I’ve been pretty bummed thinking about how I’m not going home for Thanksgiving. I figured that after missing it for the last two years, surely I’d go home this year, but that was before I looked at plane tickets. 

For my husband and me to fly cross-country to my family in North Carolina, we’d spend … *drumroll* ... a whopping $2,000. Even when I looked a month ago, the tickets were hovering at around $800 apiece. Now you might be thinking, “Well, that’s your fault. You should’ve bought them earlier.” OK, yes, maybe. But in my defense, we just moved from Los Angeles to Oregon a couple of weeks ago, and so with the impending move, we delayed buying tickets until we were certain where we’d be flying from. 

Regardless, I know I’m not alone in this experience. Apparently, airfares are up 43% from a year earlier!! Fewer scheduled flights, pent-up travel demand and pricier jet fuel are all to blame. And even more great news: It seems like it’s not going to get any better next year.

While this feels pretty depressing to me, it also motivates me to think of more creative ways to connect with loved ones when I’m not physically near them. The pandemic has obviously introduced us to more ways (FaceTime calls, virtual game nights, etc.), but I recently suggested to my family that we try something recurring like a virtual book club. Nothing too serious or stuffy, but just another intentional way for us to connect! 

Anyway, if you’re in the same boat this Thanksgiving, I hope you’re still able to connect with loved ones, create new traditions and eat a lot of pie. I will be doing all of the above, including scanning for upcoming flights home that don’t cost $2,000. 

— Reema 

This week on the podcast

Bait and Switch

Toying with criminals is a dangerous game. This week, we'll meet a chain-smoking internet detective who plays to win. (Listening time, 45:44)

Defend your splurge

Tell us why you bought that thing — we won’t judge

Tell us how you treated yourself and why, attach a photo, and we’ll feature the best ones in our newsletter! This week, our intern Kunal Patel tells us about a night out that took a few left turns.

I’ve always viewed Uber and Lyft as chariots of excess for the lazy and entitled. As a connoisseur of public transportation, I am loath to spend any more money than necessary to convey myself from point A to B. 

A while back, I decided that I was in love with a boy I’d met precisely once. I was certain that this would be the great romance of my 20s, and we quickly arranged a second date. It went poorly. Devastated and feeling foolish, I tried to meet up with a friend but missed my bus, thanks to a nearby block party. With the next one 30 minutes away, I slumped in defeat, scowling at passing revelers, lovers and anyone else with the audacity to look happy in the face of my heartbreak. 

Eventually, it all became too much and I ordered a Lyft to stop myself from drowning in my own sorrow. In a cruel twist of fate, my driver was delayed and my $11.99 Lyft arrived at exactly the same time as the $2 bus. Upsetting as this was, a shared bottle of Trader Joe’s wine with a friend did make everything feel a little bit better. Despite the cursed journey, and my subsequently blurry memory, it at least looks like we had a nice time.

The comfort zone

What our team is into right now.

• This Thanksgiving, ask the fam some Uncomfortable questions.
• Reema’s go-to side.
• Marque’s been running drills with this sweet potato pie recipe.
• Zoë loves The New York Times’ vegan Thanksgiving recipes.
• “A farewell to DM sliding.”
• 🚨 New SZA.
• Would you charge your gf $3 for a banana at your mom’s house?
• A good pod from the “You’re Wrong About” gang.
• Our favorite Thanksgiving movies: “Fantastic Mr. Fox,” “The Last Waltz” and “Planes, Trains and Automobiles.”
• Alice got a lot from “How to Keep House While Drowning.”
• What do dads think of the “dad shoe” trend?
• Here’s a very Uncomfortable story about how college athletes make money.
• Kunal’s favorite YouTube channel: “Ask a Mortician.”
• A good card game for your Friendsgiving.
• Your weekend vibe: “It’s a Mystery, Charlie Brown.”