Holiday airfare surges in 2026: How to find the best deals before it's too late

If you've flown at all over the past few months, you're likely all too familiar with the script at this point.Flying in 2026 costs a lot more than it did just a year ago. Since the start of the war in Iran triggered a surge in global oil prices, airfares have risen by an average of 23%.Holiday travel certainly won't be spared.Domestic Thanksgiving flights are up about 31% from last year, according to booking app Hopper's recent forecast.If you're hoping to fly for Christmas and New Year's, you'll pay — on average — about 23% more than last holiday season.And with less than seven weeks to go until turkeys and stuffing, airlines are offering consumers little hope that a drop in prices might be on the horizon."The fares will be a function of what the market bears," Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian said in an interview Friday on CNBC. "We're not seeing any slowdown at all — our consumer is resilient."Holiday travelers at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) Terminal A. SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUYSome good (or at least lukewarm) newsSince the summer, TPG has warned that holiday travelers would likely pay a pretty penny to fly for Thanksgiving and Christmas in 2026.And fares are indee...