Whether you are religious or not, you won’t mind a holiday in the name of the Lord. No, I am not writing about Christmas but about Thanksgiving, which is celebrated on a much grander scale in the USA than in any other country on the planet. This day is meant to be the day of the year when you thank God for everything you and your community have, particularly the good harvest this year. It was celebrated for the first time by the early Europeans who came here in the early 17th century. This tradition has continued to this day and has been encouraged by not just the religious authorities but the government too.
A day that is a history and a religious lesson
This day is celebrated every 4th Thursday of November, which means that fall will be almost over and we will be able to feel the chill as the winter season begins. The USA is a large country with different temperatures in different states, which means that the time of harvesting will be different too! Still, everyone gets together on this day in the country and celebrates the day with great fervor. Apart from the feeling of community, this day is also meant to remind everyone of the family values that the Christian faith teaches. The airlines may get generous too and offer some Thanksgiving flight deals, to do what they can on this all-important day.
Choosing between domestic and international destinations
This year, 2023, Thanksgiving will be on the 23rd of November and will be followed by Black Friday, the day when retailers lower the price of their merchandise to attract more customers. This Friday is also a day off in quite a few states of the country, so you will have a long weekend to enjoy. You can use this time to take your family for a much-needed holiday. You can go to many cities in the country or abroad if you want to attend a church service on this day. This will be attractive to those who attend the religious service in their local church on a regular basis and want to see how it is done in other cities, like those in Europe.
Some suggestions for you
If you are planning international Thanksgiving flights, you may consider Rome, with the Vatican close by, where there are numerous churches from the medieval ages. International trips will be of interest to those who want to avoid crowds in the country. You should note that the days around Thanksgiving are the busiest for domestic airports, so flying internationally, you will be able to see the places that are much quieter. There are destinations in the country that offer you warm and cold holidays, and so do the international ones.
How do the rates fluctuate as this day approaches?
Yes, the flights to popular tourist attractions in the country will be fully booked, but if you book early, you will be on the safer side in terms of availability. The airlines will usually lower rates when they expect fewer passengers, and around this particular holiday, the flights will be booked to full capacity as a number of people will be flying, particularly those who live away from their families and wish to join them.
If you still need a last-minute flight, you may be able to find them, but be prepared to pay more than what you would have been charged a few days ago. As the holiday period approaches, the airfare will keep increasing for the available seats on various flights. Cheap flights on Thanksgiving Day will be rare, but we dare to dream.
Help is at hand with fares
As most people will want to observe the day with their near and dear ones, the flights on the actual day will cost less. So, what you can do is fly early on this day, so you are with your family for the evening, or catch a late evening night after you have had dinner with your family. Flexibility plays an important part in air ticket prices.
- So, if you find the day on which you want to fly, try a date before or after it. This will give you rates that you can compare.
- If you do this for every airline, it will take a lot of time. So, try travel agent sites that will list rates from different airlines for the same route. They also offer filters that allow you to fiddle with maximum and minimum rates.
Some final words
Holiday periods are not the same as other days, at least as far as the airline industry is concerned. You will be dealing with them when you need your airtickets, though there are professional travel agents out there who will have the professional knowledge, which you can use to your benefit. They are just a call away, and often they offer toll-free calls. They will have all the information that you may need for different flights on the route you intend to fly over.
