These Last-Minute Holiday Flight Deals Include A $264 Round Trip To New York

Traveling during the holiday season is difficult enough with the high prices and packed airports. However, if you've been holding out for an airline ticket, all is not lost. These last-minute Christmas flight deals mean you can still plan a holiday trip without blowing your entire holiday budget on flights.

With less than a week left until Christmas, travel deal site Airfarewatchdog recommends last-minute travelers book the cheapest flight they find as soon as they see it. Airfarewatchdog editor, Tracy Stewart, says basic economy seats are the way to go, due to main economy seats usually costing substantially more during the holiday rush. Since last-minute holiday bookings mean slim pickings when it comes to seat choice, Stewart reminds you that letting an airline choose your seat for you at this point will not make much of a difference. An open seat is an open seat.

These last-minute flights for the holidays depart on Tuesday, Dec. 24, or Wednesday, Dec. 25, and return on New Year's Day, Jan. 1, 2020. Although these are basic economy flights, they all include a carry-on and a personal item. All prices are accurate as of publication and are likely to go up as the holiday nears.

If you're leaving from California to Hawaii, this flight from Los Angeles to Maui has a round-trip price of $398 on Alaska Airlines. For holiday travelers looking to head to the West Coast, Airfarewatchdog found seats on a round-trip flight from Chicago to San Diego for as low as $383 on American Airlines for a main cabin seat — and if you select basic economy, you may get an even cheaper fare.

A trip from Houston and to Miami will run you about $292 for a round trip with this flight on American Airlines. Arizona residents can score an American Airlines flight to New York City (landing at Newark Airport in New Jersey) for a $264 round-trip cost.

A quick hop over from Atlanta to New Orleans will run you $391 for a round trip on Delta Airlines if you leave on Christmas Day and return on New Year's Day. And finally, those who are leaving Dallas for a trip to San Francisco can get a round-trip fare for $313 on American Airlines.

Although flight prices are not as low as they were earlier in the season, you can still book a flight to your destination without spending too much. Since this is the holiday season and seats may go quickly, you'll want to book your spot ASAP.