Get Out of Town for the Holidays

As a non-native Chicagoan (yes, I didn’t always call the Windy City home), I’m always surprised by the number of people who, like me, migrated here from elsewhere in the US. If you’re planning a trip “home” to visit family for the holidays, it’s not too late to find some travel deals from Chicago that will get you home in time for Christmas dinner, but won’t drain your holiday gift fund.

How to snag the best flights for the least amount of money? Rule number one is to start looking early. But, if you haven’t yet made your plans, you aren’t out of luck. You just have to be a bit more flexible. Consider flying in a few days early or heading back after the New Year. And don’t count out flights on Christmas and Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Many people don’t want to fly on these days so prices are lower.

And don’t forget about other forms of transportation, especially in the midwest. The idea of sitting on a bus or train for four hours may not be appealing, but consider that you’ll spend nearly that much time getting to the airport, hassling with airport parking at O’Hare, waiting in security, etc, and there may not be as big of a time difference than you think.

Photo by davipt