Calgary named one of the most affordable holiday destinations

Calgary was just named an affordable destination to fly to this holiday season, according to new data from Kayak.

The travel search engine based its findings on flight searches made between April 1 and Sept. 1, 2026, for trips departing from Canadian airports between Dec. 17, 2026, and Jan. 6, 2027 and the data was compared to searches made during the same periods in 2025.

The average round-trip airfare to Calgary during that period is $518, making it the most affordable destination on the list for Canadians looking to travel over the holidays.

New York came in second, with an average round-trip airfare of $523, followed by Toronto at $524. Vancouver and Las Vegas rounded out the top five, with average airfares of $580 and $644, respectively.

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Kayak also highlighted a few other things travellers should know before booking their holiday plans.

Dec. 19 is expected to be the busiest day for international flights, while Dec. 18 is the cheapest day to fly domestically before Christmas, with an average airfare of $385.

However, travellers heading outside Canada may want to avoid flying on Dec. 18, as it is expected to be the most expensive day for international travel, with average airfare reaching $1,462.

There could also be some savings for those planning a road trip, with searches for domestic rental cars up seven per cent compared to last holiday season, while average rental rates have dropped 11 per cent.

Earlier this month, Calgary was also named one of the most affordable Canadian destinations worth checking out by Travel + Leisure. 

This city made the cut thanks to the Calgary Stampede, its proximity to the Rocky Mountains, and its reputation as one of Canada’s more affordable major cities.