Domestic airfare prices vary widely this fall, with Thanksgiving fares up over 30%
Quick Look
Thanksgiving domestic airfares are up more than 30% year-over-year as airlines pass on rising jet fuel costs, though some routes offer bargains outside peak periods, with cheapest flights in November including Atlanta to Midwest/Southeast cities and intra-island Hawaii trips, while Nantucket/New York and Alaska-to-East Coast routes rank among the most expensive.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Domestic airfare prices are influenced by jet fuel costs, which have surged this year, prompting airlines to adjust ticket prices, particularly during high-demand periods like Thanksgiving.
How much is domestic airfare this fall? It depends where you're flying and when.
Thanksgiving fares are up more than 30% this year over last as airlines pass more of this year's surge in jet fuel prices along to customers, according to a tally of "good deal" fares from flight-tracking site Hopper. But there are some bargains outside of that period for certain routes, while others are sky-high.
The cheapest flights in November include routes between Atlanta, the world's busiest airport, and various Midwest and Southeastern cities. Others are short trips, like intra-island Hawaii flying or within Florida.
But the length of the flight alone doesn't dictate the price. Routes from Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts to New York and Washington D.C. are among the priciest.
Trips originating in remote Alaska bound for the East Coast take the cake for most expensive flights. While it's an oil producing state, it imports a significant amount of jet fuel and other refined products.
Here's how the cheapest and most expensive routes ranked:
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Domestic airfares will remain elevated through the Thanksgiving period if jet fuel prices stay high
Likely · Within weeks
Open Questions
- How long will jet fuel prices remain elevated?
- Which specific airlines are seeing the largest fare increases on Thanksgiving routes?
- Are fuel surcharges being itemized or absorbed into base fares?
