Air travel at the end of the year centers around the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, but some of the best deals occur during the so-called “dead zone.”
That’s the time between the two holidays when fewer people are on the move. For the budget conscious and with less travel demand overall, it makes early December into a great time to break from the crowd and take to the skies.
FareFlight used Google Flights to identify more than 30 U.S. cities that can be reached from Northwest Arkansas National Airport for a weekend trip in the first 20 days of December at a cost of $250 or less roundtrip.
FareFlight’s proposed “dead zone” trips are these:
Arizona ($123): A traveler can never go wrong with the Arizona desert in December, and this Allegiant Air trip occurs Dec. 12-15. Allegiant flights go to Mesa Gateway Airport, not Phoenix Sky Harbor.
Heart of Texas ($229): Both American Airlines and Delta Air Lines can get you to the Texas capital city for that price on Dec. 11-14. If you harken for the Riverwalk, Delta on those same days will take you to nearby San Antonio for $229.
New Orleans ($188): Breeze Airways has the best price (Dec. 18-21). If you prefer Delta and are willing to deal with the one-hour layover in Atlanta, Delta can get you to New Orleans for $188 on Dec. 4-7.
Minot, N.D. ($248): Go for the cheap Delta fare (Dec. 13-16), but stay because you’ve been flash-frozen to the sidewalk. The average high temperature in December is a balmy 20 degrees. How tough are you?
Chicago ($209): That price can be had for trips that are Dec. 11-14 or Dec. 12-15 on American Airlines, and it’s the nonstop. American is selling Chicago trips on other days in December for $229 and $249. Take the train to your hotel in the Loop. No need to rent a car in the Windy City.
Fort Lauderdale ($173): It’s Allegiant Air on Dec. 4-7, and a nonstop. Any other airline wants way more for this trip. Moreover, Florida pretty much always works, and December temperatures often top out in the mid- to high 70s.
Charleston ($249): Delta and American can get you from XNA to Charleston Dec. 12-15. The James Island Holiday Festival of Lights, which occurs every day from mid-November to the end of December, is a big deal.
