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The holidays usually mean spending all your hard-earned cash on endless presents and expensive travel to see family and friends. Many airlines take advantage of everyone’s shared holidays and send flight prices soaring. However, if you are planning to travel over Christmas, this week is the absolute best time to buy flights during Black Friday sales, and before the Christmas online-booking frenzy begins.
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If you just want to go on vacation over the holidays and aren’t too worried about where, then why not try one of these affordable options instead of the overcrowded winter destinations like Paris and New York? These destinations are reliably the cheapest options most winters, and also have flight sales and deals specifically for winter 2023.
Tips for Finding Cheap Places to Travel Over Christmas
If you want to pick out your own destination instead of one of ours, then use these tips for finding the best prices and most affordable travel over Christmas.
Look for vacation packages
Check for flight sales, especially on Black Friday
Drive somewhere instead of fly
Check hotel prices as well as flights to make sure they’re both affordable
Use Google Flights price radar to make sure it’s a good deal
Be flexible with dates as much as possible
Go to an off-peak destination
Check for last-minute deals
The Cheapest Places to Travel Over Christmas
These places are typically the cheapest places to travel over Christmas. Prices are consistently low or have a good deal for this winter, the 2023 Christmas season.
Las Vegas and The Grand Canyon
Image by Tim Hart
Las Vegas is warm over winter, has cheap flights and a huge airport and also has really affordable accommodation. If you don’t stay on the Strip, prices are even more reasonable. Ubering around the city is fairly low cost if you don’t want to rent a car. Be aware though that taking Uber to and from the Strip is more expensive than to and from other parts of the city. In Las Vegas you have tons of nightlife as well as Red Rock Canyon State Park, an amazing destination with endless hiking over the sandstone cliffs and valleys, as well as rock climbing for the adventurous in your family. With a reasonably short drive and a car rental, you can also visit the Grand Canyon for a day.
Los Angeles and Joshua Tree National Park
Image by Elliot Englemann
With such a big airport on hand, Los Angeles is a really affordable destination for winter. If you’re looking for some city action plus time in the outdoors, then you are heading to the right place. Joshua Tree National Park, one of the best national parks to visit in winter, is just a short 2-3 hour drive away. Hotels in Los Angeles range from expensive to affordable, depending on whether you book last minute or in advance. Websites such as Hotel Tonight often have great deals in cities like LA if you don’t mind flying by the seat of your pants.
Mexico
Image by Filip Gielda
If you’re looking for a budget-friendly international Christmas travel destination, then Mexico is a great choice. It is one of the most affordable places to visit during the holiday season, with an average cost of $1,000 per person for a week-long stay according to Price of Travel. Mexico is known for its beautiful beaches, vibrant nightlife, and rich culture. Many parts of Mexico have super cheap food and places to stay. Consider places like Oaxaca, Guanajuato, Puerto Vallarta, Baja California/Mexico, Cancún, Cozumel, and Mexico City for the best prices. It’s also a great destination for rock climbing with popular winter climbing crags like Potrero Chico. Flights are currently as cheap as $289 round trip from SFO to Cancun in January.
Costa Rica and Central America
Image by Cosmic Timetraveler
There is currently a flight sale on journeys to Costa Rica. Flights from many major airports are around $300 round-trip to different parts of Costa Rica. Countries like Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Honduras can also be budget-friendly destinations with beautiful landscapes and affordable prices over the winter months. All of these destinations have very reasonable food and accommodation prices year-round.
Thailand and Southeast Asia
Image by Mathew Schwartz
If you’re looking for a more exotic destination, Thailand is a great option. The country offers a unique blend of culture, history, and natural beauty. You can enjoy a week-long stay in Thailand for a much lower cost than traveling to Europe. Even though flights are not always the cheapest, the cost of food and accommodation is so low, the prices even out. Plus, you’ll enjoy warmer weather, beaches, and amazing experiences basking in the culture and history of places like The Grand Palace and Big Buddha Phuket. Countries like Vietnam and Cambodia also offer affordable travel options. The cost of living is relatively low, and you can find budget accommodations and food.
Scandinavia and Eastern Europe
Image by RedCharlie
There are currently cheap flights to Finland, Sweden, and Iceland as low as $445 round-trip from big airports in cities such as New York and Los Angeles. Countries like Hungary, Poland, and the Czech Republic can be more affordable than their Western European counterparts. Christmas markets are also popular in cities such as Prague, Budapest, Tallinn, and Bratislava. In Finland, a journey up to Lapland to enjoy the Northern Lights and Santa Claus Village in the Arctic Circle is definitely a holiday your family will never forget.
