Overview
- Booking-data firms report average U.S. round-trip holiday fares near $400–$452, up about 23–31% year‑over‑year according to Hopper and Kayak.
- Industry trackers and Morning Brew say jet fuel has surged since February, with a reported spot price around $4.50 per gallon that is driving a major share of airlines’ cost increases.
- Carriers are responding by protecting yields through higher fares and capacity cuts, and United has lowered its profit outlook while Delta says customers have largely absorbed the increases.
- Travel experts and platforms warn that waiting risks paying more, with Kayak and Hopper estimating last‑minute fares can spike roughly 16–21% the week before Thanksgiving and as much as 20% in the final two weeks.
- The price shock is squeezing household travel budgets, narrowing low‑fare seat availability, and pushing travelers to buy earlier, use rewards or alter dates and airports to find savings.