Take the plastic wrap off that brand new calendar, because you've got some trip planning to do for 2024. And we're here to help.
We've been finding and sending Thrifty Traveler Premium members cheap flight alerts for trips in 2024 for many, many months now. Aside from December – which is slightly too far away for flights on most (but not all!) airlines to go on sale just yet – the entire calendar is wide-open to lock in a trip throughout 2024. There are millions of flights to pick from.
But some trends have emerged, helping us pinpoint the best destinations as the calendar turns to the next month. Whether you want to escape the winter cold in Hawaii, see the tulips bloom in Amsterdam, go to Oktoberfest in Germany, or visit the Christmas markets next holiday season, we've got hundreds of deals to pull from to help you make it happen.
Here they are: Our 12 best flight deals for the next 12 months of travel.
- January in Hawaii
- Skiing the Colorado Rockies in February
- St. Paddy's Day in Ireland
- April Tulips in Amsterdam
- Cinco de Mayo in Mexico
- Banff National Park in June
- Biz Class to the Paris Olympics
- Iceland in August
- Oktoberfest in Germany
- An October Safari in Kenya
- November on Island Time in Oceania
- European Christmas Markets
January in Hawaii
Not only is January exactly the time of year when an escape to the Hawaiian islands is most needed, but it's also one of the cheapest months of the year to fly there.
Exhibit A:
We just sent this Thrifty Traveler Premium deal alert to members a few days ago, highlighting sub-$200 roundtrip flights to the Hawaiian islands this winter. But it's not just West Coast citizens who can hop on a short flight out the islands at a huge discount. Even from the East Coast, we've been seeing lower fares to Hawaii this winter.
Nonstop flights to Hawaii from New York (JFK) and Boston (BOS) don't get much cheaper than this.
These prices are gone now – get the next deal with Thrifty Traveler Premium!
There are savings everywhere in between, too. And while January is already here, we're still seeing low fares to Hawaii for a trip later this month.
From pretty much anywhere, you could fly to Hawaii for cheap this January, and who wouldn't want to?
Skiing the Colorado Rockies in February
Sometimes, the best way to do winter is to lean all the way into it – and skiing is the perfect way to do it.
Lucky you, cheap flights to the Rocky Mountains in Colorado – home to some of the best skiing in North America – have been far easier to find lately. Check this out.
This deal included a handful of nonstop flights to Colorado between $219 and $249 roundtrip. And that's not just to Denver (DEN) – it also included destinations like Aspen (ASE), Steamboat (HDN), and Vail (EGE).
But yes, the cheapest way to get to Colorado is almost always by flying into Denver (DEN). The massive hub airport has dozens of nonstop flight options under $200 roundtrip this February. We corralled them all for our subscribers, from Cleveland (CLE) to Portland (PDX).
A ski trip to Colorado is well within reach this February. Get those skis waxed and hit the Rockies!
St. Paddy's Day in Ireland
There isn't a bad time to visit Ireland, but a visit over St. Paddy's Day might just be the best time of the year to see the country at its very best.
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While airlines typically raise flight prices to destinations during signature events like St. Paddy's, Irish carrier Aer Lingus has been doing the opposite lately. That has brought on a slew of roundtrip flights to Dublin (DUB) in March under $400 – and sometimes closer to $300 roundtrip!
But whenever Aer Lingus slashes prices on these flights, it causes the other airlines to do the same. We've seen plenty of deals to Ireland in March 2024 and beyond, none better than this stellar points deal flying to Dublin in a lie-flat bed.
This deal has now disappeared, as Qatar Airways raised the rates of these flights to Ireland soon after bringing those redemptions online … but not before we sent an alert to our Thrifty Traveler Premium members, helping them fly JetBlue Mint for as low as 30,000 points each way! Just ask Thrifty Traveler's Senior Editor Allie Johnson: She listed this one as her favorite deal of 2023!
April Tulips in Amsterdam
The Tulip Bloom in the Netherlands, which typically runs the length of April, celebrates one of the prettiest displays mother nature has to offer. And thanks to a some cheap flights to the Netherlands we dug up just last month, a visit to see the flowers in person is just a few hundred bucks away.
When you see prices in the $500s like these, you should jump at them. But of course, there's a better way: Lie-flat business class seats to Amsterdam (AMS). Luckily, they can be easier to find thanks to Dutch airline KLM's hearty presence in the U.S. and Canada.
Even though Air France is pictured, this deal included plenty of nonstop KLM flights to its hub in Amsterdam.
Cinco de Mayo in Mexico
May in Mexico is a great way to get a head start on summer, but you also have a chance to be there during their annual Cinco de Mayo celebration.
While you'll find some great Cinco de Mayo celebrations in Guadalajara (GDL) and Leon (BJX), Mexico City (MEX) celebrates holidays better than any other city in the country. Some points could help put you there.
You can fly Aeromexico nonstop to Mexico from tons of U.S. cities, and the best way to beat high fares is to book the flights using your Virgin Atlantic Flying Club points. When you book Aeromexico flights with Virgin points, you stand to save huge: As low as 14,000 points roundtrip!
Another can't-miss destination where you can celebrate Cinco de Mayo is Oaxaca. This southern Mexico city with a long and rich tradition of food and drink is a perfect place to spend May. And for less than $400 roundtrip, you can!
Some travelers just want an all-inclusive, and Mexico is no stranger to those. Many of the fan favorites are in the Yucatan Peninsula near Cancún (CUN). Cheap flights to Cancún have been abundant lately throughout the winter, spring, and into fall 2024.
Banff National Park in June
Banff National Park is one of the greatest wonders of this continent. The park's peaks frame its lakes in ways no artist could dream of. And the town of Banff and its surroundings are some of the most beautiful spots on earth.
If you want to go to kick off the summer, you can get there without breaking the bank.
For years, finding a cheap flight to Banff's gateway – Calgary (YYC) – was hard to do for a summer trip. You typically had to settle for fall flights instead. Not this year, though. The cheapest fares we're seeing to Banff this summer are right in the heart of June.
If Banff is on your list, I'm here to tell you 2024 is the year to check it off.
Biz Class to the Paris Olympics
There's a quaint little sporting event happening in Paris this summer, maybe you've heard of it: The 2024 Summer Olympics.
If you want to fly economy to the games – good luck. Prices are sky high for the back of the bus. But if you want to sit up front and you have some points and miles to burn, we have good news!
The Olympics run from July 26 to Aug. 11 this year, which is already peak season in Paris. But for some reason, the award availability to book business class flights to Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG) this summer has been in steady supply, like this alert we sent to Thrifty Traveler Premium members a few weeks back.
And it's not just a one-off mistake flying Air France business class, either. With a connection in Frankfurt (FRA), these brand-new Lufthansa business class seats could be your way across the Atlantic using your points, too. From Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP), there was plenty of availability to fly lie-flat to the summer games.
Iceland in August
Iceland is spectacular, and if you're a nature lover, you have to go whenever you can. But the best time of year to visit Iceland is undoubtedly in the summer, when the days are very long and the weather is the best.
Higher temperatures don't always mean higher prices, though.
Again and again, we've seen airlines discounting nonstop fares over to Iceland. Check out these recent deals from Delta starting as low as $503 roundtrip to Reykjavik (KEF).
For travelers who live in or near an Icelandair gateway, the savings can be even greater!
Oktoberfest in Germany
Oktoberfest kicks off in Munich on Sept. 21. I'll admit that I didn't know until recently that the celebration took place in September … not October.
But luckily, September is a great time of year for cheap flights to Europe, and finding an acceptable Oktoberfest fare – while tough – isn't terribly hard if you book far enough out. Just a few weeks ago, we found these low fares to Munich (MUC) and other German cities for a trip over September 2024.
Want a lie-flat seat? You can with Condor Airlines' swanky business class seats – and book them for just 55,000 Alaska Airlines miles each way.
An October Safari in Kenya
I went on a Kenyan safari in October two years ago, so take it from me: The timing was perfect.
The October weather in the Masai Mara or the Serengeti of Tanzania is great. But most importantly, the wildebeest migration in early October (and late September) creates a flurry of animal activity and some amazing views.
Luckily, October flights to Kenya have been cheap, too.
But if you want to get all the way to Nairobi (NBO) in Kenya, you cannot top Qatar Airways Qsuite. Booking these luxe, lie-flat suites with miles has been more challenging lately … but that changed last week, when we found a ton of award space to book flights through the fall and into winter 2024.
Best of all, you could book a one-way ticket for just 75,000 American AAdvantage miles.
November on Island Time in Oceania
Escaping to the islands of Oceania like Fiji, French Polynesia, or the Cook Islands is good any time of year … but it's perfect in November, just as the air at home gets a chill to it and right before the holiday rush.
Prices to get you there this November keep dropping.
This Fiji flight deal included November availability from the West Coast of the United States. The most expensive roundtrip fare on the deal? $755 roundtrip.
Slightly closer to home, you'll find French Polynesia. A cheap flight to Tahiti (PPT) sets you up perfectly to explore this unbelievable collection of islands, from Tahiti itself to nearby Mo'orea to the fancier reaches of Bora Bora. And it all starts with a cheap flight, like this one from Los Angeles (LAX) and San Francisco (SFO).
Head further south and you'll land on the Cook Islands (RAR), which are now connected by U.S. carrier Hawaiian. That means that Hawaiian's gateways on the mainland can get you to the Cook Islands with one quick stop! Plus, you can even book a stopover in Hawaii for next to nothing.
The Cook Islands and Hawaii for the price of one? That's cheat code travel.
European Christmas Markets
OK, you got me. You cannot actually book many of these flights yet.
December flights will just be creeping on sale on more airlines over the next few weeks, many of which only sell flights 11 months in advance. But there's a tried-and-true sweet spot to look forward to for cheap flights to Europe: Flights during the first two weeks of December.
In December, many of these cities transform into winter wonderlands, offering traditional Christmas markets that attract travelers every year. This flight deal to Brussels (BRU) in Belgium is the perfect example. Take this chocolate-fueled vacation into one of the most festive cities in Europe – especially during Christmas.
Further east in Czechia, Prague (PRG) is another amazing European city to take in the Christmas Markets. And in Prague, you can find lodging, food, and drink as much as 30% cheaper than Western Europe, too. Flights occasionally drop in price, too.
Finally, snowy Switzerland is a perfect Christmasy retreat, too. And if you can start your trip in a throne that looks like this … you're golden! Flying SWISS business class on points is a great deal.
I myself recently used 63,000 Avianca LifeMiles to book it – it was my favorite flight in years!
Bottom Line
No matter what month you want to fly, we've probably already found a flight deal to fuel your 2024 travels.
Thrifty Traveler Premium members have been looking and booking for their 2024 trips for months thanks to our flight deal alerts. If you're starting from scratch, use this month-by-month list to hone in on a cheap getaway for this year.