Here's why Travel Tuesday can be misleading
FILE - Various aircraft land during sunset at Washington Reagan National Airport in Washington, DC, on September 2, 2025. (Photo by Austin DeSisto/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Travel Tuesday — the post-Thanksgiving day that promises one-day deals on flights, hotels and cruises — has taken off in recent years.
But consumer advocates warn while there are legitimate savings to be had, there are also chances to be misled by marketing that conveys a false sense of urgency.
What consumers should know about Travel Tuesday
What they're saying:
"People see ‘40 percent off’ and assume it’s a once-in-a-lifetime steal, without recognizing that the underlying price may have been inflated or that the same itinerary was cheaper last month." Sally French, a travel expert at personal finance site NerdWallet, told The Associated Press.
What you can do:
French says consumers should do their research in advance and pay particular attention to the fine print: a lot of the deals have blackout dates, especially for Christmas and New Year’s.
Knowing what a specific trip would typically cost and comparison shopping can help expose offers based on inflated underlying costs and whether the same itinerary might have been cheaper at other times.
Other deals may have nonrefundable fares, resort fees, double occupancy requirements or upgrade conditions that may be hidden within advertised discounts, French said.
Shoppers should also be wary of travel packages with extra transportation options or add-on offers, French said. Instead of lowering fares or room rates, some companies use statement credits, extra points, included amenities and bundled extras as a way to tempt potential customers, she said.
"Many travel brands want to keep sticker prices high to maintain an aura of luxury, but they still need to fill planes, ships and hotel rooms," French said. "Add-on perks are their workaround."
"Compare prices, check your calendar and make sure the trip you’re booking is something you genuinely want, not something you bought because a countdown timer pressured you," French said. "What gets glossed over is that the best deal might be not booking anything at all if it doesn’t align with your plans."
Travel Tuesday
The backstory:
Travel Tuesday came about based on existing industry trends. In 2017, Hopper analyzed historical pricing data and found that in each of the nine previous years, the biggest day for post-Thanksgiving travel discounts was the day after Cyber Monday.
The site named the day Travel Tuesday. The number of offers within that time-targeted window and the number of travelers looking for them has since expanded.
"Nearly three times as many trips were planned on Travel Tuesday last year compared to Black Friday," Hopper’s Schwimer said. "We continue to see growth in the day, year over year, as more travel brands and categories offer deals."
A report by the consulting firm McKinsey & Company last year noted that November and December tend to be slow months for travel bookings, making Travel Tuesday a "marketing moment" that could help boost revenue.
The Source: This report includes information from The Associated Press.