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Whether you're headed home for Thanksgiving or planning a family trip for December, there's a good chance you'll see higher prices this holiday travel season than last year. According to 2024 data from the booking platform Hopper, travelers can expect to pay up to 10% more for a round-trip flight around Thanksgiving compared to last year, with Christmas trips up about 4%.
If you haven't booked your airfare yet, CNBC Select has you covered with tricks to save money on your upcoming trips, plus a few tips on how to make your journey a bit smoother.
What we'll cover
- Get TSA PreCheck® and/or Global Entry® membership fees refunded
- Use credit card free night certificates
- Book hotel rooms and flights with points
- Use apps to monitor changes in flight pricing
- Bring food to the airport
- Use a card without foreign transaction fees
- Consider a gas rewards program
- Book your flight with a credit card that has built-in travel insurance
- FAQs
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Get TSA PreCheck and/or Global Entry membership fees refunded
TSA PreCheck® and Global Entry® are Trusted Traveler program options offered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. They allow travelers to spend much less time waiting in the security lines at the airport, which is particularly useful around the holidays. TSA PreCheck starts at $77.95 for a five-year membership, while Global Entry costs $120 (note that Global Entry includes a TSA PreCheck membership). However, with the right credit card, you can have these fees reimbursed.
TSA PreCheck
Cost
The cost varies by enrollment provider and ranges from $77.95 to $85 for a 5-year membership. Renewal fees are $68.95 to $78 depending on which provider you renew through and whether you renew online or in-person.
TSA PreCheck perks
Shorter airport security line (usually), you don't need to remove your belt, light jacket or shoes, and you can leave your laptop in your bag
Locations with TSA PreCheck lanes
200+ airports
Pros
- Available at 200+ airports and with 90+ airlines
- Children 12 years old and under can come with parent/guardian through the TSA PreCheck lane
- Children 13 to 17 years old can come with a parent/guardian through the TSA PreCheck lane when the PreCheck logo is on their boarding pass
- Membership is valid for five years
Cons
- Appointment required at an enrollment center
- No benefits when traveling internationally
With the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, you can receive a credit of up to $120 for Global Entry® or TSA PreCheck® every four years, which can make signup for either service essentially free.
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is a premium credit card with a myriad of benefits and a lower annual fee than other high-end cards with similar features.
- Annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Travel
- 10,000 bonus miles after every card anniversary
- Unlimited complimentary access to 1,300+ airport lounges, including Capital One Lounge and Landing locations
- Long list of valuable travel and shopping protections, including return protection, rental car coverage and trip delay reimbursement (Benefit(s) only available to accounts approved for the Visa Infinite card. Terms apply.)
- Limited bonus spending categories compared to other premium credit cards
- High annual fee
- High credit score requirement (excellent credit)
Highlights
- Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
- Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
- Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
- Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
- Enjoy access to 1,300+ lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge and Landing locations and participating Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Top rated mobile app
Balance transfer fee
$0 at the Transfer APR, 4% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer to you
Foreign transaction fees
$0
Use credit card free night certificates
Some hotel credit cards with annual fees under $100 come with free hotel night certificates, which grant you one free night. This can come in handy to lower the cost of your family holiday getaway or cover any stops you have on the way home. Credit cards like the World of Hyatt Credit Card (see rates and fees) and the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card (see rates and fees) come with free anniversary nights, meaning you'll get one free night on every anniversary of opening your account.
Since the price of your hotel room would probably be more than the credit card's annual fee, it would make sense to apply for one of those cards to save cash on your stay. Plus, you can earn a large heap of rewards from the card's welcome bonus.
Pro tip: As an IHG cardholder, you can get your fourth night free when redeeming IHG points for a stay of four or more nights.
Book hotel rooms and flights with points
To avoid tapping into your savings or racking up credit card debt when buying airline tickets or hotel stays, book using credit card points, airline miles or hotel points you've accrued throughout the year.
If you don't already have a nice stack of credit card points to cover your trip, a welcome bonus could give you a quick boost. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) lets you earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Potentially more if you transfer to one of Chase's partners like United or World of Hyatt.
The American Express® Gold Card offers a similar bonus — new cardholders may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card packs a punch for a $95 annual fee card, offering annual travel credits, comprehensive travel protections and more.
- You can transfer rewards to all of Chase's travel partners including World of Hyatt, Southwest Rapid Rewards and many more
- Long list of travel and shopping protections
- $50 annual Chase Travel hotel credit
- Has an annual fee
- Requires a high credit score
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase TravelSM, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases
- Earn up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase TravelSM
- 10% anniversary points boost - each account anniversary you'll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
- Member FDIC
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
The American Express Gold Card is great for earning valuable Membership Rewards® points at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets.
- You can earn $400+ in dining and rideshare credits every year (Enrollment required for select benefits mentioned)
- Exceptionally rewarding for eligible restaurant and U.S. supermarket purchases
- No foreign transaction fees
- Larger annual fee
- Credits are more complicated, you earn them monthly or semi-annually
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you're approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you're approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You'll know upfront exactly how much you'll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Foreign transaction fee
None
Use apps to monitor changes in flight pricing
If you're flexible with what date you'll fly home, you can find great deals by signing up for travel newsletters and airline sale alerts. Google Flights can also help you track down the best prices, especially with this "hack."
No matter which newsletter or app you use, one of the best ways to score lower-priced flights is to book ahead of time because the closer to the flight date, the more expensive tickets usually are.
Bring food to the airport
This one is pretty simple. Anyone who's bought a snack at an airport knows that it's typically pricier than what you can make at home or even buy in a regular store. It's often more affordable to bring a snack from home, especially if you aren't sure how much time you'll have before you take off.
Because liquids aren't allowed through TSA, you'll still need to shell out for a bottle of water if you want to stay hydrated on your flight. Alternatively, you can pack an empty reusable bottle and fill it up after you go through security.
Use a card without foreign transaction fees
A foreign transaction fee is an amount charged by a bank or the credit card issuer for any transaction made outside the U.S. If you travel abroad frequently, these fees can add up, typically costing around 3% per transaction. To avoid these costs, use a credit card with no foreign transaction fees.
Cards like the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card and the Citi Strata Premier® Card are great options when traveling abroad because they earn bonus rewards in useful categories like dining.
The Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card is one of the most rewarding options for earning cash back in categories such as entertainment and dining without paying an annual fee.
- One of the most rewarding cash back cards for entertainment and streaming services
- No annual fee
- Easy-to-earn welcome bonus
- High APR
- Requires a good to excellent credit score
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus once you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
- $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
- Earn unlimited 3% cash back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services, plus 1% on all other purchases
- Earn 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases
- Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- No rotating categories or sign-ups needed to earn cash rewards; plus cash back won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how much you can earn
- 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months; 18.74% - 28.74% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies
- Top rated mobile app
Balance transfer fee
Introductory fee of 3% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account during the first 12 months that your account is open. After that, 4% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that we may offer you at any other time.
The Citi Strata Premier® Card has competitive rewards rates and unlocks access to all of the Citi ThankYou® transfer partners, which boosts the value of your points.
- Unlocks point transfers to all of the Citi ThankYou® partners, including Emirates Skywards, Choice Privileges, Flying Blue and more
- Generous bonus spending categories include dining, supermarkets, hotels and flights
- Valuable welcome bonus
- Has an annual fee
- Car rental coverage is secondary, not primary
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com.
- Earn 10 Points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on CitiTravel.com.
- Earn 3 Points per $1 on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases, at Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas and EV Charging Stations.
- Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- $100 Annual Hotel Benefit: Once per calendar year, enjoy $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when booked through CitiTravel.com. Benefit applied instantly at time of booking.
- No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases
Balance transfer fee
Balance transfer fee applies with this offer 5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum.
Also, if the currency is different from your home country's, always pay in the local currency, or you could accrue fees. Be aware of this when withdrawing money from an ATM or if a retailer asks you to choose when swiping your card at the register.
Consider a gas rewards program
According to a 2024 PWC Holiday travel outlook, almost three-quarters (73%) will choose to drive when traveling for the holidays this year. Gas reward programs are often free to sign up for and can help you earn extra savings while at the pump.
In addition to the rewards programs offered by the major gas station chains, Walmart+ and Amazon Prime both now offer members access to fuel discounts at participating gas stations as well. With these programs, you can save as much as 10 cents per gallon on your fill-ups.
Book your flight with a credit card that has built-in travel insurance
Travel insurance can cover expenses ranging from canceled flights to lost bags, and the average cost of travel insurance is 5% to 6% of your trip costs. Without travel insurance, though, refunds can be hard to come by. Fortunately, there are a variety of credit cards with built-in travel insurance to choose from.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) is a great option. The travel protections it offers include: auto rental collision damage waiver, baggage delay insurance and trip delay reimbursement, but note that you must pay for your travel with your card to be eligible for the insurance protections.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is a standout premium credit card with plenty of luxury perks and statement credits to justify its annual fee.
- Access over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide with a complimentary Priority PassTM Select membership, plus every Chase Sapphire Lounge® by The Club with two guests.
- Up to $300 in annual travel credit each account anniversary year
- You can transfer rewards to all of Chase's travel partners including World of Hyatt, Southwest Rapid Rewards and many more
- Top-tier travel and shopping protections
- High annual fee
- Requires a high credit score
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Earn 150,000 bonus points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Get $3,000 in annual value with Sapphire Reserve.
- Earn 8x points on all purchases through Chase TravelSM, including The EditSM and 4x points on flights and hotels booked direct. Plus, earn 3x points on dining worldwide & 1x points on all other purchases
- $300 annual travel credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
- Access over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide with a complimentary Priority PassTM Select membership, plus every Chase Sapphire Lounge® by The Club with two guests. Plus, up to $120 towards Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck® every 4 years
- Get up to $150 in statement credits every six months for a maximum of $300 annually for dining at restaurants that are part of Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance, no foreign transaction fees, and more.
- Get complimentary Apple TV+, the exclusive streaming home of Apple Originals. Plus Apple Music — all the music you love, across all your devices. Subscriptions run through 6/22/27 — a value of $288 annually
- Member FDIC
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
Use a card that gives you rideshare rewards
You might use Uber or Lyft to get to and from the airport when traveling home or going on a trip. Some credit cards will reward you for it, so it's best to use them if you'll be on the go. The American Express Gold Card gives you up to $10 a month in Uber credits, so your ride home could be discounted or potentially free depending on the cost. (An Amex Card must be selected as the payment method for your Uber or Uber Eats transaction to redeem the Amex Uber Cash benefit. To receive this benefit, you must have downloaded the latest version of the Uber App and your eligible American Express Gold Card must be a method of payment in your Uber account. The Amex Benefit may only be used in the United States. Point caps and terms apply).
For Lyft rides, you can earn up to 5X Bilt Points when you link your Bilt Rewards account and pay with the Bilt Mastercard® (see rates and fees). Through Sept. 30, 2025, you can also earn $5 in Lyft credit per month after you take three eligible rides and pay with your card.
Bilt Mastercard®
Rewards
Earn 1X points on rent payments without the transaction fee, up to 100,000 points each calendar year, 3X points on dining, 2X points on travel, and 1X points on other purchases. Use the card five times each statement period to earn points.
Welcome bonus
None
Annual fee
None
Intro APR
N/A
Regular APR
See Terms
Balance transfer fee
Up to 5% for each balance transfer, with a minimum of $5.
Foreign transaction fee
None
Credit needed
Excellent/Good
See rates/fees and rewards/benefits; terms apply.
Pros
- Earns ultra-valuable flexible rewards
- No annual fee
- Primary rental car insurance
- Earn points on rent without paying a fee
Cons
- No welcome bonus
- Requires at least five purchases per month to earn points
FAQs
How can I save on holiday flights?
There are a number of ways you can save on your travel ranging from simply booking your trip sooner to maximizing your credit card rewards to earn you the most value.
Can I travel without spending a lot of money?
You can travel without breaking the bank by booking strategically and using the right credit cards. Credit card points, airline miles and hotel points can go a long way in helping you save. There are also ways to cut costs, depending on your travel preferences. For example, if you're a foodie and enjoy splurging on meals when traveling, consider scaling back on your lodging expenses.
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For rates and fees of the American Express Gold Card , click here.
