Splitting a round trip into two one-way tickets could cut fares by up to 30% on international routes and 29% on domestic ones this holiday season. That is the most striking finding in KAYAK’s 2026 Holiday Travel Check-In, which draws on the site’s own search data for travel between November 20, 2026 and January 6, 2027.
KAYAK calls the tactic Hacker Fares: two one-way tickets, sometimes on different airlines, priced against a standard round trip. The biggest international gains show up on Simpson Bay, St. Maarten (30%). Washington, D.C. leads at home (29%). The company cautions that savings are not guaranteed and percentages are approximate.
When to book
Holiday airfare is higher than last year, but prices have followed much the same pattern all year, so 2025 is a useful guide. For Thanksgiving, domestic fares have historically fallen from September highs and bottomed out about five weeks before the holiday, which this year means the week of October 19. Waiting is costly. Last year fares climbed as much as 16% the week before Thanksgiving and 21% during Thanksgiving week.
When to fly
Thanksgiving Day itself, November 26, is expected to be the quietest day in the air. Against November 20, the priciest departure date, fares could run up to 19% lower domestically and 49% lower internationally.
Christmas follows a different logic. Before the holiday, December 21 and 22 offer strong value on domestic trips, while December 23 and 24 do so internationally. Afterward, a domestic departure on January 2 could cost up to 45% less than one on December 27, the most expensive date after Christmas. Internationally, flying on December 31 could save up to 40% against peak fares on December 26.
Where the prices are
Punta Gorda, Florida has the cheapest average domestic fare at $307 round trip. Toronto is the cheapest international destination at $486. Some of the lowest domestic fares lead to Florida and the Carolinas, and Atlanta and Chicago also offer solid value. Canada and Mexico take eight of the ten lowest-priced international spots, with The Bahamas and Colombia completing the list.
Long-haul routes to Latin America, Asia and the Caribbean are cheaper than a year ago. Cusco shows the largest drop at 20%, then Cebu City (18%), Angeles City (17%) and Phuket City (16%).
Demand is moving too. Searches from the US for Quebec City flights rose 73% year over year, and Punta Gorda led domestic searches with a 44% increase. Florida accounts for five of the domestic trending destinations.
The figures come from flight and hotel searches made on KAYAK between April 1 and September 1, 2026, compared with the same months of 2025. Flight prices are averages for economy round-trip tickets.
