Holiday airfare surges in 2026: How to find the best deals before it’s too late

If you’ve flown at all over the past few months, you’re likely all too familiar with the script at this point.

Flying in 2026 costs a lot more than it did just a year ago. Since the start of the war in Iran triggered a surge in global oil prices, airfares have risen by an average of 23%.

Holiday travel certainly won’t be spared.

Domestic Thanksgiving flights are up about 31% from last year, according to booking app Hopper’s recent forecast.

If you’re hoping to fly for Christmas and New Year’s, you’ll pay — on average — about 23% more than last holiday season.

And with less than seven weeks to go until turkeys and stuffing, airlines are offering consumers little hope that a drop in prices might be on the horizon.

“The fares will be a function of what the market bears,” Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian said in an interview Friday on CNBC. “We’re not seeing any slowdown at all — our consumer is resilient.”

Some good (or at least lukewarm) news

Since the summer, TPG has warned that holiday travelers would likely pay a pretty penny to fly for Thanksgiving and Christmas in 2026.

And fares are indeed up (sharply) from last year.

The one bit of good — or at least lukewarm — news? We haven’t yet seen a major autumn surge in ticket prices, either. Prices have remained high — but fairly consistent — since August, when we started closely tracking holiday fares with the help of our partners at Points Path.

But you shouldn’t wait any longer to book: At this stage, every day you wait risks a big jump in prices.

Last year, both cash and award prices surged in the final weeks leading up to the holidays.

So what should you do if you’ve waited until now to book your holiday getaway? Let’s walk through your best options.

When to book holiday flights in 2026

We suggest booking as soon as possible, but leaving yourself some wiggle room in case you get lucky and the fare later drops.

What to do if the price drops after you book

Most of the major carriers will let you change your ticket after booking. Or, you can even cancel your reservation and re-book yourself.

To leave yourself this flexibility, just be sure to avoid “basic” fares that bar you from making itinerary changes — or canceling your flight, penalty-free.

Read more: What to know about repricing flights

Sound complicated? There are also new AI tools that can help you automatically capture the savings if the fare plummets days or weeks after your purchase your ticket.

When to fly at Thanksgiving

Monday, Nov. 23 is the cheapest day to depart for Thanksgiving travel, according to data from our friends at Points Path.

So if your plans allow, getting an early start on your Turkey Trek is the best way to save on flights.

Coming home, aim to fly back on Black Friday — or wait until the following Tuesday.

The worst day

The Sunday after Thanksgiving will likely be the most expensive and crowded day at airports. Flights on Sunday, Nov. 29, are running roughly 40% pricier than Black Friday, per Points Path.

Fun fact: The busiest day ever at U.S. airports was the Sunday after Thanksgiving in 2025.

On the flipside, Thanksgiving Day was the single quietest day airports saw last year.

When to fly at Christmas and New Year’s

The weekends before and after Christmas, along with Sunday, Jan. 3 are looking like the most expensive days to fly for the year-end holidays, per Points Path.

To find the lowest prices, I’d suggest searching prices for the weekdays before and after Christmas.

Which US regions are hit the hardest?

Compared to last year, the Midwest is seeing the biggest price jumps for Thanksgiving travel, according to flight deals app Going. At Christmas, flyers headed to and from the Northeast are dealing with the most sticker shock.

TPG tips: Cast a wide net when you search flights

Use sites like Google Flights or Kayak to search flight prices across a wide range of airlines, dates and airports.

Casting the widest net positions you to find the best deals out there.

Hoping to redeem points for your holiday flight? Try using one of TPG’s favorite award search tools.

Be as flexible as you can

Yes, family holiday gatherings, PTO and school schedules make this “easier said than done.”

But if you can be flexible on when — and even where — you travel, the better your chances are at finding affordable airfare.

When possible, I’d avoid honing in on a destination, and reverse the typical trip-planning process:

• Check out fares to a bunch of different destinations
• Find the destination that fits your budget
• Go there

Book with a credit card that has travel insurance (especially in 2026)

Airlines typically won’t pay for your hotel (or taxi, or meals) if you get stranded because of bad weather.

And they may not be on the hook when mechanical delays happen, either, due to new federal regulations taking effect this month.

Your best bet to protect your wallet: Book your trip with a credit card that has built-in travel protections. If you get stuck, you may be able to file a claim and get hundreds of dollars in expenses reversed.

This is an especially important reminder as flight cancellations hit a four-year high in 2026.

Milk those expiring credits, freebies and perks before the end of the year

Those family holiday getaways when suitcases are full of winter clothes (and maybe some gifts) are when that airline credit card with free bags really pays for itself.

Plus, take inventory of any expiring hotel and travel credits you might have in your accounts; don’t leave that money on the table!

What about using points?

Booking flights with points are, of course, a great way to cut your out-of-pocket expenses for that end-of-year trip.

Just be careful: Award prices in most major U.S. loyalty programs have spiked for holiday flights, too, since many airlines now use dynamic pricing.

So consult our valuations to make sure you’re not handing over too many hard-earned points at once.

Get creative with your points

Also, keep in mind: Sometimes the airline you want to fly with isn’t the carrier whose program you want to redeem your miles with.

For instance, Alaska Airlines’ Atmos Rewards can offer great redemptions on American Airlines. You can transfer many credit card points to Air France and KLM’s Flying Blue to book Delta Air Lines flights.

Or, use Air Canada’s award currency on United Airlines.

There are plenty of options out there if you’re willing to get creative.

And getting creative is probably the best way to fly without breaking the bank in 2026.

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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: thepointsguy.com