In our measurements the Christmas and New Year surcharge is largest in Phuket (+143 % against the city's typical price), followed by Dubai (+111 %) and Prague (+84 %). Hardly more expensive or even cheaper were Amsterdam, Berlin, Paris.
Travelling over the holidays costs more, but how much? Every week we measure the same representative hotels in many cities, always for three nights from a Friday. That shows how far prices for a check-in on 25 December 2026 (Christmas) and 1 January 2027 (New Year) sit above the city's typical level.
The surcharge by city
| City | Typical price per night | Check-in 25 Dec | Check-in 1 Jan | Surcharge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phuket | 78 € | 190 € | 160 € | +143 % |
| Dubai | 102 € | 122 € | 216 € | +111 % |
| Prague | 76 € | 137 € | 139 € | +84 % |
| Honolulu | 210 € | 366 € | 321 € | +75 % |
| Bangkok | 32 € | 35 € | 55 € | +74 % |
| Vienna | 111 € | 162 € | 186 € | +68 % |
| New York | 206 € | 304 € | 210 € | +47 % |
| Seoul | 145 € | 208 € | 163 € | +44 % |
| Istanbul | 70 € | 87 € | 96 € | +36 % |
| London | 75 € | 97 € | 75 € | +29 % |
| Tokyo | 137 € | 173 € | 139 € | +27 % |
| Rome | 131 € | 114 € | 160 € | +22 % |
Good to know: "Typical" is the median of all check-in weeks measured from late October 2026 to April 2027. Prices per night for two guests, cheapest provider, as of 30 October 2026. New Year's Eve itself (Thursday, 31 December) is not covered by our Friday measurements.
What the numbers show
- Beach destinations in Asia and the Gulf have the biggest surcharge: high season coincides with the holidays.
- Christmas-market cities such as Prague and Vienna are expensive from late November, not just at Christmas.
- Some cities hardly get more expensive over the holidays, or even cheaper, because business travellers stay away.
How to save over the holidays
- Book early and choose free cancellation, see free cancellation explained.
- Shift by a day or two: a check-in on 27 or 28 December can be much cheaper.
- Compare all providers, see cheapest way to book a hotel.
Questions
Where is the Christmas surcharge largest? In our measurements in Phuket, Dubai and Prague.
How did you measure? Every week the same representative hotels per city, three nights from a Friday, two guests, cheapest provider including taxes where shown.