Black Friday 2025

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From luxury glass-dome train rides through the Rockies to ultimate island hoping with your family, there is something for everyone being offered this Black Friday season!

It’s that time of year, so I am going to share with you, what I share with my clients….

Expectations

Although there might be “deals” you should focus on two things: your budget and your date flexibility.

Airlines, hotels, cruise lines and tour operators are going to be offering sales into 2026 and even for travel into 2027 but they won’t be applicable for all dates. There will still be blackout dates that will include long weekends and holiday periods.

Some tips for you all…

Hot destinations are always most expensive in March. I chalk it up due to the chill in the air at home and school being out for a week during reading week/march break/spring break. You will also find the summer months of July & August are most expensive for obvious reasons as well.

Winter in North America may keep November-March busy down south but would you know that late November/early to mid-December has some of the best pricing? There are a TON of deals that pop-up around early fall. This is due to that last Q4 push.

Another period of time you should be paying attention to is “Shoulder Season“. Have you heard of this?

It is the period between peak and off-peak travel, typically in late spring (April-May) and fall (September-October) in the Northern Hemisphere. The exact timing varies by destination, and it’s characterized by pleasant weather, fewer crowds, and lower prices compared to the peak season.

Typical shoulder seasons by region:

Europe and North America: Generally April-May for spring and September to October for fall.
Central America: Typically March-April and October.
South America: Roughly March to May and September to November.
Asia: Varies significantly by country; in places like Vietnam and Thailand, it can be April to June and September to October.
East Africa: April to mid-June and September to October.
Southern Africa: April to May and November to early December.

Benefits of traveling during shoulder season:

Fewer crowds: Popular attractions are less crowded, leading to a more relaxed experience.
Better prices: Fares and lodging costs are often lower than during peak season.
Good weather: The weather is often pleasant, without the extreme heat of summer or potential cold of winter.
More authentic experiences: You may have more opportunities for genuine interactions with locals.

Pricing & your Budget

You also won’t find the old “last minute” kind of prices we used to (the good old days). What I have observed during the Black Friday sale period are these travel companies jacking up their prices and then adding a “percentage off”. It ends up being the same price but now availability has reduced and you can’t get the room or cabin you wanted.

As your advisor, when you are working with me during these sales periods, I will ask for your budget (max amount that you don’t want to go over) and your dates. I will find what you are looking for (or advise you on the realities), deal or not.

Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Travel Tuesday? Should I wait?

You’ll notice there have been a ton of “pre-Black Friday” sales out there in the marketplace and my advice is that you should grab them ASAP! The Friday of ‘Black Friday’ or Monday of ‘Cyber Monday’ will just be days where they add increase the price (and maybe) increase the percentage ‘off’.

For example:

$5000 vacation that is 15% off is $4250.00
$5500 vacation that is 20% off is $4400.00

Now you might say that $150.00 is still considered savings but what you have to understand is that your not being able to book the type of room or cabin you wanted (connection, bunk, added services, accessibility, views, etc) may prove to be a bigger deal than the “deal” you were waiting for. The point should be to purchase what you want at the price you are happy with – before someone else buys it!

If you know what you want, reach out to me to see what’s available, what fits your budget and what’s possible for your next solo, group, family, getaway!

If you aren’t quite sure, take a peek on my facebook deals page where I post real deals I have found and not just “sales”.