November has rolled in and, traditionally, this is the month when most trips home for US Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Diwali have already been determined: schedules set, trips booked, tickets purchased.
However, this year’s holiday season could look significantly different in the face of the global economic crisis and how it’s impacting individual national economies.
Consider this observation from an independent Filipino political commentarian regarding the recent nationwide exodus to observe Undas or the Feast of All Saints over the past weekend:
“Undas 2026: Empty terminals. Fewer passengers at the Solid North terminal in Cubao this [week]. More vacant seats than passengers. Rising fares blamed. When people can't afford to go home to their dead and vendors can't sell, that's not just [a slow day for business]: that's a dying economy.”
Unresolved conflict = more expensive flights
Back in September of this year, online airfare tracker Hopper forecast that holiday travel costs for this year are slated to be the most expensive in a decade, attributing the escalating prices to elevated jet fuel prices due to the still-unresolved conflict with Iran
Per a broadcast report from the United States: “The average domestic flight for Thanksgiving will cost about US $400 round trip; that's up 31 percent from last year. Christmas travel will cost even more at about US$450.”
It should likewise be noted that last-minute price drops, the ones normally offered close to the departure dates, have virtually vanished.
We have also noted another development: particularly among low-cost carriers which usually offer free seat changes up to two days before the scheduled flight: all seat transfers now involve a charge, as do ancillary services like a wheelchair for travellers challenged by embarking or disembarking.
Due to this development, travellers now force themselves to finalise bookings weeks earlier than usual to lock in manageable rates, a trend seen throughout the past month.
Coping in the midst of a crisis
Given the circumstances, airlines these days find themselves with little room for operational errors which could prove incredibly costly.
In which case, technology has become a fundamental part of the operational arsenal, particularly new technologies like agentic artificial intelligence (AI).
Consider the practice of predictive rebooking: most travellers are using AI-powered tools and use travel platforms that leverage such technologies as they do more than just plan itineraries.
As a report from FCM Travel put it earlier this year, predictive AI is analysing flight disruptions and rebooking travellers well before flights are cancelled.
At the same time, as we pointed out earlier in this feature, airlines now enforce stricter pre-paid assigned seating structures as opposed to open boarding.
According to a post from travel blog Idyllic Pursuit, this operational shift is meant to keep flights on schedule, trimming up to 12 minutes off boarding time.
We should also point out here that the psychological gap between basic economy and upgraded tiers has narrowed.
As mentioned, many airlines, and particularly low-cost carriers are segueing heavily into premium ancillary services.
On average, these services now make up nearly 50 percent of some carriers' revenue streams.
While not everyone avails of these, those travellers opting to pay higher airfares now go for package deals which include lounge access, priority fast-track security lane passes, as well as extra legroom to ensure a more comfortable experience in both the airport and the actual flight.
Drive, they say
When it comes to domestic travel for the holidays, an increasing number of domestic travellers are choosing to take road or train trips to get home.
Not only is this seen as a more sustainable way to travel domestically, but it is also in keeping with the trend for more immersive and experiential travel.
As a trend report from RateHawk explained, it is particularly advantageous for those on a budget, as well as those who wish to see and explore more of a destination throughout an extended period.
Per the report:
“Driving offers freedom and flexibility that travelers can’t take advantage of when flying or relying on public transport. [Research] has shown that one in three British travellers planned a road trip as their main holiday in 2025. It’s important to emphasise that these road trips aren’t what they were 20 years ago, although coastal and countryside destinations remain tourist hotspots.”
At any rate, much as many do want to be home for the holidays, the trip homeward for 2026 and early 2027 is going to prove more of a challenge than it has ever been.
