Hopper estimates average domestic round trips at $402 for Thanksgiving and $452 for Christmas.
Travelers are encountering the highest holiday airfares in a decade as airlines continue responding to volatile oil and jet-fuel prices.
Travel-booking company Hopper estimated that the average domestic round-trip fare was $402 for Thanksgiving travel and $452 for Christmas during the previous week. Those prices were 31% and 23% higher, respectively, than a year earlier.
Federal data also show that average ticket prices, excluding optional baggage and seat-selection fees, rose from $405 in the final three months of 2025 to $436 during the second quarter of 2026. U.S. airfares in August were 23% higher than a year earlier.
Jet fuel reached an average of $4.30 per gallon across four tracked U.S. markets Friday—nearly twice its 2025 average. Fuel prices have shifted sharply during the Iran conflict, complicating airlines’ efforts to plan schedules and set fares months in advance.
Major carriers have reduced some less-profitable flights while increasing fares and fees. Industry analysts say prices may not immediately fall even if fuel becomes cheaper because schedules, seat capacity and tickets are established well before departure.
Travelers can still see substantial variations by route and date, and the national averages do not mean every ticket will cost the quoted amount.
