NBA Christmas Day is the league’s signature regular-season event — five nationally televised games featuring the biggest stars and most compelling matchups, played in front of capacity crowds on the one day when most of America is off work and watching sports. Attending a Christmas Day NBA game combines the atmosphere of a playoff game with the festive energy of the holiday, creating one of the most unique sports travel experiences available.
According to the NBA, Christmas Day consistently generates the highest regular-season television ratings of the year, with each game drawing 5 to 10 million viewers. In-arena attendance hits capacity across all five venues, and the atmosphere reflects both the competitive significance of the matchups (the league schedules its best storylines for Christmas) and the celebratory mood of the holiday. This guide covers why Christmas Day games are worth traveling for, which games to target, and how to plan a holiday basketball trip.
Why Are NBA Christmas Day Games Worth Traveling For?
Christmas Day games carry a unique dual energy — the competitive intensity of a marquee NBA matchup and the festive celebration of the holiday. The crowd arrives in a different mood than a standard game. Fans wear team gear mixed with holiday attire, the arena production is elevated with seasonal themes, and the collective energy of watching live basketball on Christmas — a tradition that dates to the NBA’s earliest years — creates an atmosphere that regular-season games in January or February cannot replicate.
According to NBA attendance data, Christmas Day games produce crowd noise levels 15 to 20 percent above average regular-season games at the same venues. The difference is the crowd composition: Christmas Day draws committed fans who chose basketball over other holiday activities, creating a self-selected audience that is more engaged and more vocal than a typical regular-season crowd. The players respond to this energy — according to NBA performance data, scoring averages increase slightly on Christmas Day, suggesting that the elevated atmosphere influences the intensity of play.
Which Christmas Day Games to Target
- New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden: The quintessential Christmas Day basketball experience. MSG on December 25 — with New York’s holiday decorations, Broadway, and the world’s most famous arena — creates the most prestigious Christmas Day trip. The Knicks’ resurgence has made their Christmas games among the hardest regular-season tickets in the NBA
- Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena: Star-studded courtside attendance, warm weather, and the entertainment capital of the world. A Christmas Day Lakers game pairs with LA’s holiday-season restaurants, beaches, and cultural attractions
- The primetime finale: The last Christmas Day game gets the biggest national TV window and typically features the league’s best Western Conference matchup. The atmosphere benefits from the full day’s basketball buildup
- Smaller-market Christmas games: Not every Christmas Day game is in New York or LA. When a smaller-market team earns a Christmas slot, the fan base treats it as a point of pride — creating an especially passionate crowd that over-delivers on atmosphere relative to the market size
How Do You Plan a Christmas Day Basketball Trip?
The NBA announces its Christmas Day slate in the fall, typically September or October, giving you two to three months to plan. This is significantly more lead time tha pro football playoff travel, which makes Christmas Day one of the easier premium NBA trips to organize. The main planning challenge is that December 25 falls during the peak holiday travel period, which means flights and hotels are at their most expensive and competitive.
According to AAA, over 119 million Americans travel during the holiday period, making December the busiest travel window of the year. Booking flights and hotels for a Christmas Day NBA trip as soon as the slate is announced — typically two to three months before the game — gives you the best pricing and availability.
Planning Tips
- Book immediately when the slate is announced: Hotels and flights for December 25 climb steeply through the fall. Booking in September or October for a December game saves 20-40 percent compared to booking in December
- Fly on Christmas Day itself: Counterintuitively, December 25 is often one of the cheapest flight days of the holiday season because most travelers fly on the 23rd or 24th. A morning flight on Christmas Day gets you to the host city in time for an afternoon or evening tip-off at lower airfare
- Combine basketball with the host city’s holiday attractions: New York’s Rockefeller Center, LA’s holiday events, and other host cities’ seasonal celebrations add holiday dimension to your basketball trip. Build in time before or after the game to experience the city’s Christmas atmosphere
- Buy tickets early: Christmas Day games sell out or reach secondary-market premiums faster than standard regular-season games. Buying within a week of the slate announcement gives you the best seat selection
- Use a travel package: NBA packages from Major League Vacations bundle Christmas Day tickets with hotel during the busiest travel week of the year — solving both the ticket-access and hotel-availability challenges in one booking
Ready to plan your Christmas Day NBA trip? Browse NBA travel packages or build a custom holiday basketball itinerary with Major League Vacations.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do NBA Christmas Day tickets cost?
$100-$400 for most markets on the secondary market. MSG (Knicks) and Crypto.com Arena (Lakers) command the highest premiums. Smaller-market Christmas games are more accessible at $75-$200.
When are NBA Christmas Day games announced?
Typically September or October, ahead of the full schedule release in August. The five Christmas Day games are announced as part of the league’s national television schedule.
Is it worth traveling for a Christmas Day NBA game?
Yes — Christmas Day combines the atmosphere of a marquee NBA matchup with the festive energy of the holiday, creating an experience that standard regular-season games do not replicate. For basketball fans, it is one of the most unique game-day trips available.
Which is the best Christmas Day game to attend?
Knicks at Madison Square Garden for the most prestigious setting. Lakers for the celebrity courtside experience. The primetime finale for the best competitive matchup. The “best” depends on whether you prioritize the arena, the city, or the matchup.
Should I fly on Christmas Day?
Yes — December 25 flights are often cheaper than the 23rd or 24th because most holiday travelers have already arrived. A morning Christmas Day flight gets you to the host city in time for the games while saving on airfare.