extensive data which makes them reliable.

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Driving vs flying

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When you compare flying and driving, emissions depend on the distance and the number of people sharing the ride. It's best to look at emissions per mile or per person.

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For instance, a round-trip flight in economy class from New York to Dallas emits about 0.41 tons of carbon equivalent emissions per passenger.

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On the other hand, driving the same route releases around 1.6 tons of carbon emissions for a mid-size gasoline car. So, flying is often the better choice environmentally.

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Here's the catch: the more people you have in the car, the greener driving becomes. If five people share the ride, each person's emissions drop to 0.32 tons, making it a better option than flying.

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Here are 4 Ways to Plan a Sustainable Road Trip.

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Tips to cut your flight footprint

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If you must fly, you can make it more sustainable by following these steps:

• Fly economy: In economy, more passengers fit, lowering per-person emissions.
• Fly direct: Skipping layovers can cut flight emissions by a significant amount.
• Choose newer aircraft: Newer planes are more fuel-efficient, reducing your carbon footprint.
• Fly budget airlines: Budget airlines maximize efficiency, lowering emissions per passenger.
• Pick eco-friendly airports: Look for airports that are reducing emissions with sustainable initiatives.
• Buy carbon offsets: Invest in climate solutions that are working to counteract your flight’s emissions.

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Also, check out The Biggest U.S. Airlines, Ranked by Sustainability before you book your next flight.

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