'It's outrageous': Travel experts predict expensive holiday airfare

If you haven't already booked Thanksgiving airfare, be prepared to pay a hefty price.

"I wouldn't try to fly out on a busy day," said Tiffany Smith as she was en route to Florida. "Not with these prices."

Travel analysts point to an increase in jet fuel costs, staffing shortages, and pent-up demand from Americans -- half of whom will be traveling for the first time since the pandemic, according to travel planning app Hopper.

"I guess people are just tired of COVID and they want to get out. But, it's costing," said Smith.

With just two weeks to go until the Thanksgiving holiday, airfare continues to increase each day.

"It's outrageous," said Lori Dupree. She and her family just returned to Raleigh from Orlando after completing a Disney cruise to celebrate Christmas.

Yes, Christmas. "That's why we went early," she said.

"Flying with a family would be rough right about now. Because I was looking at the prices and it's like double what it was earlier in the summer," added Smith.

A possible, albeit long way off, pilot strike could also be up in the air as pilot unions are in mediation talks with airlines currently.

In an interview Monday, Delta Airlines CEO Ed Bastian referred to a pilot strike as "not a possibility."