Holiday fares hit a 10-year high. A Black Friday deal may only get you back to last year's price

Holiday travel is running into a price ceiling this year: the average Christmas hotel room on Black Friday is about $167 per night, roughly the same level as last year, but the article warns discounts may only pull prices back rather than create true bargains. Black Friday lands Nov. 27, followed by Cyber Monday on Nov. 30 and Travel Tuesday on Dec. 1, with airlines, hotels and cruise lines competing for bookings. Hopper’s 2026 Holiday Travel Index projects the most expensive holiday season in a decade, driven by higher jet fuel costs. Domestic Thanksgiving round-trip flights average $402 (+31% vs. 2025) and Christmas round trips average $452 (+23%). Fuel has risen for carriers, while travelers have largely absorbed the increases; hotels are steady at Thanksgiving (~$170) but higher at Christmas (~$197, +18%).