Shoppers looking for gifts on Black Friday and this festive season should consider purchasing travel, according to a recent poll of over 1000 Americans. Around one third (29%) of the survey participants stated they'd like to receive an experience such as travel over material goods this year, and this rose to 38% of the 18–24-year-olds surveyed.

"Travel domestically and internationally is the most open it has been since March of 2020, with more straightforward rules for leaving the US and entering the top international destinations. It makes sense that we will see many Americans choosing to give the gift of time well spent this festive season and take to the skies as a treat to themselves or loved ones."

"The world is opening up to Americans after months of travel restrictions, and many are keen to take advantage of this. The last eighteen months has taught us the value of time spent making memories, and the value of experiences such as travel over things we might have thought important pre-pandemic."

Mark Crossey, US Traveler Expert at Skyscanner

Mark Crossey, US Travel Expert at Skyscanner gives his top tips for getting a good deal on travel this Black Friday (and every day):

1. Be flexible with dates: "Searching by multiple dates and airports will give you the best chance of a bargain. Setting up price alerts will ensure you're the first to know as prices drop with any additional discounts or added supply. You can mark a flight you're interested in and Skyscanner will email you whenever the price goes up or down.
2. Consider a new destination: "2020 saw new destinations rise in popularity as corridors shone a light on some surprising gems. Swapping your usual break for somewhere on a travel corridor could be an unexpected delight.   
3. Mix and match: varying the airlines you choose to fly with can seriously cut costs. Fares don't have to be booked as returns, look at flying out with one airline and back with another to save money. You can easily compare prices on Skyscanner's cheapest month tool.   
4. Widen your gaze: "Flight prices are all based on supply and demand. Because some dates are more popular than others, prices will vary. The 'whole month' search tool allows you to see cheap flights at a glance and pick the right deal for you. Consider traveling a day before or a day after your original departure dates, flying on less popular days of the week is always cheaper.   
5. Know your rights: "In the past being flexible with travel might have meant flying at anti-social times to get a good price. But now with a constantly changing travel landscape, it's important to know what the change policies are on flight tickets and accommodation. These policies are highlighted on Skyscanner searches, so booking travel can be changed easily, at the drop of a hat."

Skyscanner's advice pages give hints and tips on how to get the best deal for travel this holiday season, including Black Friday. Travelers looking to plan their next trip and make sense of the latest rules can use Skyscanner's interactive travel map, which uses straightforward visuals to show the current travel guidance at home and abroad, with different views depending on traveler vaccination status.

Skyscanner offers dedicated advice pages to support travelers during the COVID-19 pandemic, flexible booking policy filters for flights and hotels for last minute changes, and airline hygiene safety and hotel cleanliness ratings, to help travelers stay up to date with the latest details and to ensure they have peace of mind when it's time to travel and safe to do so. Skyscanner also allows travelers to set up price alerts so they're shown when there is a deal available on their chosen route.