When is the most cost effective time to travel to Paris or Rome (or both) around the Christmas holiday? Are there any fare or hotel deals to be found then and when might things be on sale?
Our experience is that time of years tends to have a min peak. The local are traveling to visit friends on relations so it is a busy travel time for everyone. You need to go during the first half of Dec, late Nov if looking for deals. Two years we spent Christmas in Germany arriving on the 22nd and departing Jan 6. The air fare were higher for that period than earlier.
My sisters familygot a deal once flying on Christmas Day.
Of course, you can get deals in the US flying on Christmas Day, New Years but who wants to?
"Who wants to fly on Christmas Day?" asks Frank. Well, anyone who does not celebrate Christmas for starters.
What do you mean by "Christmas holiday"? The week between Christmas and New Year's? Or the month or so that college students get off? If the former, it's as Frank writes, hotel occupancy rates go up, so the owners have no incentive to offer any deals. If the latter, try 1-2 weeks before Christmas, or the week after New Year's.