The crisp air, the scent of pine trees, snowball fights, sleigh rides, family togetherness, cozy curl-ups by a fire. Don’t let the scent of pumpkin spice fool you. Winter wonders are closer than you think. If you’re planning epic holiday trips for Thanksgiving and the winter holidays, now is the perfect time to book.
If you’re dreaming of a memorable Thanksgiving or winter holiday trip, start planning and book early.
Let’s explore all the reasons why you want to book your holiday trips early.
Beat the Booking Crowd
Winter holiday spots are popular. If you book holiday travel now, you’ll likely get access to the best accommodations that might sell out if you wait too long.
Booking early also gives you the chance to seek out specific tours or activities that can fill up quickly as we approach the holiday season.
Early Birds Save More
Planning your vacation months in advance can also give you the advantage of saving money on your travels.
As time grows nearer to the holidays, flight and accommodation prices will increase as availability dwindles and demand grows high.
By securing your bookings in advance, you’ll likely get the best deals for your trip.
Relax and Look Forward to Your Vacation
Getting your travel plans situated in advance can help you avoid the stress of having to do your research and get everything booked last minute.
With more time to look forward to your vacation, you can better plan out your adventure and ditch the stress that can sometimes come with planning a trip on a whim.
Flexibility Is Key
Booking your holiday travel plans early often means you can change plans if needed. By booking ahead, you have more flexibility to adjust travel dates or accommodations if necessary.
You’ll also have ample time to arrange for any time off from work or things like childcare or pet care.
Time to Compare Travel Insurance
When you get your vacation sorted early, you’ll also have plenty of time to compare travel insurance plans to find a policy that best suits your family’s needs without feeling rushed.
The Best Time To Book Trips For the Holidays
So, now we know that late summer and early fall is a great time to think about booking holiday travel. But let’s take it one step further. Let’s take a look at the best times to plan and book your trips for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s.
1. When Does Thanksgiving Travel Start?
Typically, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving is the busiest travel day of the year in the U.S. This means that if you want to head out on that day, you definitely need to get ahead of the holiday rush.
Prime Booking Window: Secure your Thanksgiving flights between 3 to 4 weeks before the holiday. This sweet spot can offer savings that will leave you grateful.
Savings Spotlight: On average, travelers can pocket around $25 when booking within this timeframe.
Pro Tip: Avoid the rush and escalating prices in the final fortnight leading up to Thanksgiving.
2. When Does Christmas Travel Start?
Christmas travel is a little more varied than Thanksgiving Travel. But keep in mind that domestic travel and international travel are going to pick up the closer we get to the big day.
Prime Booking Window: Christmas cheer comes early for those who book their flights 3 to 4 weeks in advance.
Savings Spotlight: Early birds can enjoy an average saving of $30, leaving more for those Christmas gifts.
Pro Tip: As the carols get louder, so do the flight prices. Steer clear of last-minute bookings.
3. When Does New Year’s Travel Start?
The timeframes for when New Year’s travel starts are just as varied as they are for Christmas. Some people who traveled for Christmas might stay put until after the new year. While others might be on their way back home. You can expect travel will start to pick up the day after Christmas.
Prime Booking Window: Welcome the New Year with savings by booking your flight 3 to 4 weeks in advance.
Savings Spotlight: Celebrate potential savings of up to $20 by planning ahead.
Pro Tip: As the countdown begins, flight prices soar. Book early to avoid the New Year price hike.
4. When Does Kwanzaa Travel Start?
Kwanzaa, celebrated from December 26th to January 1st, is a time when many may travel to gather with family and honor their African heritage. While not as heavy in travel volume as Thanksgiving or Christmas, Kwanzaa still sees a fair amount of travelers.
Prime Booking Window: To join in Kwanzaa celebrations, aim to book your flights at least 3 to 4 weeks in advance.
Savings Spotlight: Booking within this period can lead to modest savings, perfect for allocating towards festive celebrations and gifts.
Pro Tip: With Kwanzaa following Christmas, consider booking your travel to cover both holidays, potentially reducing costs and avoiding the rush.
5. When Does Diwali Travel Start?
Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, typically occurs between mid-October and mid-November. It’s a peak time for travel in India, as people return home to celebrate with family.
Prime Booking Window: For Diwali, it’s advisable to book your flights at least 5 to 6 weeks in advance due to the high demand, especially if you’re traveling to or within India.
Savings Spotlight: Those who plan early can enjoy significant savings, as last-minute fares during Diwali can be quite expensive.
Pro Tip: Diwali dates change every year based on the lunar calendar, so keep an eye on the calendar and book as soon as your dates are fixed to get the best deals.
When Is The Best Time To Buy Travel Insurance?
Once you’ve put your holiday trips together and made all the arrangements, there’s just one last thing to consider before your travel prep is done: trip insurance or travel medical insurance. Here’s when you should get it:
- Right After Booking: It’s smart to get insurance as soon as you book. That way you can rest assured that you’ll be covered if anything unexpected happens during your trip.
- For Health Concerns: If you have health issues, buy insurance early. Some plans might cover these if you buy right after booking. Remember, though, it’s important to read the policy documentation and confirm that what you need covered will actually be covered by your plan before you buy it.
- Before Unexpected Events: Travel insurance is about planning for unexpected events. It offers financial coverage for things like trip disruptions, urgent medical care, or inclement weather.
You never know when these things might happen. When the holiday travel surge meets harsh winter weather, it increases the chances of trip interruptions.
Purchasing travel insurance in advance is your best bet for a smooth journey. It’s specifically designed to protect you from unexpected events, so you can enjoy peace of mind knowing you’re covered for any expensive trip disruptions or injuries.
The Benefits of Trip Insurance
While the kind of insurance is dependent on individual needs, trip insurance could be a great idea for any potential delays or interruptions to your travel. No matter how carefully we try to plan our holiday travel plans, there is the potential for unexpected hiccups that could lead to stressful situations. Trip insurance is designed to ease that worry, with coverage for trip delays, cancellations, interruptions, and more. Trip insurance is different from travel medical insurance, which offers more robust coverage for medical situations.
Trip insurance may seem like it can be a large investment, but in reality it is typically no more than 10% of your total trip cost. On average, coverage costs between $100 to $200, depending on add-ons and how long your trip is. This is a small price to pay if you think about the money you would save if there was a situation where your trip is disrupted or canceled altogether.
You can insure your prepaid, nonrefundable expenses with trip insurance such as:
- Prebooked flights, hotels or vacation rentals
- Cruises and onboard packages
- Tours and excursions reserved ahead of time
- Event tickets such as concerts or festivals linked to your trip
- Other transportation such as trains, buses, or transfers
Why Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) Could be Useful
Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) is an optional add-on to trip insurance that can be useful for your holiday travel plans in case you book early and something happens between the time you book and the days before you travel. Plans can change, and it is important to know that there is coverage in case you need to cancel for anything that is not covered under regular trip insurance.
Below is a table comparing regular trip insurance vs. CFAR insurance to compare benefits and decide if CFAR could be a good addition.
| Benefits | Trip Insurance | CFAR insurance |
| Covers sickness, weather, etc. | Yes | Yes |
| Covers if you change your mind | No | Yes |
| Refund amount | Up to 100% for covered reasons | Typically 50-75% for any reason |
| When to purchase | Anytime before the date of your trip | Typically 14-20 days of initial deposit |
It is important to remember that every insurance plan is different, and benefits and coverage will vary from plan to plan. Other benefits may be available at an additional cost for some plans.
Travel During the Holidays With Confidence
Wherever you’re headed during the holidays, we wish you peace of mind, plenty of comfort, and a lot of joy. And remember, VisitorsCoverage has the coverage you need to feel safe and secure.
Still have questions? Reach out to our Customer Success Team for further assistance.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Where can I compare travel insurance plans easily?
You can compare travel insurance plans in as little as 5 minutes using our quote tool. Simply enter your trip details, such as the type of insurance you’re looking for, where you’re going, your trip dates, traveler ages, your trip cost, etc. Then, the tool will give you multiple options side-by-side, with all their prices and coverage benefits clearly listed, giving you an easy way to compare plans.
Is it possible to insure only part of my trip?
Yes, you can insure any expenses you wish to protect on your policy. All you need to do is enter specifically the amount you want coverage for. For example, if your hotel costs $1,000 and your flight costs $200, and your primary concern is the cost of your hotel, you can just enter $1,000 in the cost that the quote tool will ask for. From there, the insurance options you will get will be specialized to a $1,000 coverage protection.
However, there are certain plans and companies that require you to disclose the full cost of your trip so it’s good to glance at your policy details or call your insurance company to understand what their requirements are.
What is the difference between trip delay and trip interruption?
Trip delay is usually about what happens before the trip, while trip interruption can be what happens during the trip. Trip delay can provide reimbursement if your trip is delayed for a certain amount of time and that delay prevents you from staying at your already scheduled destination. Meanwhile, trip interruption can offer reimbursement up to the benefit maximum if you must start your trip late or are unable to complete your trip due to a covered reason under your policy.
If I already booked a trip, is it too late to get CFAR insurance?
It depends on the time of when you booked your trip. CFAR typically has a time period of 15-21 days of initial deposit. After the 20th day, you might not be able to add CFAR, depending on the policy.
How do I make sure my trip insurance covers pre-existing health conditions?
There are many comprehensive trip insurance plans that can cover pre-existing health conditions and recover any financial losses in case you require medical treatment during your trip or have to cancel due to a medical emergency. While looking into travel insurance plans, it is best to review if your plan allows you to submit a pre-existing condition waiver which will allow you to get coverage for pre-existing conditions.
To qualify for a waiver, you typically need to purchase the policy soon after making your initial trip deposit, insure the full cost of the trip, and that your health is stabilized at the time of purchase. Once the waiver is in place, your policy may cover trip cancellations, interruptions, and delays related to your pre-existing condition, which would have otherwise been excluded. Not all plans offer the waiver, so it is recommended to review the policy details to get this powerful tool if eligible.
How do I make sure my trip insurance covers pre-existing health conditions?
While trip insurance plans most likely won’t inherently cover pre-existing conditions, there is a way for you to qualify for pre-existing condition coverage. Some plans will offer a pre-existing condition waiver, which will allow you to get coverage for trip cancellations, interruptions, and delays related to your pre-existing condition, which would have otherwise been excluded.
The waiver comes at no additional cost to you; however, in order to qualify for it, you will need to purchase your policy soon after making your initial trip deposit, insure the full cost of the trip, and be able to prove that your health was stable at the time of purchase. Not all plans offer the waiver, so it is recommended to review the policy details to get this powerful tool if eligible.
How soon will I get reimbursed if I file a claim on trip insurance?
The time taken to process the claim may vary case by case since it involves information verification and administrative work. It can take anywhere from a few weeks to over a month to process. You can follow up with the insurance claim department to check the status of your claim. Contact and other information can be found on the ID card you’ll get once you purchase your policy.
What documents will I need to file a trip insurance claim?
The necessary documents you will need to file a trip insurance claim can be various items such as copies of your passport, medical bills, and receipts. However, each provider may have slightly different steps. Typically, your insurance company will let you know which type of documents they expect, but if they don’t specify, check your policy or reach out to their customer service team for guidance. The more information or documentation you provide, the better. Keeping clear records and acting promptly can help the process go more smoothly.
