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3 On Your Side: Holiday Travel Advice

By Jim Donovan

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Are you all set to enjoy the long holiday weekend?

Well, have you given any thought to the remaining holidays this year?

Labor Day wraps up summer.

But before you know it Thanksgiving and Christmas will be right around the corner.  And if you plan to travel, 3 On Your Side consumer reporter Jim Donovan joins us with some advice.

Those holidays are still months away, but if you're planning to fly, now may be the time to book your tickets.

It's a question almost every air traveler thinks about, when is the best time to book holiday tickets?

A new survey by travel search site, Skyscanner found that you can find cheap flights if you purchase them at the right time.

For instance the survey found travelers looking to fly for Thanksgiving are better off booking the week of September 14th.  Procrastinators may be able to find late deals the week of November 9th.

And people looking to fly for Christmas are better off booking this week or the week of September 28th.

There are a lot of benefits to booking early.

"If you don't want the middle seat. If you don't want the 5am departure, or the red eye flight, it's better to book early," said George Hobica, founder of Airfarewatchdog.com

Frequent flier Roger Seaman says he always books his winter flights in the summer.

"It's cheaper, and flights are available, and the prices go up as you get closer to the holidays," said Seaman.

Hobica says that the best way to lock in a cheap fare on the flight you want is to sign up for fare alerts and do your research.

"Airfares are like the stock market. They go up and down, up and down, up and down all day long.  Keep checking several times a day and do it over a fairly long period, over two or three weeks," said Hobica.

Having flexible travel dates and opting for connecting flights will also increase your success in finding cheaper fares.

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