Time to decide whether you want to see your parents for Thanksgiving or Christmas. I vote for Thanksgiving.
Since it's obvious what camp what I fall into, this should serve as a reminder to all the procrastinators out there that you've got to beat everyone to the punch before it's time to sacrifice an arm to get home. I also bring it up today because United award tickets get majorly devalued tomorrow.
Thanksgiving falls on November 24, so common sense is going to dictate the period from Wednesday, November 23 to Sunday, November 27 are going to be the worst days to travel. But since no one likes to travel on Turkey Day, consider that day if you don't care so much since there are usually good savings then.
Hell, it may even be a good time to fly business. That's because the airlines start discounting premium seats drastically during this period because everyone is more focused on going home. Based on past years when sales have started, it is safe to assume that airlines have already started slashing prices as early as August, but it still might be worth checking out, especially if your wallet is starting to get a little desperate.