Portland airfares rise as holiday travel season approaches

Key Points:

• Airfares for Thanksgiving and Christmas travel are rising sharply, with national prices up 31% and 23% respectively, reaching their highest levels in a decade, largely due to elevated jet fuel costs linked to the conflict in Iran.
• Portland International Airport (PDX) has seen a nearly 14% increase in average domestic airfares in the second quarter of 2026 compared to the previous year, while passenger demand remains strong, with over 1.4 million travelers expected during the holiday period.
• Airlines, including Alaska and Southwest, are raising fares to offset higher fuel expenses and have cut seats on popular routes from Portland, leading to limited flight options and further fare increases on routes such as Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Seattle.
• Travel experts recommend booking holiday flights early, preferably before Halloween, and choosing less popular travel dates to save money, as fares tend to spike in the final two weeks before Thanksgiving and Christmas.
• While some airlines report record revenues and stable demand, there are early signs that higher fares are starting to deter some vacation travelers, prompting carriers to be more selective about which flights to operate during the holiday season.