Three ways to save on December airfare

When can you find both incredible bargains and sky-high tickets? December.

It's the perfect combination of deal zone and danger zone. Fly early in the month and find bargains; fly during the holidays and see ticket costs triple (sometimes). These JetBlue examples perfectly illustrate the yin and yang of December airfare:

Round-trip tickets for Hartford, Conn., to Fort Lauderdale:

• Dec. 2-5: $223
• Dec. 23-28: $663

How to save money in December? Three ways:

1. Fly early in the month. Careful, you might still get a bit of sticker shock on Dec. 1 as the last Thanksgiving stragglers head for home, but otherwise deals will be available through Dec. 18 (the date can vary by airline). This deal zone, neatly sandwiched between Thanksgiving and Christmas/New Year's, can be the perfect time for a getaway.

2. Fly international. There are outstanding savings on out-of-season flights to Europe on international low-cost carriers, including these December deals:

• Norwegian Air: Oakland-Stockholm from $159
• Wow Air: Baltimore-Dublin from $199

3. Fly the cheapest dates during the holidays. Some days are better than others. Warning: You may find some dates do not apply to your particular route, which is why it's so important to compare fares before booking. Dates are listed in order from cheapest to most expensive.

Christmas departures

• Friday, Dec. 25 (Christmas Day)
• Tuesday, Dec. 22
• Wednesday, Dec. 23
• Thursday, Dec. 24

Christmas returns

• Tuesday, Dec. 29
• Wednesday, Dec. 30
• Saturday, Dec. 26
• Monday, Dec. 28
• Sunday, Dec. 27

New Year’s returns

• Friday, Jan. 1 (New Year’s Day)
• Monday, Jan. 4
• Tuesday, Jan. 5
• Saturday, Jan. 2
• Sunday, Jan. 3

FareCompare CEO Rick Seaney is an airline industry insider and top media air travel resource. Follow Rick (@rickseaney) and never overpay for airfare again.