Even though the leaves are just starting to fall in many parts of the country, the holidays are quickly approaching. Rising prices are affecting every aspect of the booking process and the travel experience for people who plan to travel, whether to visit family or use up unused vacation days.

According to a survey conducted by YouGov (a market research and analytics firm) on behalf of TPG in mid-October, the majority of adults in the United States who have traveled in 2022 or expect to do so by the end of the year due to the upcoming holiday season said rising prices have forced them to adjust their travel plans.

Sixty-seven percent of these U.S. travelers said they’ll try to save money on their holiday travels by staying closer to home, driving instead of flying, taking shorter trips, or limiting activities and excursions at their destination. According to Hopper, domestic flight prices have remained consistent with 2019 levels during the Thanksgiving travel period. However, as the holiday approaches, those prices are expected to rise. Christmas flights are even more expensive than Thanksgiving flights.

Reduced flight schedules — many of which airlines proactively reduced ahead of the high-demand holiday season to avoid the mass cancellations and delays of the previous two years — soaring jet fuel prices, and pent-up demand have, at times, driven winter holiday flights to their highest prices in the last five years, according to Hopper.

And that’s to say nothing of rapidly climbing inflation and other economic factors.

According to the YouGov survey, despite the economic climate, which has seen travelers pay a premium for everything from airfare to gas to hotel rooms, more than a third of US travelers (37%) will spend less on holiday travel this year than they did prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

TPG reader Michele Allison, for example, stated that she will be visiting family in Jamaica this Christmas. The hotel rates are consistent with previous experiences, but the flights are exorbitant. She booked her trip in February to save money, but she noted that “the fares were outrageous” even then.

Allison estimated that flights from New York to Jamaica for the holidays booked in the fall would cost around $950. Those flights are currently priced in excess of $2,000. Since she booked at the beginning of the year, they’ve nearly quadrupled.

“I haven’t been back for Christmas since 2019, and I couldn’t do it again,” Allison explained. “Airlines are taking advantage of the fact that people are missing friends, family, and holiday travel…

Clearly, high prices aren’t deterring people from traveling, but cost-cutting measures are on everyone’s mind right now. Affordability is the top priority for all U.S. adults traveling this year, with 70% citing it as an important factor when booking a flight. More than half (55%) prefer nonstop or direct flights whenever possible, most likely to avoid the disruptions, delays, and cancellations that have plagued the industry since travel resumed this year.

TPG readers are relying heavily on points and miles redemptions and considering alternate destinations to save money on holiday travel. One traveler stated that they had contacted hotels directly to see if they would match online pricing.

Another TPG reader, Connie Curran Grodensky, said that while prices have affected the length of her trip, she is extending her stay on the East Coast rather than shortening it.

Grodensky stated that she is staying “a little longer” in order to get a better deal on an award ticket. “This way it fit into my budget,” she explained.

According to TPG senior editor Matt Moffitt, there are other reasons why an extended stay may be more valuable.

“Staying longer and getting an extra night free is one of the best ways to reduce accommodation costs on a trip,” Moffitt said. “For example, if you use your Marriott Bonvoy points to book a five-night or longer reward stay, you’ll get the fifth night free. If you have a credit card that offers a free night reward or certificate, you can get a lot of mileage out of it when traveling during the holidays, when prices tend to be higher.”

“Staying longer and getting an extra night free is one of the best ways to reduce accommodation costs on a trip,” Moffitt said. “For example, if you use your Marriott Bonvoy points to book a five-night or longer reward stay, you’ll get the fifth night free. If you have a credit card that offers a free night reward or certificate, you can get a lot of mileage out of it when traveling during the holidays, when prices tend to be higher.”

Travelers who are spending more on holiday travel than usual may find a silver lining in travel rewards.

“I recommend looking for award flights on or near the dates you want to travel for the holidays,” said TPG senior editor Andrew Kunesh. “Consider multiple programs with the points and miles you have.”

Kunesh, for example, will save more than $700 this holiday season because he used Delta SkyMiles to book award tickets to visit his parents.

“If you have transferable points, weigh your options and compare multiple transfer partners to find the best deal,” Kunesh added.

Of course, for some travelers, a return to normalcy and the joy of seeing loved ones during the holidays is worth any price.

Chris Prigmore, another TPG reader, said she is paying double what she’d normally spend to visit friends for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. She decided to stick with her decadelong routine and accept the costs.

“I wasn’t interested in another disruption after experiencing a solo holiday season in 2020 and getting back to [my] routine in 2021,” Prigmore said.

Until otherwise stated, all figures are from YouGov PLC. The total sample size was 2,397 adults, with 1,272 having traveled in 2022 or planning to travel before the end of the year. Fieldwork was carried out between October 12 and 14, 2022. The survey was conducted online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all adults in the United States aged 18 and up.