For families willing to sacrifice their cookies-and-milk morning routines, running to the airport instead of down the steps to see what Santa brought, traveling on Christmas could be well worth it. For couples or friends ready for a new tradition, and for solo travelers, in particular — 63% of whom say that flexible scheduling is why they prefer to go it alone — the savings could be significant.
The data comes as Americans already contend with rising airfare prices amid the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, stretching their budgets to accommodate increasingly costly holiday travel. The average price of jet fuel in the U.S. reached a record $4.90 per gallon on Oct. 22, according to tracking firm Argus. That marks the highest single-day average and more than double what it was a year ago. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), between September 2025 and September 2026, airline fares jumped up 22.4%.
When and where to head overseas for the holidays
JustFly analyzed holiday search, booking and airfare data from U.S. travelers to identify emerging travel trends and opportunities to save. And, according to the analysis, Friday, Dec. 18, is 27% more expensive than Christmas Eve or Christmas Day for the same international trip.
Where travelers are headed overseas also matters. The data suggests that travelers are increasingly interested in spending Christmas in the Caribbean, rather than heading to some traditional Christmas destinations in Europe.
Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, has seen its share of Christmas flight searches rise 61%, while interest in Montego Bay, Jamaica, is up 56%. Meanwhile, searches for Rome have fallen 38% and London is down 29%.
Travel booking-platform, Hopper, also finds that prices to major international destinations have creeped up, with fares to Europe up 15%. Travelers headed to long-haul destinations in Africa, Asia and Oceania, however, will see airfare similar to 2025 levels, or even slightly lower — making them potentially more financially feasible regions of the world to explore.
AAA’s cruise forecast also finds that cruising is becoming more popular thanks to its “convenience, value and variety.” It projects that a record 22.4 million U.S. passengers will take ocean cruises next year — checking off several countries in a single trip without necessarily needing to drop a dime on a flight ticket.
Domestic travelers have options, too
Domestic travelers have a slightly different pricing pattern to consider. JustFly’s data finds that airfares within the U.S. tend to dip through October and early November before rising sharply closer to Thanksgiving. By Thanksgiving week, domestic fares can be 38% to 43% higher.
