Each year, Black Friday and Cyber Monday provide an irresistible opportunity to score savings with a barrage of travel deals coming at you from all directions. These sales events may bring unaffordable dream destinations within reach or make an additional getaway possible. Sifting through the mountain of deals can feel daunting, but if you arm yourself with knowledge and do some preparation in advance, your wallet will thank you. Here’s how to find the best travel deals for Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
When Are Black Friday and Cyber Monday?
In the U.S., Black Friday and Cyber Monday are two of the biggest shopping days of the year, attracting customers with deep discounts. In 2024, Black Friday falls on November 29, while Cyber Monday — focused on online retailers — will be on December 2. Of particular interest to anyone looking to take a trip in the U.S. or overseas is Travel Tuesday, which started in 2017. In 2024, Travel Tuesday falls on December 3. It could be worth waiting for this day, as businesses typically release additional discounts related to travel, such as flights, accommodations, and package deals.
Be on the Lookout for Early Deals
As with any sale, if you snooze, you lose. Early birds give themselves the best chance of grabbing a discount, so plan to get online as soon as you wake up. In recent years, companies also have been starting sales even earlier than the traditional Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping days, so it’s worth checking in the days and weeks ahead, too.
As with store-based sales, discounted rooms, airfares, and trips can be limited in numbers, meaning prices will rise as soon as these headline offers have been snapped up. So, plan to do some research ahead of time. If you have a preferred trip in mind, check which airlines serve the route you’re interested in or shortlist several hotels in the area where you’d prefer to stay. Alternatively, keep your options open and browse dedicated Travel Tuesday websites and apps such as the one offered by Hopper, where curated deals are advertised in one place.
Sign Up for Email Alerts
Often, the first people to know about the headline deals are those who are signed up for mailing lists. Certain companies give loyalty program members — or anyone who has shown an interest in their brand — a head start on Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers, releasing them to these customers perhaps a day or two ahead of the general public. It usually costs nothing to sign up for mailing lists, and the discounts advertised can be substantial, so you’ll definitely want to be in the loop.
Follow Travel-Related Businesses on Social Media
To reach as many potential customers as possible, travel-related businesses such as airlines, hotel chains, tour operators, and online travel agents will often post about upcoming sales or special offers via their social media channels. It’s a useful way of seeing what’s likely to be available, but check the handle carefully to make sure you are following a legitimate account. Once you’ve identified potential deals, visit the company’s website to see if anything is a good fit for your needs.
Don’t Forget the Add-Ons
While the headline travel deals on Black Friday and Cyber Monday are likely to feature flight savings and hotel offers, you might also find substantial savings with add-on elements. For example, see if there are any discounts on airport parking, car rental, or resort fees. Also check if hotels are offering free nights, room upgrades, complimentary breakfasts, or credit that can be used in on-site bars or restaurants.
All of these extras add up, so keep an eye out for promo codes that could save you even more on your trip. Similarly, when booking a Black Friday or Cyber Monday offer, read the fine print and make sure it includes everything you need — for instance, a cheap flight that doesn’t include baggage or seat assignments might not be a great deal at all.
Be Ready To Book
Unless you’re a solo traveler, or at least solely in charge of making travel plans for your family or group of friends, you’ll likely need to have had a conversation about the trip you’re booking before Black Friday, Cyber Monday, or Travel Tuesday arrives. Discuss preferences and priorities with your travel companions and figure out your budget so you can be ready to make a decision and snap up the best offers. During high-profile campaigns such as this, you don’t want to waste precious minutes calling or messaging as you try to get agreement — especially while others could be benefiting from the deals you’re allowing to slip through your fingers.
Set Price Alerts on Sites Like Google Flights
Whenever you’re trying to secure a cheap flight, signing up for alerts is a must. Using online tools such as Skyscanner Price Alerts or the price tracking function on Google Flights enables you to get a feel for what constitutes a deal — and protect your bank account balance from impulse buys that turn out to be duds.
Alerts for price drops will give you the chance to scope out what’s on sale before some other travelers are even aware of it. If you can be flexible with dates, you open up even more possibilities. Some airlines have a flexible fare finder option, or you can try tools such as Google Flights’ explore feature on the homepage to see where your budget could take you.
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