Americans flying home for the holidays are facing the most expensive fares in a decade. According to Hopper’s 2026 Holiday Travel Index, round-trip domestic fares for Thanksgiving week average $402 — up 31%, or $95, from a year ago — while Christmas fares average $452, up 23%, or $85.
Why fares jumped so far
Hopper’s analysis identifies two compounding causes, Travelers Today reports. Spirit Airlines, which had operated hundreds of daily flights to leisure destinations, ceased all operations on 2 May 2026, removing one of the few remaining ultra-low-cost options on domestic leisure routes. Airlines also blame record jet fuel prices tied to the Iran war: Argus put the US average jet fuel price at $4.90 a gallon on 22 October, and jet fuel costs in the third quarter jumped more than 60% from a year earlier, according to CNN’s tally of airline results. United CEO Scott Kirby said on the company’s earnings call that he assumes fuel will stay expensive through all of 2027.
The cheapest and dearest days
The $402 average hides wide variation by travel day. Monday 23 November is the cheapest Thanksgiving departure at an average of $370 round-trip, and Thanksgiving Day itself averages $371, making it the second-cheapest option for travellers who can forgo the holiday meal at their destination, Travelers Today reports. The most expensive single choice is flying home on Sunday 29 November, averaging $604 round-trip — approximately 72% higher than returning on Monday 30 November or Tuesday 1 December, which average around $350. Hotel nightly rates average $170 for Thanksgiving, in line with 2025, while Christmas hotel rates average $197 per night, up 18%.
What late bookers can still do
Hopper’s recommendation was to book before Halloween for the lowest fares, and that window has now closed — but the day-of-travel choice still matters more than any single booking trick. Shifting a return from Sunday to Monday saves roughly $250 on average, and flying on the holiday itself is consistently among the cheapest options. International fares are climbing too, with Christmas flights to Mexico and Central America up 23% and fares to Europe up 15%.
