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In most parts of the country, beach season is slowly winding down. But the travel industry is already hearing holiday jingle bells. “As a general rule, we always suggest booking travel at

least six months in advance to avoid any disappointments due to lack of space or high prices,” says Mary Jean Tully, CEO of Tully Luxury Travel, an agency based near Toronto. “For travel

during the holiday season, we suggest booking even farther in advance — 10 months or more — especially if you’re considering popular destinations such as the Caribbean or if traveling with

a larger group, like an extended family.” In the prepandemic past, spontaneous travelers could wait until close to departure and bank on last-minute sales. But that’s probably not the case

this year. “No longer can you wait for the last minute and expect there to be bargains during festive season,” says Susan Zurbin-Hothersall, a Travel Edge adviser based in New York City.

“The lower-priced hotel rooms usually sell out first.” Of note, 7 percent of travelers 50-plus planned to travel domestically for the holidays, while 4 percent planned international travel

for the season, according to a recent AARP travel survey.​ Here’s more about what you need to know about planning travel over Thanksgiving and December’s holidays. 1. START TRACKING FLIGHT

PRICES According to the travel booking app Hopper, airfare for Christmas travel this year is similar to fares at this time last year, which is above prepandemic prices. The good news: Fares

are likely to come down in the fall. Prices are now averaging about $410 per domestic round-trip ticket but are expected to drop to as low as $320 per ticket, in line with last year’s price

trends. The best time to book Christmas flights will be in October, when prices are expected to be at their lowest. The key is to be on top of tickets before they bottom out. Hopper and

search engines such as Kayak and Expedia offer a feature that tracks flight prices — just input your itinerary and you will be alerted about price fluctuations with advice to buy or to wait.

“The human side of this is that it takes time to make holiday plans,” says Hayley Berg, lead economist at Hopper. “If you start the planning process now, it gives you a little time to

figure out where you’re going and to monitor prices.” Being flexible about your destination can also lead to a good deal around the holidays. Berg says if you’re looking for a warm-weather

destination such as Cancun, Punta Cana or Los Cabos, put a notification on each one and book right away when there’s a lower price. “If you can follow the deal instead of the destination,

you can typically save a tremendous amount,” she says. It’s also a good idea to look at regional airports when flying. “Regional airports are prime for low-cost carriers as they can afford

the rent to enter the market from an adjacent city,” Berg says.