Thanksgiving and Christmas airfare is the most expensive it's been in 10 years, according to Hopper's 2026 Holiday Travel Index, published September 24. A domestic round trip for Thanksgiving averages $402, up 31% from last year, and Christmas averages $452, up 23%. Hopper says months of high jet fuel costs tied to the conflict in Iran have contributed to the jump.
Hotels are a mixed picture. Hopper says domestic Thanksgiving rates average $170 a night, in line with 2025, while Christmas rates average $197, up 18%.
The useful part of the report is which days cost less, because the gap between the cheapest and priciest days is wide.
The Cheapest Days to Fly for Thanksgiving
Sunday, November 29, the Sunday after Thanksgiving, is one of the most expensive days of the year to fly, according to Hopper. Domestic round trips returning that day average $604.
Coming home on the Monday or Tuesday after Thanksgiving brings the average down to about $350, which Hopper says can save as much as $250 a ticket. If you can't return early in the week, Black Friday is the next best return day, at about $420.
On the way out, Monday, November 23, is the cheapest day to leave, averaging $370. Flying on Thanksgiving Day itself is close behind at about $371.
The Cheapest Days to Fly for Christmas
The most expensive days to leave are the weekend of December 18 to 20, with fares averaging just under $500. Leaving on the Monday or Tuesday before Christmas brings that down to around $440.
For the trip home, avoid Sunday, December 27, when Hopper says prices run about 20% higher than early-week returns. If you're staying through New Year's, come back before January 2, when average fares climb past $560.
International Christmas fares are up too: Hopper puts Mexico and Central America up 23% and Europe up 15%, while long-haul fares to Africa, Asia and Oceania are close to 2025 levels or slightly lower.
When to Book
Hopper's advice is to book holiday flights and hotels before Halloween, since it expects prices to rise as the dates get closer. The one exception it names is hotels in major cities, where rates can drop in the last 24 to 48 hours before the holiday.
Hopper's averages come from searches in the week before the report, so treat them as a guide to how prices move, not a quote for your route.
What You Should Do
If your dates can move, price the cheaper days first. Then check what the same flights cost in miles; when cash fares are this high, an award seat can be the better use of points, and our guide to using points for holiday travel covers what to do when award space is thin. Our look at Google Flights' 2025 holiday booking data shows how last year's fares moved, based on older data than Hopper's.
The Bottom Line
Holiday fares are at a 10-year high, and the biggest savings come from the calendar: skip the Sunday after Thanksgiving, leave on the Monday or Tuesday before Christmas, and be home before January 2. Hopper suggests booking before Halloween and expects fares to keep rising as the holidays get closer.
