Holiday travelers face steep price hikes
A new report finds that nearly a third of Americans will skip flights and hotels this year as airfare costs rise.
By Nour Haddad ·
Americans are planning to cut back on holiday travel this year. According to NerdWallet's 2026 Holiday Travel Report, 31% of people intend to forgo flights and hotels. That represents a 22% increase compared to last year.
The decision comes as travel expenses climb. The Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index shows airline ticket prices are up 23.4% year over year. Higher jet fuel costs, reduced flight capacity, and strong consumer demand are driving the increase.
Sally French, NerdWallet's travel expert and co-host of the Smart Travel Podcast, noted that travelers have noticed the rising costs. She said, "Flight prices are continuing to climb, and people have been noticing it over the past year." French also pointed to the end of Spirit Airlines this year. She explained, "Even for people who don't actually fly with Spirit, that elimination of competition has lead to rising airfares across airlines."
Other surveys show similar trends. A joint survey by The Points Guy and YouGov found that 55% of respondents are not planning to travel for the 2026 holiday season. Among those who are traveling, high airfare is their top concern.
Not everyone is staying home. The NerdWallet report indicates that 42% of Americans plan to travel. Those travelers expect to spend an average of $2,439 on flights and hotels. This figure is similar to 2025, when 45% of Americans said they planned to travel.
Parents with young children are less likely to skip travel. About 62% of parents with children under 18 plan to spend money on flights and hotels. Only 33% of non-parents have similar spending plans. However, parents are looking for ways to save. Eighteen percent said they would accept a less convenient route, such as a late-night flight or a bad connection, to save cash. Only 8% of non-parents are willing to make that tradeoff.
Cost-conscious parents are also using rewards. Twenty-six percent of parents with children indicated they will use credit card points to pay for holiday travel. Among non-parents, that number is 14%.
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