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How to Use Thanksgiving to Improve Your Summer Vacation
Photo: Shutterstock If you’re gathering with family this Thanksgiving, we’ve got a suggestion: If they’re the same family or friends you travel with for summer vacation, then while you’re passing the turkey and cranberry sauce, go around the table, ask everyone what their favorite travel experiences have been, and brainstorm where you want to go next. It’s a safe conversation topic, it’s a reminder of things you are thankful for, and if you can figure out early where you want to go next, it can even save you money.
That’s because you can take advantage of December’s availability of summer airfares and mileage-award seats. (Don’t forget that new nonstop flights announced for 2026 will open entirely new locations to U.S. cities with faster, easier flights.) And you can reach out to the right local trip-planning specialist before the January onslaught of travelers making summer plans.
Family summer-vacation options with limited inventory—villas on Italy’s Amalfi Coast, African safaris, Galápagos expeditions—tend to book up months ahead. By starting in December, you can lock in the best experiences, the most charming small hotels and resorts, the most well-connected private guides, the hottest tables, and hard-to-get-into activities. And you can avoid the time-consuming struggle a few months from now to pull together a logistically sensible trip. Wait till April or May, and you’ll likely have to pay more and get less.
So use your Thanksgiving get-together to create a travel wish list for 2026. These WOW trip reviews will give you ideas and help you brainstorm. Then go to our Get a Personalized Trip Recommendation feature to make those wishes come true. By planning your trips the WOW way, you can avoid tourist crowds, minimize annoying logistics, and maximize your fun.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
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This is a really smart trip planning strategy. Plan early, be flexible, save money, time, and stress.