What Is Travel Tuesday? What You Need to Know to Snag the Best ...

There's Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Small Business Saturday—and now, Travel Tuesday: an entire day devoted to the best travel bargains on the market. But how did we get here, and what is Travel Tuesday, exactly?

Let's back up a bit first. The term Black Friday, used to refer to the start of the busy post-Thanksgiving, pre-Christmas shopping rush, was coined in the US in the 1950s and 1960s. This once meant waiting in long lines outside stores like Walmart and Best Buy in the early morning hours, clambering over one another to snag electronics, beauty items, and other unaffordable gifts at a steal. Then, the concept took on an entirely new meaning in the 2010s with the ability to shop online.

Black Friday originally just referred to the Friday after Thanksgiving, but heavily discounted items now pop up on our screens well ahead of the actual day. This extension of the festive sales period has coined new terms. First came Cyber Monday, a digital-only event offering steep discounts across the largest online shopping platforms. Then, in 2010, American Express launched a marketing campaign to create Small Business Saturday, encouraging shoppers to #shopsmall in their local communities. And now, Travel Tuesday has officially become mainstream in the US, as well as in other countries like the UK.

This article was last updated at 6:15 a.m. EST.

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Travel Tuesday can help make those one-in-a-lifetime trips slightly more affordable.

What is Travel Tuesday?

Travel Tuesday occurs on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, during which flights, hotels, cruises, tours, and more see discounted prices for a limited time. The creation of Travel Tuesday is accredited to Hopper, a travel platform used by millions globally. While special travel deals were offered following Thanksgiving well before the term was officially coined in 2017, it’s now a crucial part of the extended Black Friday weekend for those in the market for flights and hotel stays rather than electronics and gifts.

Travel Tuesday could be considered commercialism’s latest lovechild, but the new holiday booking spree is also representative of consumers' desires to spend money on experiences instead of physical belongings. An increasing number of us value experiences over materialism, seeking out new destinations instead of the latest hair dryer in a reverse of the Keeping up with the Joneses mentality.

“Studies continue to show that people are more interested in spending on experiences over things,” says Melanie Fish, vice president of global communications at Expedia Group. “That’s true in everyday life and certainly around the holidays.”

When is Travel Tuesday?

Travel Tuesday always falls on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving in the US, which is the fourth Thursday of November. This year, Travel Tuesday falls on December 3, 2024.

What are the best deals?

As with the best retail deals, it depends on what you're looking for. Expedia is offering 30% off stays at select hotels (just be sure to book by December 4); at Booking.com, deals are as high as 50% off. On the cruise front, lines like Celebrity, MSC, Oceania, and HX are running offers, some of which extend into the first week or two of December, giving you a bit more time to finalize your plans. If you're looking to book a tour, EF Go Ahead Tours is offering up to $800 off select packages for 2025 and 2026 trips.

Browse our list of the top Travel Tuesday sales to see even more deals on hotels, flights, cruises, packages, and tours.

The trips editors are booking on Travel Tuesday

Jamie Spain, travel bookings editor

“I've been looking forward to a trip to Iceland for a few years, and since this year is the best for spotting the northern lights, I'm planning on heading there during the winter months to see it in its full glory. Luckily, PLAY is offering up to 30% off flights to Iceland from New York, so I can save on airfare. Once there, I'm eyeing a few great properties with excellent Travel Tuesday deals, like Hotel Borg (one of our top hotels in Reykjavik and a 2022 Readers' Choice Award winner).”

Emily Adler, associate social media manager

“I'm eyeing a 2025 trip to Anguilla. Booking.com and Expedia are both having really great deals on hotels, so I'm trying to book ahead for spring, ideally at the Four Seasons or Aurora.”

Kayla Brock, associate social media manager

“2025 is a big year for me—it's the year I turn 30! For the past few months, I've been trying to decide where I want to kick off the milestone birthday. I love tropical destinations and am craving some sun; I recently saw Fiji Airways was having a sale leaving out of Los Angeles (only a two-hour flight from my home). There are a ton of packages that include flights and a hotel, and even offer resort credits and free breakfast.”

Sarah Bannerman, UK commerce editor

“Even though the festive season is barely upon us, I’ve started thinking about where I want to go in January, and my first stop will be Paris, so I’ve found one of our top recommended city stays in the seasonal sales. Le Grand Mazarin is beautifully designed, so if the weather tells us to cozy up, we can do so in style. The following month I’m headed for some winter sun, and Huvafen Fushi in the Maldives is high on my list of places to stay–it looks idyllic and a true ‘once in a lifetime’ destination. Lastly, I’ll book somewhere more local for a long weekend in the English countryside. The Cotswolds and Cornwall are usually my go-to spots, and you can’t go wrong with a night or two at the picture-perfect Alice-in-Wonderland-inspired Cowley Manor.”

Amber Port, UK senior audience development manager

“I’ll be heading to Japan in 2025, and I’ve got a long list of destinations I want to visit within the island nation. I plan to visit Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and some villages along the way. This is the trip of my lifetime, so I’ve been saving for many moons now. I hope to spend my time in Tokyo at the MUJI Hotel in Ginza for a minimalist yet cozy stay. We plan to splurge a bit in Kyoto at Maana Homes in Kyoto—I’m only slightly obsessed with this hotel’s design and craftsmanship. I’m also lucky enough to be traveling to Cape Town in March to visit my family. Of course, I’ll stay with my parents for most of the trip, but I also have a question: why not treat myself? I’ll be doing a weekend at the One&Only in Cape Town and the armed Sterrekopje Farm for a few nights. To say I’m excited is an understatement.”

Charley Ward, commerce writer

“I haven’t actually got any holidays planned for 2025 yet—so that’s something that needs to change swiftly. I’d love to tick off some more of Italy I’ve not explored yet; the gorgeous 18th-century farmhouse Masseria Susafa in Sicily has been on my radar for a while, as has Florence’s ultra-chic Il Tornabuoni. Long-haul wise, the Philippines has been on my bucket list for years, and I’d love to stay at an Aman at least once—so a stay at the paradisiacal Amanpulo, tucked away in the picturesque Cuyo Archipelago, would be divine. Closer to home, a trip to Scotland is in the works. As a former homes editor, I’m always on the lookout for eclectic places to stay, and the interiors at recently revamped Glenmorangie House are really fun.”

A version of this story was originally published on Condé Nast Traveller UK.

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