Using miles to fly for Thanksgiving? These are the most expensive and cheapest routes

Key points

• Award tickets for Thanksgiving flights between large U.S. airports cost 32% more than last year, Seats.aero data shows.
• Airlines have replaced static mileage charts with dynamic pricing, making award ticket costs harder to budget.
• Jet fuel prices have surged since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28, cutting into airline profits.

Booking Thanksgiving flights with frequent flyer miles between large U.S. airports will cost 32% more than last year's holiday, according to data from Seats.aero, a miles and points redemption search site. The increase comes as airline ticket prices have surged this year, particularly for holiday travel.

Airline executives said last month that demand remains strong despite the higher fares.

Why award costs are rising

Airlines have largely dropped static mileage redemption charts in favor of dynamic pricing, which means redemption costs shift with demand, routes and other factors. That makes budgeting for an award ticket more difficult.

Jet fuel prices have surged since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28, eating into airline profits. Carriers have tried to pass those costs on to consumers as much as possible.

Don't expect many bargains if you're booking flights with miles, either.

— CNBC

Which routes cost the most

Many of the most expensive award routes this Thanksgiving are longer, including flights from Hawaii, according to the Seats.aero data based on one-way flights on average as of early November. The list also includes a nonstop from New York to Houston.

Even some of the cheapest award routes are pricier than last year, including short routes such as Tulsa, Oklahoma, to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.