Christmas & New Year's 2026 Family Trip Prices: What a Family of 4 Really Pays
The week between Christmas and New Year's is when most families are off together, and it is one of the most expensive weeks of the year to travel. Here is what Dec 26, 2026 – Jan 2, 2027 actually costs 2 adults and 2 kids, from real searches we ran on November 10, 2026, and how it compares with the same resorts at Thanksgiving.
The short answer
A typical all-inclusive week ran $7,953 (Riviera Maya) to $9,525 (Jamaica) for the family, taxes included. The same resorts cost about 1.6–2.0× their Thanksgiving-week price. The lowest-cost options were an Orlando hotel (room only) or a short Carnival cruise you can drive to, from $792 for 4.
Leaving a week earlier saves the most: the same resorts typically cost 29–44% less for Dec 19–26, 2026. See those prices.
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| Trip (7 nights) | Typical week | Lowest we found | vs Thanksgiving | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orlando Hotel, room only · 31 options | $1,467 | $632 Rosen Inn at Pointe Orlando | 1.6× 6 resorts priced both weeks | All prices → |
| Riviera Maya All-inclusive · 16 options | $7,953 | $3,416 Catalonia Riviera Maya Resort and Spa | 2.0× 11 resorts priced both weeks | All prices → |
| Cancun All-inclusive · 23 options | $8,080 | $4,095 Park Royal Beach Cancun | 1.9× 13 resorts priced both weeks | All prices → |
| Punta Cana All-inclusive · 22 options | $8,106 | $1,331 Bahia Principe Explore Punta Cana | 2.0× 10 resorts priced both weeks | All prices → |
| Jamaica All-inclusive · 8 options | $9,525 | $6,897 Franklyn D. Resort & Spa | 1.6× 5 resorts priced both weeks | All prices → |
| Bahamas (Nassau) Hotel, room only · 7 options | $13,302 | $4,913 Holiday Inn Express & Suites Nassau | 2.0× 7 resorts priced both weeks | All prices → |
| Carnival cruise (7 US ports) Interior cabin · 3–5 nights · 29 sailings | $1,668 | $792 Carnival Conquest, 3 nights from Miami | — | All prices → |
Whole family of 4, taxes and fees included, flights extra. Resorts and hotels: our live booking feed (Expedia-group inventory), 2 adults + kids 6 and 10, one room, Dec 26, 2026 – Jan 2, 2027, checked November 10, 2026. “vs Thanksgiving” compares each resort with its own Nov 21–28, 2026 price (same live feed) and shows the middle ratio. Cruise: carnival.com, 4 guests in one interior cabin, every 3–5 night sailing departing Dec 18, 2026 – Jan 3, 2027, checked November 12, 2026 (20 week-long sailings typically $2,356). “Typical” is the middle price. Holiday-week rooms sell out and prices change daily.
The week before Christmas costs 29–44% less
If your kids' school break starts in time, Dec 19–26, 2026 is the better deal. Each row compares only resorts we priced both weeks, so it isn't a mix of different hotels.
| 7 nights, family of 4 | Dec 19–26 | Dec 26–Jan 2 | Less |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orlando Hotel, room only · 13 resorts priced both weeks | $951 | $1,664 | 29% |
| Cancun All-inclusive · 12 resorts priced both weeks | $4,670 | $7,844 | 36% |
| Punta Cana All-inclusive · 13 resorts priced both weeks | $4,849 | $8,200 | 37% |
| Jamaica All-inclusive · 6 resorts priced both weeks | $5,594 | $9,525 | 44% |
Cancun · lowest for Dec 19–26
Punta Cana · lowest for Dec 19–26
Expedia, 2 adults + kids 6 and 10, one room, taxes and fees included, flights extra. Dec 19–26, 2026 checked November 2, 2026; Dec 26–Jan 2 checked November 10, 2026, so the two weeks were priced a week apart and today's gap may differ. “Typical” is the middle price and “Less” is the middle of each resort's own difference, so it won't always match the two columns exactly. One suite-only price was left out.
The 3 lowest-priced places to stay in each destination
Each button opens that resort on Expedia for Dec 26, 2026 – Jan 2, 2027, 2 adults and kids 6 and 10, so the price you see is the stay we priced.
Cancun · all-inclusive
Punta Cana · all-inclusive
Jamaica · all-inclusive
Riviera Maya · all-inclusive
Bahamas (Nassau) · hotel, room only
What the numbers mean for your family
- • New Year's week costs about double. In Cancun, Punta Cana, the Riviera Maya and the Bahamas, the same resort cost roughly twice its Thanksgiving-week price. If your kids' school break allows it, the week before Christmas runs well below it, and early January is worth pricing too.
- • All-inclusive vs room only. The Caribbean prices include all food and drinks for 4. Orlando and Nassau prices are the room only, so add meals and park or water-park tickets.
- • A cruise you can drive to skips holiday airfare for four. Galveston, New Orleans, Mobile, Tampa, Jacksonville, Port Canaveral and Miami all have Carnival sailings departing Dec 18 – Jan 3.
- • Book the room before the flights. When we searched, two resorts priced this week at more than 3.5× their Thanksgiving rate, which usually means only suites were left. We left them out of the averages.
- • Comparing other dates? See Thanksgiving 2026, Presidents' Week 2027 and spring break 2027 prices for the same trips. Watching for a sale? Use our Black Friday prices to beat.
- • Want someone to compare it for you? Real prices land in your inbox right away, then our Fora advisor prices 2–3 options for your exact dates, free.