Flights just before Christmas cost 39% more this year and it might only get more expensive
- The average round-trip domestic airfare around Christmas costs $463 this year, according to Hopper.
- Blame higher prices on rising jet fuel prices, fewer scheduled flights, and pent-up travel demand.
Expect to pay 39% more this year for a round-trip flight during the Christmas season compared to the holiday last year.
The average round-trip domestic airfare for trips during the winter holiday season this year cost $463, according to the Hopper travel booking app. That's 39% higher than over the same period in 2021 and 31% more than in 2019.
More than half of Americans plan to travel during the Thanksgiving or Christmas holiday seasons this year, according to Hopper.
Rising jet fuel prices, fewer scheduled flights, and pent-up travel demand have all contributed to the highest airfare prices in 5 years, Hopper said.
Here's how to save money
Departing on the Monday or Tuesday before the Christmas weekend and returning the Monday through Wednesday of the following week can save travelers hundreds off peak airfare, according to Hopper's 2022 Holiday Travel Outlook.
Travelers departing in the first half of the week before Christmas will save an average of 15% – and up to 35% for some destinations – compared to flying on the Thursday or Friday before the holiday, according to Expedia flight data.
The Monday and Tuesday before Christmas and the Tuesday after New Year's Day will be the cheapest travel days this holiday season, according to Hopper. Traveling on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day also means lower prices and fewer crowds, according to NerdWallet.
Work-from-home travelers who aren't tied to an office can save money on Christmastime flights and avoid holiday crowds by traveling on less popular days.
The most expensive days to travel
With Christmas falling on a weekend, the Friday before and the Monday after the holiday will be the most expensive days to fly, according to Hopper.
The Friday before Christmas is shaping up to be one of the busiest travel days of the year based on historic TSA checkpoint data, according to NerdWallet.
With New Year's Eve also falling on a weekend, January 1 and 2 will be the most expensive days for return flights, according to Hopper.
The least-expensive days to travel over the Christmas/New Year's holiday:
Before Christmas
- Tuesday, December 20
- Monday, December 19
- Saturday, December 24
After Christmas
- Tuesday, January 3
- Wednesday, December 28
- Thursday, December 29
The most expensive days to travel over the Christmas/New Year's holiday:
Before Christmas
- Friday, December 23
- Thursday, December 22
- Wednesday, December 21
After Christmas
- Monday, January 2
- Sunday, January 1
- Monday, December 26
The Vacationer travel planning website recommends booking Christmas flights no later than Thanksgiving Day. Expect to pay a premium for Christmas travel if you book in December with more connections and undesirable flight times, according to The Vacationer.