“There are still deals to be found, but people should plan their trips soon to get them.”įor summer travel, Kayak searches found that prices are up 28 percent compared to 2019 fares for domestic travel, and 6 percent for international. The most popular destinations are Las Vegas, Orlando, Miami, Los Angeles and Phoenix. “Travel will likely cost more this spring and summer from pent-up demand,” said Steve Hafner, the chief executive of Kayak, the travel search site, noting that flight fares are up 21 percent for domestic travel over spring break compared to 2019. According to Hopper searches, the average domestic airfare is $330, about 7 percent above 2019 prices.Īmerican carriers have not instituted fuel surcharges, though Delta Air Lines’ president, Glen Hauenstein, recently said fare hikes could be coming in the second quarter thanks to strong demand.įor now, most fare increases are tied to the post-Omicron boom in travel. It is currently around $4.įuel accounts for about 30 percent of an airline’s operating cost, said Adit Damodaran, the economist at the flight-booking app Hopper, adding that a 10 percent rise in jet fuel normally triggers about a 3 percent increase in expenses, which are generally passed on in higher airfares. Jet Fuel Index, peaking around $4.11 in early March. 24, jet fuel was $2.71 a gallon, according to the Argus U.S. According to the Consumer Price Index, airfares were up more than 12 percent in February compared to the same period in 2021, when Covid-19 vaccines were just being introduced.Īt this point, those fares are more a reflection of competition for seats than the rising price of jet fuel since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. One sign of travel’s recovery is higher airfares, as airlines are able to charge more to growing numbers of willing fliers. Here’s how the following developments in the air may affect your next trip. The rush to travel has inspired innovation in the skies at the same time as the airline industry encounters new headwinds with the war in Ukraine. Leisure travel is back after the Omicron wave, with travel off only about 8 percent last weekend compared to the same period in 2019, according to the Transportation Security Administration’s checkpoint numbers.Īs travelers make their plans for upcoming spring and summer travel, they can expect to see airfares inching up - pushed by seasonal demand, inflation and oil price spikes - while new routes are expanding as both American and foreign airlines aim to encourage a return to international travel.
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