Travelers booking Thanksgiving and Christmas trips in the United States are facing airfares at ten-year highs, according to data from travel booking platform Hopper released on September 26, 2026.
The surge is tied to persistently high jet fuel costs and a shrinking pool of budget carriers, leaving consumers with fewer affordable options.
Domestic round-trip tickets for Thanksgiving average $402, a 31% jump from last year, while Christmas flights average $452, up 23%.
Hotel rates are climbing too. Thanksgiving stays average $170 per night, and Christmas hotel bookings rose 18% to $197 per night.
International Routes Show Mixed Price Moves
International travel over Christmas is 23% more expensive for Mexico and Central America and 15% higher for Europe, according to Hopper.
Fares to the Middle East, Asia, and Oceania remain near or slightly below 2025 levels.
Katy Nastro, aviation and travel correspondent at Flighty, described the season as a structural market shift rather than a temporary spike.
"Flyers are going to not just combat higher prices this year, but also the reality of fewer affordable options," Nastro said.
She pointed to the shutdown of low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines in May, which removed a competitor that had previously pushed market fares down by roughly 15% where it operated.
"Even with Spirit only serving a fraction of the domestic market, it still means there is one fewer budget airlines to put pressure on the larger carriers," Nastro said.
Nastro said departing from major hub cities offers more flight frequencies and rebooking alternatives when disruptions occur.
She also suggested comparing international options against costly domestic routes.
"If you're only taking one trip, it may be worth looking abroad," Nastro said.
"In some cases, a Thanksgiving flight to Paris at $595 could be more memorable than a rinse and repeat flight to Salt Lake City for $526," she said.
Hopper recommends booking before Halloween to secure lower fares.
Flight monitoring shows departing for Thanksgiving on Monday, November 23, averages $370, saving about $50 versus Wednesday departures.
Returning on Black Friday averages $420, compared with peak Sunday fares of $604.
