Holiday Airfares Soar as Demand Heats Up

Flying home this holiday season could cost you a lot more than last year as increased demand pushes up airfares.

A return ticket from Philadelphia to Orlando over Thanksgiving is 59% more expensive than in 2009, USA Today reported. A round trip from New York to San Francisco over Christmas will set you back 30% more than last year.

On average, domestic airfares are up by 17% for travel over the Thanksgiving and Christmas periods.

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Consumers cut back on flying during the worst of the recession, leading airlines to cut capacity.

Now travelers are taking to the skies again, and finding fares are rising with them.

"Domestic airfares hit bottom in May 2009, were relatively low for Thanksgiving last year and now have crept up," Rick Seaney, president of FareCompare.com, told USA Today.