Happy Thanksgiving, see you on Skype.

That could be the case for many far-flung relatives who will stay put this holiday thanks to sky-high airfares.

Nationwide, fares are up between 4 percent and 20 percent over last year, according to analysts from Priceline and Travelzoo.

The reason for the hike? Airlines have cut capacity since last year. Fewer planes in the air means fewer seats, which means that airlines can charge more for each seat.

In addition, airline consolidation has led to less competition on many routes.

For families, it may mean more virtual holidays — unless they can find a way around steep fares.

If 23-year-old Trista Kempa can't afford to go home to Michigan from New York, "we'll probably do a giant Skype session" on Thanksgiving, she said, so she can at least pretend to be in the room with her parents, grandmother and aunts.

It will be better than nothing, she said, "but I will be sad."

"Everything else in the industry has wiggle room in prices — hotels, resorts, cruises. But airlines are playing with capacity," said Gabe Saglie, senior editor of the travel website Travelzoo, which has tracked Thanksgiving travel trends since 1998.

Delta, for instance, has chopped capacity another 4- to 5-percent this fall. United/Continental is down 2 to 3 percent. The squeeze has boosted Thanksgiving airfares by as much as 24 percent this year, depending on the route.

In addition, because Thanksgiving travel is compressed, with most people flying on Wednesday then home on Sunday, airlines jack up the fares on those days.

Airlines say that although capacity cuts, higher demand and even the time and date of purchase can affect Thanksgiving ticket prices, there's an even bigger factor this year — their escalating cost of operating flights.

"The cost of jet fuel is up more than 35 percent compared to a year ago," said Trebor Banstetter, spokesman for Delta Air Lines. "That has had a significant impact on fares as it has added an estimated $60 billion in additional costs to the industry."

So is there any glimmer of hope for people who do want to travel this Thanksgiving? Yes.

Consider the following options:

— Wait. It is possible that an airline facing high demand might upgrade to a larger plane on certain routes over Thanksgiving, suddenly freeing up more seats and temporarily lowering prices, Saglie said. In fact, any traveler willing to fly very last-minute might have luck checking flights during Thanksgiving week.

"There always will be people who will play the odds and get a fare sale that pops up at the last minute," he said. "They have sales for one hour. Or they have sales on 40 seats."

— Be flexible. People willing to fly the Sunday before Thanksgiving or on Thanksgiving Day can cut fares. Flying the first thing in the morning is cheaper, as is flying from regional airports.

The cheapest days to fly near Thanksgiving are Nov. 19-21, Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 24), Nov. 25, and Nov. 29-30.

— Move Thanksgiving. This may sound weird, but Saglie said that the week after Thanksgiving is a dead week for travel when airfares tumble, "so maybe families who want to get together but who are more flexible and open-minded might want to celebrate Thanksgiving that week instead."

— Drive. With gasoline prices moderating, those willing to motor six or seven hours can save money and avoid flying. Or check out a Greyhound bus or Amtrak train.

Christmas travel tips

Here's some tips about holiday fares:

— Average Christmas airfares are running about $425 round-trip, up about 1 percent over last year, according to Priceline. However, watch out for super- high prices on busy routes.

— Since there are more potential travel days for Christmas than at Thanksgiving, you may be able to cut costs by flying on an off day.

— According to Priceline, the cheapest days to fly around the holiday will be Dec. 17-21, Dec. 24-27 and Dec. 31.

— Keep checking airfares right up until Christmas week. Last year, prices fell in early December for holiday travel after peaking in October.