Students who have not yet bought airline tickets for the holidays may be too late to get good fares. Christy Buchanan, a travel agent from Regency Travel, said that because most availability for Thanksgiving and Christmas is gone, the remaining fares will be higher. “You are going to be looking at paying first-class prices,” she said.For example, the roundtrip fare between Columbus and LaGuardia Airport in New York could be $258 if the traveler leaves a few days before Christmas and returns on Jan. 5. It would be $300 to leave on Thanksgiving and return on Nov. 30, Buchanan said.Although cheaper rates are not available to many major cities, students should always do some research, said Sandy Desai, a travel consultant from Omega Student Travel.To get the lowest fare for the holidays, tickets should have been bought at least three months in advance, Desai said. “Some people booked their tickets for Christmas as early as the summer, especially for international flights,” she said.Some students, especially those from New York and Los Angeles, complained about increased fares this year, Desai said.Although people are paying more for tickets, “sometimes you cannot find seats even at that high price,” Desai said. Airlines report that ticket sales continue to be strong, so there is no incentive to lower prices, she added.Smart students are planning for spring break right now, Buchanan said. She also said that because air fares are always subject to change, travel agencies can only place a ticket on hold for twenty-four hours.