October 21, 2025
The leaves are turning, the pumpkin spice is flowing, and your calendar is screaming one thing: The Holidays are almost here!
If you haven’t locked in your flights, hotels, or vacation packages for your end-of-year getaway, you’re officially running out of time for the best prices. But don’t panic! The end of November brings a golden opportunity for savvy travelers: Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
This shopping weekend has become the single biggest travel sale event of the year, offering incredible deals that cover everything from winter ski trips to next summer’s European vacation. Here is your essential guide to booking your holiday travel during the Cyber Weekend sales.
📅 When to Pounce: The 72-Hour Deal Window
While Black Friday traditionally kicks off the day after Thanksgiving (November 28th, 2025), the travel deals now span a full four-day weekend, ending with Travel Tuesday.
- Black Friday (Nov 28): The official start. Expect major airlines, hotel chains, and tour operators to drop their biggest sitewide discounts.
- Cyber Monday (Dec 1): Focus shifts heavily to online-exclusive deals. Watch for deep discounts on packaged trips, adventure tours, and smaller boutique hotel groups.
- Travel Tuesday (Dec 2): This day is specifically dedicated to travel deals. It’s often the best time to find rock-bottom prices on specific routes or bucket-list destinations from various booking platforms.
Our Advice: Start checking prices and signing up for alerts the week before Thanksgiving. Many companies launch “early access” deals to subscribers.
✈️ What to Expect: Deep Discounts Across All Categories
Gone are the days when Black Friday only meant cheaper flights. The modern travel sale covers every part of your holiday booking:
1. Flights: The Route-Specific Slash
Major airlines (both budget and legacy carriers) often release sales with discounts of up to 50% on select routes or offer huge mileage bonuses for booking that weekend.
- Look for: Short-haul flights for last-minute Christmas visits, or Business Class/Premium Economy sales for long-haul routes heading into 2026.
- Strategy: Be flexible. The cheapest deals will likely be on non-peak days or for travel outside of the Christmas and New Year’s window.
2. Hotels & Stays: The ‘Book-Ahead’ Bargain
Hotel groups love Black Friday because it allows them to fill rooms for the notoriously slow months of January through March.
- Look for: 20-40% off Member-Only Rates. Many hotel programs like Marriott, Hilton, and Hyatt offer increased discounts if you are a free loyalty member.
- Strategy: Check the fine print on the travel window. Many deals cover stays well into the following summer, making it the perfect time to book your entire 2026 travel calendar at a discount.
3. Tours & Packages: The All-Inclusive Steal
This is where you can find the biggest overall savings. Tour companies (like G Adventures, EF Go Ahead Tours, or Trafalgar) often offer their best discounts of the year on multi-day itineraries.
- Look for: Up to 70% off on multi-day packages to destinations like Egypt, Italy, or Southeast Asia.
- Strategy: Travel packages often include flights, accommodation, and activities, making a single Black Friday purchase a massive savings win for a complex trip.
💡 Your 3-Step Black Friday Booking Blueprint
To make sure you secure the best deals before they sell out, follow this simple strategy:
Step 1: Prep Your Wish List (NOW)
You can’t buy what you don’t know you want!
- Have a Target in Mind: Know the destination, the number of travelers, and a range of acceptable dates (e.g., Paris, 2 people, any 7 days between Feb 1–Mar 31).
- Know the Baseline Price: Check the current price for your desired route or hotel. This is the only way to know if a “50% off!” deal is a real saving or just a marketing gimmick.
- Create Your Accounts: Sign up for free loyalty accounts with your preferred airline and hotel chains. Many of the deepest discounts are exclusive to members.
Step 2: Get Alerts (DURING THE WEEK)
Don’t rely on manually checking sites—you’ll miss the flash sales.
- Sign up for Newsletters: Subscribe to the email lists of major travel providers and your favorite third-party booking sites.
- Set Price Alerts: Use tools like Google Flights or Skyscanner to set up alerts for your target routes. You’ll get an email the moment the price drops.
Step 3: Check the Fine Print (BEFORE YOU PAY)
Black Friday deals can be highly restrictive. Avoid a costly mistake by confirming these three things:
- Flexibility: Is the booking fully refundable, or does it come with a hefty change fee? Cheaper fares often mean stricter rules.
- Blackout Dates: Do the travel dates exclude the exact holiday window you need (e.g., Dec 20–Jan 5)?
- Hidden Fees: Does that cheap flight fare include carry-on baggage, or are you about to get surprised with a gate check fee?
Ready to Go?
This is the year to stop dreaming and start booking. With the right strategy and a bit of speed, you can lock in your most ambitious travel plans for 2026 at 2025’s best prices. Happy deal hunting!
