by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 3:20 PM ET, Mon October 5, 2026
The holiday season is just around the corner and consumers are worried about the cost of airfare.
According to a new survey from The Points Guy conducted with YouGov, high airfare is the number one concern among those planning to travel for the holidays. In fact, nearly half of those who participated in the survey said cost is their most important consideration. In addition, about seven in 10 said that price is more important than remaining loyal to their favorite airline.
Yet the same survey also found that travelers aren’t focused only on finding the cheapest trip. Two-thirds said they are willing to pay more for “convenience” during the holidays.
Translation: Some holiday travelers are willing to pay more for a better itinerary or for convenience. Meaning they may skip the cheapest flight that would require two stops or an overnight.
So what do flight prices look like for the 2026 holiday season? Data from Points Path (a browser extension that displays airline ticket prices in cash and in mileage), the average cost of a domestic airline ticket for the Thanksgiving travel rush is $647, while Christmas will set you back about $675.
It’s also worth noting that those prices have been creeping up steadily for the past several weeks, per TPG. That’s due to the destabilization of the jet fuel market thanks to the U.S.-Israel attack on Iran, which has caused jet fuel prices to skyrocket, a cost that is being directly passed on to consumers by the airlines.
Given the realities of jet fuel prices, TPG recommends travelers who are planning to fly over the holidays book their tickets as soon as possible.
Prices may be dampening enthusiasm for travel
Perhaps its the cost of tickets. Perhaps its the cost of nearly everything these days, which is straining the budgets of many middle American households, but a majority of survey respondents (55%) said they were not planning on traveling for the holidays this year.
For those who do plan to travel, road trips to visit family and friends have become especially appealing: 23% said they plan to drive for visit family and friends, while 13% said they would road trip for a vacation.
Meanwhile, just 11% said they will take a domestic flight to visit family or friends, and 9% said they will take a domestic flight for a vacation.
Also worth noting, 6% said they would fly internationally for vacation, while 5% said they would do so to visit family or friends.
What else travelers are worried about this year
It’s not just the cost of tickets that’s weighing heavy on the minds of consumers. Travelers are also worried about crowded airports and flight disruptions, per TPG.
“The combination of fears of overspending and other disruptions could make this an especially rough holiday travel season,” says the TPG report.
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