Melissa Cuomo and her family of 15 were shocked when round-trip flights from New York to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic jumped from $2,000 to $3,000 per ticket. Scouring the internet for alternatives, she discovered group rates on Jet Blue for parties of 10 or more, securing tickets for just over $1,000 each and saving approximately $30,000. Her experience reflects the broader trend of soaring holiday travel costs in 2026, where determined travelers are finding creative ways to economize. According to a holiday outlook report from the consulting firm Pw C, four in 10 consumers planned to travel this season, with 38 percent opting for budget or midrange hotels. Early booking, flexible reservations, and rebooking without penalty emerged as popular strategies.
Airfares are up more than 22 percent in September compared to a year ago, according to the Consumer Price Index, largely due to fuel costs spiking after the U.S. and Israeli conflict with Iran that began in February. Thanksgiving flight prices have doubled for some, with domestic round-trips averaging $389 per ticket, 39 percent higher than last year. Flexibility in travel dates and destinations can yield savings of up to 19 percent, with Kayak recommending flights on Thanksgiving Day itself.
A third of holiday travelers plan to skip flying altogether, as gas prices rise to $4.29 a gallon nationally, up from $3.19 last year. For a 400-mile trip between New York and Pittsburgh, driving costs about $134 round trip, making car travel more economical for larger groups.
Source: New York Times Business · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing