Travelers heading out on fall flights say the cheaper, post-pandemic fares seem to be disappearing.

"I can't remember the last time I found a trip for under $200," traveler Julia Evans said.

Frequent flier Samir Patel says fares are out of control; "Even short one-hour trips are like $500, $600," he said.

The newest government consumer price index confirms those suspicions, finding that airfares overall are up 5.9% from August 2024 to August 2025.

RELATED STORY | Prices rise in August; tariff impact on inflation under scrutiny

With that in mind, now is the time to start setting price alerts for holiday flights to avoid overpaying around Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Watch a travel expert show the best times to book your flight for the lowest price: When to book holiday flights, t

See Full Page