Black Friday vs. Travel Tuesday: When American Travelers Can Find the Best Deals

Travel Tuesday gets all the hype, but it is not always the cheapest day to book. Last year Cyber Monday actually won for the lowest prices overall, while Travel Tuesday delivered the biggest drops on specific routes. Here is how to play all three sale days this year.

Black Friday vs. Cyber Monday vs. Travel Tuesday

Here is what Skyscanner saw during last year’s sales window. Prices change every year, so treat these as inspiration, not guaranteed prices.

• Black Friday week: The biggest surge in searches. Interest in Cabo San Lucas jumped 444% over the week.
• Cyber Monday: The cheapest day to book overall.
• Travel Tuesday: Searches for Cabo San Lucas spiked 730%, and several routes saw their biggest price drops of the season.

The takeaway: there is no single magic day. The travelers who save the most watch prices on all three days and book the moment their route drops.

Where Prices Dropped the Most Last Year

Biggest Drops Overall

• Casablanca: down 30%
• Lisbon: down 28%
• Sydney: down 21%
• Seoul: down 17%
• Honolulu: down 16%

Biggest Travel Tuesday Drops

• Fort Lauderdale: down 28%
• Seoul: down 24%
• Honolulu, San Juan, Bangkok and Madrid: down 15%

Best Domestic Deals

Fort Lauderdale, Honolulu, San Juan, Chicago and Seattle all showed strong deals for U.S. travelers.

The Most Searched Destinations

Abroad, travelers were hunting for Cabo San Lucas, Florence, Edinburgh and Tokyo.

Closer to home, Key West, Lihue on Kauai and Aspen topped the list. If one of these is on your wish list, start watching it now.

What Is Skyscanner Drops?

Skyscanner Drops is a feature in the Skyscanner app that highlights flights whose prices have fallen sharply. Skyscanner scans millions of flights every few hours and flags the routes that just dropped, so you do not have to refresh a search all day. Through December 1, Drops is spotlighting flight price drops of 40% or more.

How to Score the Best Deal This Sale Season

• Track prices early. Set price alerts on Skyscanner now so you know what a good fare looks like before the sales start.
• Check every sale day. Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Travel Tuesday each had different winners last year.
• Stay flexible on dates. Shifting your trip by a day or two can unlock a much lower fare.
• Check nearby airports. Fort Lauderdale vs. Miami or Oakland vs. San Francisco can make a big difference.
• Book when it drops. The best deals do not wait around.