When Should I Book Christmas Flights for the Lowest Fares in 2026?
When to book Christmas 2026 flights in the US: book before Halloween, fly Monday or Tuesday, skip the 27 December return, and lower the fare via ShopBack.
Published: 8 October 2026 · Author: Aryan Gaekwad, Points and Loyalty Editor, ShopBack
ShopBack US is a free cashback app and website. You start on ShopBack, book on sites like Expedia, Priceline or CheapOair as usual, and part of what you spent comes back to you as cash. Sign up for ShopBack before you book your holiday trip.
When should I book Christmas flights for the lowest fares?
For Christmas 2026, the lowest fares are most likely if you book in October, before Halloween. Hopper's 2026 Holiday Travel Index, published on 25 September 2026, says holiday airfare is already at a record high, that prices will only increase as travel dates approach and flights fill, and that travelers should expect to book flights and hotels before Halloween to get the lowest prices.
Two other data points back this up:
- Booking month. Expedia's 2026 Air Hacks report, published 17 February 2026, found December the most expensive month to book a flight and July the cheapest, about 18% cheaper. Booking your Christmas trip months ahead keeps you away from December booking prices.
- Travel month. The same Expedia report found December the most expensive month to fly. Priceline's flights guide also lists December among the priciest months for domestic travel, alongside March and June.
In plain terms: Christmas is peak season, Hopper expects fares to climb as the date approaches, and the best levers left are booking early and picking the cheapest days to fly.
Holiday travel 2026: what Christmas trips cost this year
Holiday travel in 2026 is the most expensive in a decade, according to Hopper. Its 2026 Holiday Travel Index puts the numbers like this:
| Holiday travel 2026 | Domestic round-trip airfare | Change vs 2025 | Domestic hotel per night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thanksgiving | 402 dollars | Up 31% (plus 95 dollars) | 170 dollars, in line with 2025 |
| Christmas | 452 dollars | Up 23% (plus 85 dollars) | 197 dollars, up 18% |
Source: Hopper 2026 Holiday Travel Index, 25 September 2026.
Hopper points to months of elevated jet fuel costs as a driver. For international Christmas trips, it reports fares to Mexico and Central America up 23% and to Europe up 15%, while long-haul fares to Africa, Asia and Oceania are close to 2025 levels or slightly lower. The most popular Christmas destinations in its data are New York, Miami and Orlando, with Tokyo, Bangkok, London, Paris and Mexico City leading international plans. Alaska, the Pacific Northwest and Florida are trending for Christmas this year.
What are the cheapest days to fly for Christmas 2026?
The cheapest days to leave for Christmas 2026 are Monday 21 and Tuesday 22 December, according to Hopper, at around 440 dollars round trip. Christmas Day 2026 falls on a Friday, so those dates still get you home for the holiday.
- Most expensive departure: the weekend before Christmas, Friday 18 to Sunday 20 December, averaging just under 500 dollars per ticket.
- Return to avoid: Sunday 27 December, which runs about 20% higher than early-week returns.
- Longer trips: return midweek, and come back before Saturday 2 January 2027, when Hopper expects fares to rise above 560 dollars as travelers head home.
Weekday patterns from other sources point the same way. Expedia's 2026 Air Hacks found Tuesday the cheapest day to fly on US domestic trips, about 14% below Sunday. Priceline's flights guide says a Monday return can trim up to 12% off a fare, and a Saturday departure with a Tuesday return can save up to 30% if your dates are flexible.
Cheapest month for holiday travel in the US: 2026 price data
If your "holiday" can move, January is the cheapest month for US domestic flights. Here is what the data says.
| Source | Cheapest | Most expensive | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expedia 2026 Air Hacks, US domestic | January | December | January about 19% cheaper |
| Expedia 2026 Air Hacks, all trips | August | December | August about 29% cheaper, roughly 120 dollars per ticket |
| Priceline flights guide, US domestic | September, then February | December, March and June | Not stated |
Sources: Expedia newsroom, 17 February 2026; Priceline flights guide, checked 8 October 2026.
Expedia's report also says a year of data from its Flight Deals tool shows July, October and November as the travel months with the most deals, meaning flights at least 20% below typical predicted prices for the route. If your family can celebrate in early January instead, the savings can be large. If it has to be Christmas week, book early and pick the cheapest days.
Holiday travel best deals in the US for 2026
The best holiday travel deals come from booking early, choosing cheap days and using each booking site's own member program, then going through ShopBack before you pay.
- Book before Halloween. This is Hopper's main advice for 2026 holiday trips.
- Pick flexible fares if plans may change. Hopper suggests flexible or refundable options where offered, since many travelers are booking earlier than usual this year.
- Book the first flight of the day. Hopper notes that flights leaving after 9am are about twice as likely to be delayed as early departures, which matters in winter storm season.
- Use credits, points or miles. Hopper suggests using future travel credit, points or miles you already hold to offset holiday fares.
- Join the booking site's free program. Expedia One Key, Priceline VIP and CheapOair ClubMiles are all free to join, and each is explained below.
Other US travel sites on ShopBack include Booking.com, Hotels.com, Trip.com and Vrbo, alongside Expedia, Priceline and CheapOair. Our US travel hub lists more, and the guide on when to book flights covers the rest of the year.
Expedia vs Priceline: holiday travel price comparison for 2026
Expedia and Priceline differ most in their member programs and booking styles, and the fare for the same flight can differ between them too. Compare the same flight on both on the same day.
| What to compare | Expedia | Priceline |
|---|---|---|
| Member program | One Key, free | Priceline VIP, free |
| Hotel savings | Member Prices of 10% or more on over 100,000 hotels | VIP hotel discounts that grow with your tier |
| Flight and hotel together | Members save up to 30% when adding a hotel to a flight | Packages and add-to-trip hotel deals |
| Rewards | OneKeyCash, where 1 dollar in OneKeyCash is 1 dollar to use on eligible hotels, cars and flights | Insider coupons after completed trips |
| Status | Tier rules shown on Expedia's One Key page | Blue at 2 trips, Gold at 5 trips or with a Priceline Rewards Visa card, Platinum at 20 trips |
| Flexible-traveler option | Flight Deals feature highlights cheaper routes and dates | Express Deals of up to 50% off retail fares, with details revealed after booking |
Sources: Expedia One Key page and Expedia 2026 Air Hacks report; Priceline VIP page and Priceline flights guide, checked 8 October 2026.
Check the live rate on the Expedia and Priceline pages on ShopBack US before you book, because rates can differ between flights, hotels and packages.
Expedia, Priceline and CheapOair: holiday travel in the US by site
Expedia suits flight and hotel bundles, Priceline suits flexible travelers, and CheapOair suits fliers who want phone support and member savings on packages.
Expedia
Expedia's One Key is a free rewards program shared across Expedia, Hotels.com and Vrbo. According to Expedia, members save 10% or more on over 100,000 hotels with Member Prices, save up to 30% when adding a hotel to a flight, and earn OneKeyCash to use on eligible hotels, car rentals and flights. Read how to save on Expedia for more.
Priceline
Priceline VIP is free, according to Priceline. You move up to Blue after 2 completed trips, Gold after 5 trips or with a Priceline Rewards Visa card, and Platinum after 20 trips. A VIP Family account lets you add up to five friends or family so everyone's trips count toward status. Priceline's Express Deals offer up to 50% off retail fares in return for learning the exact airline and times only after you book.
CheapOair
CheapOair runs a ClubMiles rewards program, where 200 ClubMiles points equal 1 dollar in savings, according to CheapOair. Members can save up to 20% on select hotels and up to 10% on flight packages, capped at 50 dollars, and can keep earning airline miles at the same time. CheapOair also lists a Price Match Promise and 24/7 support from travel experts on its site.
How to book your Christmas trip step by step
Booking a trip online: pick your dates, compare flights and hotels, go through ShopBack to the booking site, then pay with a travel card.
- Pick your dates. For Christmas 2026, aim to leave on 21 or 22 December and return midweek, not on 27 December or 2 January.
- Compare flights and hotels on Expedia, Priceline and CheapOair for the same dates, and check whether a package beats booking separately.
- Book before Halloween if you can.
- Go through ShopBack to the booking site. Open ShopBack, tap the site, activate it and book in the same session.
- Pay with a travel card you already use for points or travel protection.
- Save your confirmation and check the fare rules in case plans change.
Our guide to earning cashback on travel bookings walks through the steps for flights and hotels.
How ShopBack US lowers what you pay for holiday travel
Going through ShopBack gets you a cash rebate on the same order, at the same store. You still book on Expedia, Priceline or CheapOair at their price, with their member perks and fare rules, and part of what you spent comes back to you as cash.
Cashback lowers what you actually pay for an order. It comes back as cash, so it works like a discount on the price, not like points or miles.
Here is a worked example using an illustrative rate: on a 900 dollar flight and hotel package at an illustrative 3%, 27 dollars comes back, so the effective price is 873 dollars. Rates differ by site and by product, and flights often earn differently from hotels, so check the live rate and terms on the Expedia or Priceline page on ShopBack US before you book. CheapOair works differently: ShopBack pays a fixed cash amount on eligible CheapOair bookings, so your effective price is what you pay at checkout minus that amount; the live amount and terms are on the CheapOair page on ShopBack US. For using a travel card alongside ShopBack, see our guide on ShopBack and credit cards.
Frequently asked questions
When should I book Christmas flights for the lowest fares?
For Christmas 2026 in the US, book by late October. Hopper's 2026 Holiday Travel Index advises booking holiday flights and hotels before Halloween, since fares rise as dates approach. Domestic Christmas round trips were already averaging 452 dollars in late September, up 23% on 2025. Go through ShopBack to the booking site before you pay.
What are the cheapest days to fly for Christmas 2026?
Hopper's 2026 data says the Monday or Tuesday before Christmas, 21 or 22 December, are the best days to leave, at around 440 dollars round trip. The weekend of 18 to 20 December is the most expensive, at just under 500 dollars. For the return, avoid Sunday 27 December and fly home before 2 January.
What is the cheapest month for holiday travel in the US?
December is the most expensive month to fly. Expedia's 2026 Air Hacks report found January the cheapest month for US domestic flights, about 19% below December, and August the cheapest month overall, about 29% below December. Priceline's flights guide names September, then February, as the cheapest domestic months.
How much are Christmas flights in 2026?
According to Hopper's 2026 Holiday Travel Index, published 25 September 2026, domestic round-trip airfare for Christmas averages 452 dollars, up 23% or 85 dollars on last year, and domestic hotels average 197 dollars a night, up 18%. Fares to Mexico and Central America are up 23% and to Europe up 15%.
Do Christmas flight prices drop at the last minute?
Usually not for flights. Hopper expects holiday airfare to keep rising as travel dates approach and seats fill. It notes that hotel rates in major cities can sometimes drop in the last 24 to 48 hours before a holiday, so last-minute savings, if any, tend to be on the hotel side.
Is Expedia or Priceline better for Christmas flights?
Each suits a different plan. Expedia suits flight and hotel bundles, with One Key members saving up to 30% when adding a hotel to a flight, according to Expedia. Priceline suits flexible travelers through Express Deals, which show the airline only after booking. Compare the same flights on the same day before you book.
Does CheapOair have a rewards program?
Yes. CheapOair's ClubMiles program lets members earn points on bookings, with 200 ClubMiles points worth 1 dollar in savings, according to CheapOair. Members also see savings of up to 20% on select hotels and up to 10% on flight packages, capped at 50 dollars, and you can still earn your airline miles.
Should I book a flight and hotel package for Christmas?
A package can help when you need both, because the bundle price is often lower than booking each part alone. With Christmas hotels averaging 197 dollars a night in Hopper's 2026 data, compare the package total against separate bookings on the same dates before you decide.
How does ShopBack lower the price of a Christmas flight?
Going through ShopBack gets you a cash rebate on the same order, at the same store. Start on ShopBack US, activate Expedia, Priceline or CheapOair, then book as usual. Part of what you spent comes back as cash after the trip qualifies. Check the live rate and terms on the store's ShopBack page before you book.
Is cashback the same as airline miles?
No. Cashback lowers what you actually pay for an order. It comes back as cash, so it works like a discount on the price, not like points or miles that only work with one airline or hotel group.
Key takeaways
- Book Christmas 2026 flights by late October; Hopper advises booking before Halloween.
- Domestic Christmas round trips average 452 dollars in 2026, up 23% on 2025, according to Hopper.
- Fly out Monday 21 or Tuesday 22 December, and avoid returning on Sunday 27 December or after 1 January.
- January is the cheapest month for US domestic flights in Expedia's 2026 Air Hacks data, about 19% below December.
- Expedia One Key, Priceline VIP and CheapOair ClubMiles are free to join.
- Go through ShopBack to the booking site before you pay, and check the live rate on the site's ShopBack page.
Related reads
Book holiday travel with ShopBack US: Expedia · Priceline · CheapOair · Booking.com · Hotels.com · Trip.com · Vrbo
Disclaimer
The views and recommendations in this article are those of the author. Airfares, hotel rates, member program benefits, fare rules and travel price forecasts change often; the figures above come from the named sources at the time of writing and are averages, not quotes for any specific route. Cashback rates on ShopBack vary by site, product and campaign, so check the current rate on each site's ShopBack page before you book.
This article is for general information only and is not professional or financial advice.
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