If there is one thing people dislike the most about traveling, it’s probably the endless crowds. It will be hard to move around, visit the places you want to go to, and see the sights if there are too many people. In that case, finding the best and worst days to travel would help you better enjoy your vacation.
What is the best and worst day to travel? It used to be that Tuesday is the best day to travel or the day where you can easily book a cheap flight. But that does not seem to be the case anymore. Which is the best day then? Well, it depends. Even the worst day to travel depends on several reasons including where you plan to go.
There isn’t an exact day that will be the best or worst day to go on a trip. However, we can help you find the perfect day to book that flight and go on a vacation. We will even help you survive traveling on the busiest day of the year with tips and tricks. Check out the rest of this article to learn how!
What is the Best and Worst Day to Travel?
This year, it is said to be that the worst day to travel is August 9th, especially for flying. The year 2019 is already set as the busiest year for air travel, given that airport traffic continues to grow immensely. Thankfully, August has already passed at the time of this writing, so that’s one worst day for travel out of the many busy days you would want to avoid for peace of mind.
Still, you want to know more about which days are better and worse if you must go on a trip, either by ground or air. As mentioned before, this depends on several things such as where you want to go and if it is a holiday. It makes it crucial that before you book a flight or go on an adventure, check the date and the place where you will go to see if it is going to be a busy day.
Busiest Holidays of the Year
When determining which day to travel, first find out if it is the holiday season. You need to know if it is a holiday both in your city or country and your destination. If it is, you can be sure that there will be too many people in yours and your destination’s airport or train station. Knowing the busiest days during holidays can help you plan a more convenient trip.
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is consistently a busy day. A lot of people go back home to celebrate with their families. Since the day is always Thursday, it is a little easy to plan around when you travel with people being locked on specific dates. Both the day before and after Thanksgiving are going to be busy, especially Wednesday afternoon because school and work are still in session that day.
In short, you have limited options to travel freely during Thanksgiving. It depends on how flexible you can be, which might not be the case if you have kids. The best Thanksgiving travel day is Monday, where there are smaller crowds. It’s also when the best fares are available. Thursday and Friday are also great travel days, especially early in the morning.
It’s when the airports are emptier, and the fares are lower. The days to avoid traveling during Thanksgiving are Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday. From Tuesday, travelers ramp up and lead to the busiest day of the week, Wednesday. On this day, both aircraft and airports are packed, and the massive demand makes high fares too. If you can, avoid flying on these Thanksgiving days.
Christmas
Since Christmas day changes every year, there aren’t any obvious worst days. However, the likeliest cheapest round-trip would be those that leave on Christmas day and comes back the next day. The most expensive roundtrips are Sunday to Sunday as well as Saturday and Friday trips. Fares are usually high on the following Sunday after Christmas.
The best days to fly are on the 20th, 24th, and 25thsince by then, many will have already traveled home. On the other hand, the worst day to travel is the 21st,followed by the 22ndand the 23rd. Airports and aircraft are also going to be jam-packed from the 26ththrough 29th. The takeaway is this – flying on the day of the holiday itself is cheaper, while it is more expensive if a few days before and after Christmas.
Worst Days to Travel – When Seats are in Demand
If you are traveling by plane, the worst times would be the days when seats are most in demand. Generally, it includes the days around festivals and holidays, peak seasons of vacations, or any events when children are out of school. Traveling gets even worse especially when time-off school and holidays line up. It is these times when you don’t want to travel, but you probably don’t always have a choice.
Best Days to Travel – Weekdays and Off Seasons
As for the best days to fly, that would be when there is less demand for seats. It is during weekdays and off-seasons, which are days where children are at school or when there are fewer people who go on vacation. If your schedule is more flexible, it is best to book your flight Mondays to Fridays, except for when it is holiday season.
How to Survive the Worst Days to Travel
There is a very slim chance that flying or traveling during the busiest days of the year will be smooth sailing. You must prepare for such hectic days if you want fewer opportunities for things not going your way. No doubt that Christmas and Thanksgiving are the most popular worst dates to travel by road and air. However, you should also keep in mind holidays such as Easter and New Year’s Eve.
Keep in mind other popular holidays at your destination as well. Besides holidays, high-traffic times also happen when the weather is warm, on Fridays, weekends, and Spring Break, as well as summer. You can expect that during these days, you will experience some stress due to flight delays, long lines in the airport, too much traffic, and packed train stations.
However, that doesn’t mean that you just accept the inconvenience. With smart planning, you can survive and even enjoy the day. Below are some of the top tips on avoiding the frustrations during the worst travel days:
Procrastinating is a Big No-No
The first rule – don’t wait out before booking your flight. Remember when the best days to travel around holidays and choose to fly on those days to avoid crowds. It also helps a lot to use travel apps that give you airfare alerts. This way, you are aware of price increases, which allows you to get a better deal. Planning is the key to make traveling easy even during the busiest days.
Book Accommodations Early
If you are driving or flying for long hours during the most hectic times of the year, you want to book your accommodation early as well. Take the time to research the hotels, Airbnb, motels, or other places you can stay at your destination. Check for any promotions during the holidays, read reviews, and consider even the smallest details that could be a hassle or save you money during your trip.
Check and Secure Your IDs
If there’s anything worse than the crowd during a trip, it’s when you forget your IDs or check that it is already expired. You can avoid if you practice a little bit of due diligence. Make sure that you have alternate IDs and that your passport is within the validity window of your destination’s location. That way, there will be less stress during the actual trip.
Pack Just Enough for Your Trip
Another contributor to a stressful trip is the things you must carry. Make sure that you pack only the things you will need and that you maximize the space of your luggage or carry-on bag. Also, keep in mind the rules of the airline when it comes to baggage. Know which things you can or cannot bring with you, so you can avoid getting stopped for too long in the security line and make the trip more stressful.
Conclusion
Traveling can be stressful, but we are sure that won’t keep you still at home. Your wanderlust will win and soon, you will be booking a flight to cross out one vacation destination out of your list. All you need against the stress is your planning skill and the knowledge of the perfect timing. With that, you can be sure to survive the worst day to travel and have fun wherever you go.