We’ve been urging travelers to lock in their holiday flights, especially Thanksgiving and Christmas, for weeks now, as we are worried prices will continue to climb as we get closer to the holidays. I’m even recommending some people go ahead and book spring break trips now.
Our last check with our partners at Points Path showed average prices of $675 for Christmas domestic flights and $647 for Thanksgiving. Those prices have climbed steadily in the past several weeks.
With no sign of fuel costs dropping anytime soon, airlines are likely to continue raising prices as the holidays approach. That’s why we are telling consumers to lock in prices as soon as possible.
It’s also why we were surprised to see the results of our recent survey and learn how few Americans had locked in their travel plans.
Costs are at the heart of the new survey of American travel sentiment ahead of the holidays that TPG has conducted with YouGov. Our survey finds holiday travelers are worried about high airfare, crowded airports and flight disruptions.
The combination of fears of overspending and other disruptions could make this an especially rough holiday travel season.
Are Americans traveling for the holidays?
We asked Americans if they plan to travel between Thanksgiving and New Year’s in 2026. While a majority (55%) said they weren’t planning on traveling, many will.
One note: respondents could select multiple answers.
Road trips to visit family and friends are popular this year (despite higher gas prices), with 23% saying that was their plan. Another 13% said they would road trip for a vacation. There were 11% who said they will take a domestic flight to visit family or friends, and 9% who said they will take a domestic flight for a vacation.
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At TPG, we frequently suggest traveling internationally during the holidays for lower prices and smaller crowds, and some Americans are planning on doing just that. Some 6% said they would fly internationally for vacation, while 5% said they would do so to visit family or friends.
Remember, those days off can be a great opportunity to take a vacation.
Have you booked your holiday flights?
According to the survey conducted Sept. 18-22, among respondents planning holiday travel, just 15% of holiday travelers had already booked all their travel. Another 15% had booked only part of their trips, while a whopping 65% hadn’t booked anything yet. Another 5% said they didn’t know.
Why are people waiting to book?
Of the respondents, 42% said they were hoping prices would come down, and 34% were waiting until they’d saved enough to pay for the trip.
That means a lot of folks will be busy booking over the next few weeks, and they may end up paying even more.
Logistics also play a big role: 43% said they had to confirm with family and friends, while 30% said they just kept putting it off. The same share said they needed to see about time off from work or other responsibilities.
Again, respondents could select multiple reasons:
- 43% said they needed to confirm plans with family/friends.
- 42% said they hoped prices would go down.
- 34% said they needed to earn/save enough money to pay for travel.
But money is one big reason so many are waiting so long this year.
What’s key when booking? High airfare tops travelers’ considerations
By a wide margin, cost is the biggest consideration among Americans traveling this holiday season.
Among respondents planning to fly this holiday season, 48% said cost was the most important consideration when booking flights, nearly twice the 25% who prioritized convenience.
The factors TPG cares a lot about didn’t get much love from those we surveyed. Some 5% said the ability to redeem or earn travel rewards and miles was most important, and 7% said brand loyalty was the most important factor.
Holiday travelers are very aware of the higher prices we keep bringing up. Some 39% of respondents said they’re worried about high airfare this holiday season.
But price isn’t the only thing worrying holiday travelers.
37% of respondents said they were worried about the large volume of other travelers; 37% were also worried about airline delays and cancellations. And 36% are concerned about weather-related travel delays.
There are lots of things to worry about when it comes to traveling during the holidays, though other travel headaches scored lower. Some 18% said they worried about lost luggage, 16% about packing and 9% mentioned traveling with gifts.
We got some other really interesting findings regarding holiday travel.
Price trumps loyalty: Travelers will pay more for convenience
We also found that, despite what holiday travelers say about prices, this doesn’t always translate into booking the cheapest options: 63% agreed it was worth paying more for convenience. Just 27% disagreed with that sentiment. Some holiday travelers seem willing to pay more for a better itinerary or for convenience. They may skip the cheapest flight that would require two stops or an overnight.
That’s my personal philosophy, too. I’d rather pay a few extra bucks for a nonstop flight that’s less likely to go awry. This is also true of flight times. While I preach doing the first flight of the day (as those flights are less likely to be disrupted), not everyone is willing to wake up at 4 a.m. to make that 6 a.m. flight.
In other words, the cheapest ticket isn’t necessarily the best deal.
While I also personally book based on my favorite airline and hotel programs (what can I say, I’m a loyalty fanatic), that is not true of most of those we surveyed. In fact, 70% of holiday travelers in our survey agreed that price is a bigger priority than flying with their favorite airline. Only 25% disagreed.
This is true, too, when it comes to hotels. For 71% agreed that price is more important than staying at their favorite hotel brand.
More than 6 in 10 (61%) agreed they would rather forgo redeeming travel rewards if it meant paying less for travel.
Clearly, price is a more important factor right now.
What about points and miles?
Among respondents asked about their holiday travel plans, 34% agreed they planned to redeem more travel rewards this year than during the previous holiday season, while 39% disagreed.
Interestingly, 49% agreed that they plan to earn travel rewards for their holiday travel this season.
Remember that even if you don’t redeem for your trip, it’s still a good chance to rack up more points or miles.
Bottom line
If you’ve traveled during the holidays, you already know it can get stressful.
In past years, we’ve seen storms snarl travel for millions. A storm at a hub like Chicago, Denver or New York City can cause the system to melt down and lead to delays and cancellations across the country. Remember, too, that planes are already full during peak travel times, so there aren’t that many other flights to book if something goes sideways.
Related: Key travel tips you need to know — whether you’re a first-time or frequent traveler
I always tell folks to have a backup plan. Know what other airlines fly the route you need, if there is a backup flight you can get on and if there may be an alternative form of transportation for you to take. Airline waivers during storms can save the day, but so can having a Plan B (and even a Plan C). Of course, install the airline app on your phone and save receipts if you end up having to book backup plans.
If it’s weather, the airlines don’t owe you much, but it never hurts to ask. Also, book travel with a credit card that offers trip delay and cancellation insurance. That will save you if the airline tells you there’s nothing they can do.
Related: Maintenance delay? Airlines may soon have fewer reasons to compensate you
Remember, even if you are one of those folks who haven’t yet booked your trips home for the holidays. We have all the tips and tricks you need to stay sane over the holidays and maybe even get a deal.
Related reading:
The Points Guy commissioned YouGov Plc to conduct the survey. All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. The total sample size was 2,445 U.S. adults, of whom 1,058 reported having holiday travel plans (defined as having a domestic or international flight, road trip, or other means to visit family/friends and/or vacation between Thanksgiving and Christmas 2026). Fieldwork was undertaken between 18th and 22nd September 2026. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all US adults (aged 18+). The survey was carried out online and meets rigorous quality standards. It gathered a nonprobability sample and applied demographic quotas and weights to better align the sample with the broader U.S. population.
