US holiday airfares hit a 10-year high, averaging $402 for Thanksgiving

Holiday airfares in the United States have reached their highest level in 10 years this year, putting added pressure on Americans planning Thanksgiving and Christmas trips. But a travel expert says there are still ways to save.

Travel-booking company Hopper has published its 2026 Holiday Travel Index, showing sharp increases in airfare prices compared to last year.

The report analysed a week's worth of flight searches in September, focusing on lower-priced tickets and accounting for the change in Thanksgiving's date when comparing prices with last year.

The data shows domestic round-trip airfare for Thanksgiving is averaging $402, up 31 percent, or $95, from last year.

For Christmas, domestic round-trip airfare is averaging $452, up 23 percent, or $85, from last year. Flights to Mexico and Central America have increased 23 percent, while fares to Europe are up 15 percent.

Overall, airfares are up more than 25 percent year over year, as airlines trim seats amid higher fuel costs and strong demand.

Hopper attributed the rising prices to elevated jet fuel costs. Months of elevated jet fuel costs due to the conflict in Iran have contributed to Thanksgiving and Christmas airfares reaching 10-year highs, the report said.

The report said travellers looking ahead to Thanksgiving and Christmas travel will need to plan for a larger travel budget this year, as 2026 holiday travel is on track to be the most expensive in a decade.

Gary Leff, a Texas-based aviation expert who founded the blog 'View from the Wing,' said the higher prices will heavily impact families travelling together. Multiplying the increases by four or more passengers makes it a much bigger deal, he said.

Leff suggested travellers keep monitoring airfare prices after booking, as they may be able to recover some of the difference if prices fall. 'You buy now and the fare drops, you just have to watch it,' he said. 'Don't just buy it and then never look again.'

Leff also said most tickets other than basic economy no longer have change fees, so travellers can call the airline, apply the old ticket to a new one and generally get a credit back for the difference. Common money-saving strategies such as flying out of a different airport or booking a connecting flight do not always work, he added.