New Study Reveals U.S. Cities with Biggest Airfare Spikes
A new study looks at 128 million airfares in cities across the United States, to reveal how the cost of domestic flights has changed compared to this time last year. As travel demand continues to rise, no city in the U.S. was spared from higher flight prices. The study revealed that airfares have spiked an average of 17% compared to last year, with smaller cities seeing the greatest increase in average cost.
According to the study, smaller cities make up the top five airports with the largest airfare increases. This is likely due to the fact that smaller airports offer fewer flights on fewer airlines compared to larger cities.
Cities with the biggest increase in airfare
All of the top 5 airfare increases were in smaller cities, as were 7 of the top 10. Larger airports also saw airfare increases, just not to the extent of the smaller cities.
The city with the biggest fare increase is Flint, Michigan – up 35%. Flint is serviced by Bishop International Airport, located less than 10 minutes outside of town. If you fly out of the Flint metropolitan area, you can expect to pay 35% more (a difference of $130 per ticket) this year for an average domestic airline ticket.
Here are the cities with the 10 biggest increases in airfare:
- Flint, MI: 35% increase in airfare
- Akron, OH: 32% increase in airfare
- Dayton, OH: 30% increase in airfare
- Greensboro, NC: 28% increase in airfare
- Tucson, AZ: 25% increase in airfare
- Burbank, CA: 24% increase in airfare
- Miami, FL: 23% increase in airfare
- San Juan, Puerto Rico: 23% increase in airfare
- Fort Myers, FL: 22% increase in airfare
- Minneapolis, MN: 22% increase in airfare
Cities with the smallest increase in airfare
Even cities with the smallest increase in flight prices have seen airfares increase substantially. The top 5 cities that experienced the smallest average increase in airfare include:
- Manchester (Boston regional), NH: 10% increase in airfare
- Oakland, CA: 10% increase in airfare
- Houston, TX: 11% increase in airfare
- Rochester, NY: 11% increase in airfare
- Hartford, CT: 11% increase in airfare
For additional information and the full ranking list of the 74 U.S. departure cities with the highest price hikes, view CheapAir.com’s 2023 Year-Over-Year Airfare Study.
What can travelers do to get cheap flights?
This summer travelers can combat these rising prices by using the following tips:
- Book early: On average, the best time to buy flights is 70 days in advance of departure. Find out what is the best time to book.
- Consider alternative airports: Travelers that live in a smaller city may find it beneficial to fly out of a nearby larger airport.
- Manage upfront costs: Monthly payments can help travelers defer up-front travel costs and pay over time.
DDG
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