Let me get straight to the point. When it comes to Thanksgiving plane tickets, the day you depart and the day you return matter much more than when you buy the tickets.

This year, Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, November 26. Last week, while trying to coordinate family schedules, I noticed that changing one date for a flight departing from PHL significantly lowered the price.

So this time, I did some thorough research. By comparing several analyses of this year's flight tickets, the trend became quite clear. Almost all data points to the same day pattern.

Overall, flights are more expensive this year. According to data released by travel app Hopper at the end of September, the average round-trip domestic fare for Thanksgiving is $402.

That's a 31% increase from last year. I was quite surprised to see that. Hopper cited prolonged high fuel prices, particularly jet fuel costs, as the main reason.

Forecasts from the flight alert service Going show a similar trend. They noted that domestic fares for Thanksgiving have risen by 15% compared to last year.

The extent of the increase varies by agency. It's natural for numbers to differ due to different aggregation methods and time periods. However, they all agree that this year is not a good year for cheap travel.

So when is the best time to depart? Going identified Monday, November 23, as the cheapest departure day.

Conversely, the Wednesday before the holiday is a peak travel day. Everyone tends to take a day off and travel that day, which is expected. The airport security lines are also longest that day.

If departing on Monday is difficult, Sunday or Tuesday is still better than Wednesday. The key is to avoid Wednesday.

There's an unexpected option: Thanksgiving Day itself, Thursday. Both Hopper and Kayak consider it a relatively cheap and less crowded day for flights.

If you leave early in the morning, you can arrive before lunch, which is definitely doable. Turkey tastes great even if you eat it late.

The real difference comes on the return trip. The Sunday after Thanksgiving, which this year is November 29, is the worst day to return.

According to Hopper, fares for return flights on that Sunday exceed $600. That's well above the overall average.

However, if you can push your return to Monday or Tuesday, the prices drop significantly, according to Hopper. For those who can work remotely, this is the easiest way to save money.

If that's not possible, returning on Black Friday is also an option. Hopper grouped Black Friday and Cyber Monday as days with off-peak characteristics.

Returning on Friday and relaxing at home over the weekend isn't a bad idea either, especially while making sandwiches with leftover turkey.

The day pattern was almost identical in last year's data. Expedia also identified the Monday before the holiday as the cheapest departure day last year and advised avoiding Wednesday and Friday.

Google Flights analysis supports the same conclusion. Departing between Monday and Wednesday was 13% cheaper on average than weekend departures.

Choosing connecting flights instead of direct ones could save you about 22%. Whether the hassle of one layover is worth the savings is up to each individual.

Let's also touch on booking timing. Google Flights analyzed that last year's Thanksgiving tickets were cheapest about 35 days before departure.

Applying that to this year's dates means around late October. This is exactly the timeframe we're in now. Of course, there's no guarantee that last year's pattern will repeat this year, so if you see a good price, it's better not to wait too long.

Hopper also recommended finishing reservations before Halloween, predicting that prices would rise further.

It's also wise not to stick to just one airport. Don't just look at PHL; consider Trenton, Allentown, and Newark as well. Low-cost airlines can offer surprisingly good prices depending on the route.

Driving an extra hour can be a hassle. You have to consider parking fees and gas costs. However, when multiple family members are traveling, the difference in ticket prices often outweighs those costs.

When searching, don't lock in specific dates; use flexible date views or price calendars. Just looking three days before and after can reveal significant differences by day.

Also, set up price alerts. If you save your routes on Google Flights or the Hopper app, you'll be notified when prices change. It's better for your mental health than refreshing the page every day.

However, keep in mind that these numbers are national averages. Results can vary by route and airline, so it's best to check your specific route directly. Adding baggage fees can also change the rankings.

This is my plan: I'll depart on Monday and return the following Tuesday. I'm passing on the Sunday return line this year.

The holiday spirit doesn't diminish just because you change the day. It just means your wallet will feel a little lighter.