If your flight home looked expensive, it wasn’t your imagination. Hopper’s 2026 Holiday Travel Index says round-trip domestic airfare for Thanksgiving is averaging $402, up 31 percent from last year, or $95 a ticket. Christmas is averaging $452, up 23 percent. Both are 10-year highs, and Hopper says the 2026 holidays are on track to be the most expensive travel season in a decade.
The company’s explanation is simple: months of elevated jet fuel costs tied to the conflict in Iran. Those figures were published September 25, and Hopper warned that prices climb as dates approach, so treat them as a starting point.
The one day to avoid
Hopper calls Sunday, November 29, one of the single most expensive days of the year to fly. Round-trip tickets returning that day average $604. Stay until Monday or Tuesday, and the average falls to about $350, which saves as much as $250 a ticket. Can’t swing it? Flying back on Black Friday averages $420.
The way out matters less, but it still helps. Monday, November 23, is the cheapest departure at an average of $370, about $50 under the classic Wednesday getaway. Leaving on Thanksgiving Day itself is nearly as good at around $371, if you can live with eating dinner at the gate or arriving just in time for leftovers.
Christmas has its own trap
The weekend of December 18 to 20 is the priciest time to leave, at just under $500. The Monday or Tuesday before the holiday averages around $440. Coming back, Sunday, December 27, runs about 20 percent higher than early-week returns, and fares surge past $560 from January 2.
Hotels split the difference. Domestic rates are flat for Thanksgiving at $170 a night, but Christmas is up 18 percent to $197. Going abroad won’t rescue you for most trips, either: Hopper has Christmas fares to Mexico and Central America up 23 percent and Europe up 15 percent, with only long-haul trips to Africa, Asia and Oceania holding near 2025 levels.
What to do with this
Hopper’s disruption data has one more free tip. Departures after 9 a.m. are about twice as likely to be delayed as flights leaving between 5 and 8 a.m., so the early alarm is worth it. If you’re chasing the lowest fare, watch prices on the Monday or Tuesday dates above and compare nearby airports.
Our take: the group chat that always books the Wednesday-to-Sunday trip is paying the highest possible price for the privilege. One extra day off can knock up to $250 off a ticket. For a lot of people under 35, that’s the difference between going home and sending a very nice text.
Fares are Hopper’s averages, based on the 10th percentile of prices available to book, as of its September 25 index. Your route will vary.
