The Price of Holiday Travel Just Hit a Level Travelers Haven’t Seen

This could be the most expensive holiday travel season in years.

According to booking site Hopper, the average round-trip domestic airfare is up 31% from last year to $402 for Thanksgiving and up 23% to $452 for Christmas. Both are set to reach 10-year highs.

International airfares are also higher, according to Hopper’s 2026 Holiday Travel Index, but travelers may still find ways to save.

Average International Airfares by Region

Here are average fares and year-over-year changes for Thanksgiving:

• Canada: $395, up 16%
• Caribbean: $511, up 17%
• Mexico and Central America: $628, up 32%
• Europe: $757, up 28%
• South America: $811, up 27%
• Africa and the Middle East: $1,097, up 16%
• Asia: $1,121, up 17%
• Oceania: $1,449, up 10%

For Christmas, average fares are:

• Canada: $520, up 13%
• Caribbean: $881, up 29%
• Mexico and Central America: $936, up 23%
• Europe: $1,000, up 15%
• South America: $1,303, up 22%
• Africa and the Middle East: $1,604, down 0.6%
• Asia: $1,754, down 1%
• Oceania: $2,015, down nearly 4%

See Also:

‘It Didn’t Take Me Long to Lose Money in the Markets.’ Legendary Investor Ray Dalio Learned the Hard Way.

When to Book Holiday Flights

Expedia’s Holiday Travel Outlook suggests booking domestic Thanksgiving flights by Nov. 5 and international flights by Oct. 15. For Christmas, travelers are advised to book domestic flights by Nov. 10 and international flights by Dec. 1.

FlightHub’s Unveiled travel trends report says travelers who book furthest ahead pay 23% to 30% less for flights. Tuesdays are popular booking days, but Tuesday fares are not necessarily cheaper.

Ways to Find a Cheaper Flight

• Set price alerts: Google Flights, Expedia, Kayak, Skyscanner, FlightHub, Going and Hopper offer free price tracking or alerts. Hopper and Google Flights also suggest when to book based on historical trends.
• Be flexible: Hopper suggests avoiding high-demand dates, such as the Wednesday before and Sunday after Thanksgiving.
• Compare one-way tickets: Buying two one-way tickets on separate airlines may save up to 29% on domestic trips and 30% on international trips, according to Kayak’s 2026 Holiday Travel Check-In.
• Consider flying on the holiday: Expedia says the lowest average Thanksgiving-week fares are for departing Monday, Nov. 23, and returning Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26. For Christmas, it suggests departing Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, and returning Monday, Dec. 28.
• Consider an international destination: Going CEO David Krauter told USA TODAY that Thanksgiving week can be a good time to fly abroad. If your schedule is flexible, he said, a trip to Italy might cost about the same as one to Indianapolis.
• Use points or miles: Krauter said award fares have not risen as quickly as cash fares, but airlines release a limited number of holiday award seats well ahead of time. Those seats can disappear early, so he advises travelers not to wait until November.