Thanksgiving Flights Jump 30% This Year — Here's Where to Save in November

Planning to fly in the U.S. this November? What you pay could swing dramatically depending on where and when you travel.

Thanksgiving flights are getting much more expensive. According to flight-tracking site Hopper, Thanksgiving fares (the price of a plane ticket) are up more than 30% compared to last year. The main reason? Rising jet fuel prices.

When the cost of fuel goes up, airlines often pass that extra cost on to passengers to protect their profits (the money a company keeps after paying its expenses). That's exactly what's happening this year.

But not every flight is pricey. If you avoid the Thanksgiving rush, there are still some good deals to be found on certain routes.

Here's a quick breakdown:

• Cheapest flights: Routes connecting Atlanta (the world's busiest airport) to cities in the Midwest and Southeast. Short trips also tend to be cheap — like flights between Hawaiian islands or within Florida.
• Surprisingly expensive short trips: Flights from Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard (small islands off Massachusetts) to New York and Washington, D.C., are among the priciest — even though they're short.
• Most expensive overall: Flights from remote parts of Alaska to the East Coast top the list.

Why are Alaska flights so costly? Here's an interesting twist: even though Alaska produces oil, it still imports (buys from elsewhere) a large amount of jet fuel and other refined fuel products. That raises the cost of flying out of the state.

The key takeaway: Flight prices aren't just about distance. A short trip can cost more than a long one, depending on demand, location, and fuel costs. If you're flexible with your travel dates, flying outside the Thanksgiving period could save you a lot of money.

This is an AI-generated summary. Read the original article at: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/10/05/cheapest-most-expensive-us-flights-in-november.html