Holiday Airfare Will Be Over 20% More Expensive in 2026 — 5 Ways To Fly Cheap
As with most aspects of life in 2026 America, holiday travel has become far more expensive this year, primarily because the war in Iran has spiked jet fuel prices. In fact, Hopper’s 2026 Holiday Travel Index notes that Thanksgiving and Christmas 2026 airfare is at a 10-year high — domestic round-trip flights for Thanksgiving are averaging $402 per flyer (up 31% from 2025), while similar Christmas round-trips are now $52 (up 25% from 2025).
Between gift-shopping and family dinners, the year-end holidays are already a pricey prospect; if you’re not careful, expensive airfare can implode an already strained holiday budget.
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With that in mind, MoneyLion spoke to a number of financial and travel experts to find out how you can fly cheap (or at least cheaper) in 2026.
1. Compare Airports — Don’t Just Default to Your Local
Francesca Abony, founder of Field & Villa, suggested that travelers might be able to find cheaper airfare options if they push beyond their local airport. Flyers often exclusively rely upon the airport closest to them, without searching for lower prices elsewhere.
“Don’t limit yourself to your home city airport,” Abony insisted. “Say you live in New York near LaGuardia Airport. Check airfare prices in Newark or JFK.”
Meanwhile, travel expert and MySafariLodge founder Johan Siggesson noted that you can also reduce holiday flight costs by being less picky about your destination airport as well, and making a comparison of airports in the general vicinity of where you’re flying to for the holiday.
2. Compare Airlines and Ticket Combos
Siggesson also said that you can cut costs by comparing airlines. Instead of purchasing a round-trip ticket from a single airline, you can compare one-way tickets to and from your holiday destination to save cash.
For example, you might be able to save by getting a one-way ticket from Los Angeles to Cincinnati via Delta and a return one-way ticket from Southwest Airlines, rather than getting a round-trip ticket from either company.
Luke Stafford, the head of retail and brand experience at UK retailer Charles Fish, frequently travels for business during the holidays. He also suggests mixing and matching one-way flights with different airlines.
“Just be sure to compare baggage fees and ticket terms,” he warned. “Because those charges will impact how much you’re actually saving."
He added that frugal flyers should look into American, Delta, United, Alaska and JetBlue airlines, because they each have provisions in their policies that allow you to fly on another airline at no additional cost – so, if your flight gets cancelled due to maintenance or weather issues, you can ride on a partner airline’s flight without buying a new ticket.
3. Be More Flexible With Travel Dates
Siggesson also noted that if you can be flexible with flight dates, such as leaving for your holiday a little earlier than usual, or a bit later (up to and including flying out on the holiday itself) can cut down on ticket costs.
4. Book Early and Monitor Price Adjustments
Additionally, Arhan Chhabra, president of travel rewards program Rove, suggested that flyers who book their trip early and book fares that they can change usually will find a cost benefit — a flexible fare might cost a little more at first, but it allows you to rebook if prices drop significantly later on.
Alexandra Dubakova, travel expert with FreeTour, concurred. She added that Southwest Airlines doesn’t charge for changes or cancellations.
“I recommend booking a Southwest flight as early as possible and monitoring the prices changes,” she said.
Whenever the fare drops or an airfare sale pops up elsewhere, you can cancel or adjust your Southwest trip without extra charges. If you jump from one Southwest flight to a different Southwest trip, the airline will instantly refund you the difference in flight credits.
5. Use Travel Miles Exclusively
Finally, Chhabra added that the holidays are when you should utilize your frequent flyer miles.
“Thanksgiving and Christmas cash fares are the worst value of the year,” he noted. “So, that’s where a miles balance goes further.”
Holiday travel might be an expensive proposition in 2026, but it doesn’t have to be. Consider using these expert tips and tricks to slim that holiday budget down and leave more room for stocking stuffers and turkey dinners.
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
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