Christmas in July? Absolutely, when it comes to booking winter holiday flights

Christmas is coming, and it really should be on your mind right now. What you spend on winter holiday airfares may well depend on when you make your reservations. Generally, booking early means better prices, but how early?

Cheapflights has compiled an online guide that can help. The flight-booking website looked at its 20 most popular destinations for Christmas travelers and the dates you should buy to get a good airfare deal.

Some examples:

--If you’re planning on going to Atlanta, Denver, Seattle or Mexico City around Christmastime, you need to buy your airline tickets no later than next week.

--If you’re heading to Washington, D.C., Houston or Guadalajara, Mexico, it’s best to buy airfares the week of July 30.

--You’ve got a little more time for some East Coast destinations. You should book airfares to Orlando, Fla., the week of Aug. 6; and New York City the week of Sept. 24.

The guide also suggests flying during off-peak times to find cheaper fares. Because Christmas falls on a Monday this year, most people will want to fly the Friday and Saturday before the holiday. Try for midweek dates and early morning/late night flights (which are less popular) to find better prices.

Info: Cheapflights “The Holidays Are Coming” guide

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