Flight from Buffalo to NYC reportedly reached $12K as holiday airfare hits an all-time high
‘Tis the season to spend on holiday travel.When TikTokker Kristen Mirand was looking for flights from JFK Airport to Buffalo for the holidays and saw her return trip would cost anywhere from $11,400 to $12,203, she couldn’t fathom what she was seeing, telling her followers she was “going to start walking home now.” “Just a cheap $12,000,” she fumed, noting that the overpriced flight even included a layover in Fort Lauderdale.Mirand is just one of many holiday travelers who have to brace their wallets.Travel app Hopper’s 2026 Holiday Travel Index reveals airfares are skyrocketing compared to last year, pinning the blame on months of surging jet fuel prices fueled by conflict in Iran.2026 holiday travel is to be the most expensive it’s been in 10 years, according to Hopper’s report, which analyzed a week’s worth of flight searches in September, accounting for flight prices around Thanksgiving and Christmas when comparing prices to last year.Round-trip domestic airfare for Thanksgiving is averaging $402, up 31% (+$95) from last year.
Hotel nightly rates are averaging $170 per night, in line with 2025.And round-trip domestic airfare for Christmas is averaging $452, up 23% (+$85) from last year.
Hotel nightly rates are averaging $197 per night, up 18% from last year.Panicked travelers are locking in trip plans earlier than ever — and many are turning to AI tech to hunt for deals.Hopper also reported that 33% of adults say they’re turning to generative AI bots like ChatGPT and Gemini to plan their getaways, rivaling traditional search engine use (35%).Round-trip domestic airfare for Thanksgiving averages $402 (up 31% from last year), while international flights have also surged across top destinations in Europe and the Americas.Domestic hotels remain steady at $170 per night.The most popular destinations in the US for Thanksgiving travel are New York City, Miami and Orlando, Florida.
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