Kayak’s 2026 Holiday Travel Check-In advises that travel advisors should book Thanksgiving flights for clients by month’s end. Historically, domestic airfares hit their lowest around five weeks before the holiday, then surge sharply in the last two weeks before departure.
Christmas fares follow a similar pattern, with prices softening four to seven weeks before departure. This puts the booking window between mid-November and early December.
Peer Bueller, CEO of Kayak, said, “Throughout 2026, airfare has largely followed the seasonal patterns we saw in 2025, just at a higher price point.” He noted that history is a useful guide, but not a guarantee.
Travel dates are also important, as flying on Thanksgiving Day instead of November 20, the priciest departure day, can cut fares by as much as 19% on domestic routes and 49% on international ones.
Kayak found that two one-way tickets can beat a round-trip fare by up to 30% on international routes and 29% on domestic ones. The widest gaps were for destinations like Simpson Bay, St. Maarten and Washington, D.C..
Several long-haul destinations are cheaper than they were last year, with average fares down 20% to Cusco, 16% to Phuket, and 13% to Fiji.
On the demand side, searches for Québec City are up 73% year over year, and searches for Montréal are up 45%. Canada is also a value play, with average fares of $486 to Toronto, $516 to Vancouver, and $556 to Montréal.
Kayak’s data shows that Peer Bueller and his team have identified key trends in holiday travel. They have found that being flexible with travel dates and considering alternative booking options can lead to significant savings.
For example, Kayak has determined that flying into a different airport or traveling on off-peak days can make a big difference in the cost of a trip. They have also found that some destinations are more budget-friendly than others, with average fares varying widely depending on the location.
As the holiday season approaches, Kayak is advising travelers to book their flights and accommodations as early as possible to get the best deals. They are also encouraging travelers to be flexible and consider alternative options to save money.
