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The holiday travel playbook: time it right, go farther and save along the way.

7 min read

September 29, 2026

Holiday travel comes with questions. Lots of them. Will fares fall? Which dates cost less? Where are the savings hiding? In the 2026 Holiday Travel Check-In, we dug into KAYAK’s search data so you don’t have to. See when prices have historically dipped, which dates deliver better value, which destinations are heating up, and where prices are cooling off, all without making holiday planning a full-time job.

Holiday travel 2026: key takeaways .

Best value domestic destination: Punta Gorda, FL — $307 round-trip on average.

Best value international destination: Toronto, Canada — $486 round-trip on average.

Biggest price drop: Cusco, Peru — airfares is 20% lower than last year.

Biggest Hacker Fare savings: Simpson Bay, St. Maarten and Washington D.C.…