Holiday breaks
Where to go over the Christmas break from the US
For many Americans the year-end break is a patchwork: Christmas Day and New Year's Day are federal holidays, and the days between come from your own leave. That usually means a 5–9 day window, so long-haul trips work best when the flight time is worth the days.
The example this page uses
- From
- New York
- Travelling as
- Couple · 2 people
- Trip length
- 7 days
- Month
- December
- Total budget
- USD 6,000
- Currency
- USD
The trip tool works by month, not exact holiday dates. Results are modelled estimates, not live fares. Change any value after opening it.
Official dates and scope
| Christmas Day: Fri 25 Dec 2026 | Federal employee holidays only; not a universal paid break. |
| New Year's Day: Fri 1 Jan 2027 | Federal employee holidays only; not a universal paid break. |
Destinations that fit this example
Example: from New York, 7 days, total budget USD 6,000, December. Edit any of it in the trip tool.
- MexicoMexicoEstimated whole trip2,770–4,340 USDWithin budget · Great in DecemberAffordable on your budget and one of the closest matches to the trip you described. It covers culture and cities.
- ColombiaColombiaEstimated whole trip2,590–4,810 USDWithin budget · Great in DecemberOne of the strongest realistic options within your current budget and trip requirements. It covers cities and culture.
- Honduras — Copan RuinasHondurasEstimated whole trip3,220–5,050 USDWithin budget · Great in DecemberOne of the strongest realistic options within your current budget and trip requirements. It covers culture.
- Trinidad and Tobago — Port of Spain food and historyTrinidad and TobagoEstimated whole trip3,040–4,760 USDWithin budget · Fine in DecemberOne of the strongest realistic options within your current budget and trip requirements. It covers cities.
- MoroccoMoroccoEstimated whole trip2,790–4,350 USDWithin budget · Fine in DecemberOne of the strongest realistic options within your current budget and trip requirements. It covers culture and cities.
- HungaryHungaryEstimated whole trip3,140–4,910 USDWithin budget · Off-season in DecemberOne of the strongest realistic options within your current budget and trip requirements. It covers cities and culture.
What to weigh
- Europe in late December is cold and short on daylight but strong for cities, markets and food.
- Holiday-week airfares from the US are usually at their seasonal high; flexible dates help more than flexible destinations.
- With 7 days, one city plus one day trip beats a multi-country loop.
Questions
- Is the whole week a public holiday?
- No. Only 25 December and 1 January are federal holidays; other days depend on your employer or school.
- Are these live prices?
- No. They are modelled whole-trip estimates for the example inputs shown. Change the departure city, days, budget or party to recalculate.
Sources
- U.S. OPM — Federal holidays — Federal employee holidays only; not a universal paid break.
Checked 2026-10-11. Always confirm with your own school, employer or authority.
Related breaks
Photo credits
- Daniel Schwen · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Martin St-Amant (S23678) · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Badr Rachadi · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Kilyann Le Hen · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Costs are modelled estimates for the example inputs, not live holiday fares or exact-date availability. Calendar facts quote official sources for the scope stated; travel tips are editorial planning suggestions.