Everything seems to go on sale on Black Friday. And flights and travel are no different. Black Friday flight sales usually extend to Cyber Monday, and there are plenty of ways to take advantage of any travel-themed retail madness.
You could take the easy way out (we recommend it) and hunt for an exciting total package deal from a reputed international tour designer. This usually involves a general discount on any tour offered, which puts much of the stress of travel arrangements in an expert’s capable hands.
Or you could break out the coffee, and get ready to browse the sites and offers yourself. There may be particular places you want to go – take a look at some of our favourite suggestions for places to visit in 2024.
To stay on top of all things Black Friday as they are announced, it’s best to be signed up to the newsletters that companies are offering. That way, you will be among the first to know when the deals are announced – an advantage over the masses who wait for more traditional advertising.
Black Friday Flight Deals
Black Friday falls on 29th November in 2024. In general, you can expect anywhere between 10% and 30% discount on Black Friday airfare deals. Here’s the thing when hunting for amazing offers – don’t think of them as a way to get the flight or destination you want. It’s likely you won’t get it.
Rather, approach Black Friday as someone with a little money to spend and an open mind. That way, when the right price comes along, even if it’s not the exact destination you had in mind, you can snap up the flight. It’s more like a realisation that you’re going travelling, and the destination could be a complete surprise you’ve given yourself.
With that in mind, aggregators like Travelstart and BookCheapFlights.co.za in South Africa tend to offer particularly great deals on a number of regional and local flights. They also serve up international flights. As they deal with a number of airlines, it’s a good first step to check for the best Black Friday flight specials.
Internationally, services like Skyscanner are good to check. Use the “Everywhere” option in your search to get the best ideas for destinations. There’s also an option to set up a price alert.
Make a point to check the following sites for Black Friday flights deals:
- Travelstart
- BookCheapFlights
- Skyscanner.net
- Domesticflights-southafrica.co.za
- Flight Centre
Black Friday Airline Deals
Many individual airlines will also offer once-off deals over this time. And it may be worth subscribing to their customised newsletters as well. You may want to keep an eye on specific airlines if you’re a loyalty program customer, for example.
The best airlines to check for Black Friday deals (in no particular order):
- Emirates
- Turkish Airlines
- Cathay Pacific
- Delta (US)
- British Airways
- Singapore Air
- Virgin Atlantic
If at first you don’t succeed in scoring a great deal, don’t let it get you down. Many airlines extend specials all the way through the weekend if they are still available. So if you can’t get your first choices, take a break and come back later.
Remember, if you’re approaching this the right way, you’re considering any deal you score as a lovely personal gift. So anywhere can be a great destination, for the right price.
Black Friday Hotel Deals
Don’t limit yourself to looking for flight deals only. Travel involves a lot more than getting in the air. When you get to where you’re going, where will you stay – perhaps one of these winter resorts?
Hotels also offer some great deals over Black Friday, and you could do well to adopt the same approach to scouring their websites for offers. You might even be lucky enough to score a combo deal – flights and accommodation. Again, this works especially well if you’re open to options in the first place.
Even AirBnB has gotten in on the action, with coupons off accommodation and experiences offered in some cities. The coupons are a really flexible option to take advantage of – and best of all, the person offering the experience or accommodation still gets paid!
Check these accommodation specialists out for some great deals:
- Booking.com
- Safarinow
- Hotels.com
- Hostelworld.com
- AirBnB
Black Friday Travel Deals – The Extras
This is also a time to think slightly out of the box. Travelling is fun, but it will need extra things like clothes and accessories. Black Friday is the ideal time to hunt for jackets, gloves, luggage, sports watches, cameras, and all the things you’ll need.
Most online retailers will be more than happy to offer deals on all these items, and if you do decide to venture out into the real world (gasp!), you can usually walk away with something – though you may have to fight in the aisles for it!
The point is: Pre-plan your Black Friday travel strategy. When the day comes (or when a great special is announced) you don’t want to be caught feeling that you’ve missed out.
Conclusion
If you’re open to international deal-seeking, bear in mind that Black Friday often runs in conjunction with Thanksgiving deals in the US. Many great prices will extend the weekend as mentioned, and some may even last all the way to Christmas.
So while it’s great to have some idea of what you’re looking for, be flexible in what you decide to buy. Stick to a budget, and be prepared to book a holiday to a place you may not have expected, at a time you may not expect. With these broad options, you might just land the deal of a lifetime!
Last updated on October 13th, 2023 at 02:45 pm
