Airline ticket prices have risen significantly this year, especially during holidays. Even if you plan to book tickets using your frequent flyer miles, don't expect to get much of a discount.
According to data from the mileage and points exchange search website Seats.aero, during Thanksgiving travel, flight prices between major airports in the United States purchased with frequent flyer miles were 32% higher than the same period last year. Despite the soaring ticket prices this year, airline executives stated last month that demand remains strong.
Airlines have largely abandoned fixed mileage redemption tables in favor of dynamic pricing, which makes it more difficult to manage budgets for reward flights. Dynamic pricing means that the cost of redemption varies depending on demand, routes, and other factors.
Among this year's most expensive Thanksgiving flight routes, many are those with longer flying distances, including flights to and from Hawaii. However, the list also includes a direct flight from New York to Houston.
The following is a comparison of changes in mileage redemption prices based on the average data for one-way flights at the beginning of November, compared to the same period last year during Thanksgiving holidays:
Since the attacks on Iran by the United States and Israel on February 28, jet fuel prices have risen significantly, eroding the profits of airlines. Airlines have been trying to pass on as much of the cost as possible to consumers.
Even for some of the cheapest reward flight routes, the prices are higher than last year, including short-distance flights such as from Tulsa, Oklahoma, to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.
The following are the routes where reward flights are on average the cheapest, as well as the changes compared to last year's Thanksgiving holiday:












