Summary
Significant Airfare Increases
As air travel resumes, millions of Americans are returning to the skies. A new report highlights how airfare from certain airports has been affected from last year to this year.
Top Airports with Price Changes
According to a report from Lending Tree, the largest spike in airfare prices was noted in Miami. Miami International Airport experienced a remarkable 23.9% rise from 2022 to 2023, with the average fare reaching $297.36.
This financial services company analyzed passenger data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) while evaluating average fares, adjusted for inflation, at the top 100 largest airports based on passenger traffic.
Following Miami, Portland, Maine’s Portland International Jetport ranked second with a 22.3% increase in prices, resulting in an average airfare of $368.31. Additionally, Long Beach Airport (California) and Southwest Florida International Airport (Fort Myers) tied for third, with fares jumping 18.9% to an average of $239.57.
Lowest Average Fares
Westchester County Airport in White Plains, New York, recorded the most significant decrease between 2022 and 2023, with an 8.3% drop in prices to $369.08. However, the most economical airfares were found at Orlando Sanford International Airport, where the average roundtrip ticket costs only $143.03.
Tips for Finding Cheap Flights
LendingTree Chief Credit Analyst Matt Schulz noted, “It clearly proves how much Americans love to travel. Once people started to feel safe about traveling again after the darkest days of the pandemic, the floodgates opened and people headed to the airport in droves to make up for lost time.”
To secure the best prices on domestic flights, travel insiders recommend planning ahead by purchasing tickets approximately 76 days in advance. Moreover, utilizing technology such as Google Flights can assist travelers by providing alerts on the optimized timing for buying tickets to achieve the lowest possible fare.
