(NEXSTAR) – With Thanksgiving just a few weeks away, you might be thinking about planning your holiday trip. The travel expert expects high demand and expensive flights this season after his two-year restrictions due to COVID-19.
A new report shows that tickets at certain airports can be more expensive than others.
Looking at the latest data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, financial planning website SmartAsset recently ranked the nation’s busiest airports based on how expensive air fares were last year.
According to BTS data, the national average airfare in the second quarter of 2022 rose to $397 from $338 at the beginning of the year. This is up from the average price of $295 seen in the second quarter of 2020, when air travelers were restricted by COVID, but the average price travelers saw at the end of 2019, just before the pandemic. It’s less than $406.
Expensive fuel, staffing challenges, and high demand all contribute to rising costs. Experts expect airline prices to drop soon, but SmartAsset has found that this has not been the case so far at some airports.
SmartAsset surveyed the 100 busiest airports in the U.S. and found average airfares (especially domestic one-way and round-trip tickets) in Q2 2022, percent change compared to the same period last year, and 3 We compared them on one metric. Changes in average airfare amounts.
Across these airports, SmartAsset found that 45 airports saw an average airfare increase of $100 or more from last year. While it may seem relatively small, many airports are seeing increases of 40% or more.
Western airports, including California, Washington, Arizona and Idaho, saw the biggest year-over-year price increases.
According to SmartAsset, here are the 10 airports with significant airfare increases from Q2 2021 to Q2 2022, along with the percentage and amount changes.
| Rank | airport | Rate of change | Change dollar amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pensacola International | 51.28% | $157 |
| 2 | Fresno Yosemite International | 42.15% | $140 |
| 3 | Seattle/Tacoma International Airport | 49.18% | $144 |
| Four | Los Angeles International Airport | 42.22% | $133 |
| Five | Bozeman Yellowstone International | 43.27% | $134 |
| 6 | Birmingham – Shuttlesworth International | 37.52% | $137 |
| 7 | spokane international | 41.61% | $129 |
| 8 | tucson international | 37.60% | $128 |
| 9 | Boise Air Terminal | 43.29% | $128 |
| Ten | Detroit Metro Wayne County | 41.64% | $126 |
Three airports – Dane County area of Madison, Wisconsin. Washington Dulles International; Birmingham – Shuttlesworth International – Average airfare is over $500. His two other airports were not far behind either. The average airfare for San Francisco International Airport is $499 and Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport is $490.
Airfares have increased at all airports SmartAsset surveyed, but not everywhere has seen prices rise significantly. His two airports, St. Pete Clearwater International Airport and Orlando Sanford International Airport, have average airfares below $150.
Average airfares at Hawaii’s Kahului airport increased by just $7, the least from last year.
Below are the 10 airports with the least change in average fares.
| Rank | airport | Rate of change | Change dollar amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | Kahului Airport | 2.40% | $7 |
| 99 | St Pete Clearwater International | 10.03% | $13 |
| 98 | Ellison Onizuka Kona International at Keyhole | 4.25% | $12 |
| 97 | Bob Hope | 8.22% | $22 |
| 96 | Metropolitan Oakland International Airport | 10.81% | $30 |
| 95 | long beach airport | 14.26% | $36 |
| 94 | Buffalo Niagara International | 13.10% | $41 |
| 93 | Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport | 14.16% | $43 |
| 92 | LaGuardia | 16.36% | $45 |
| 91 | Orlando Sanford International Airport | 24.74% | $29 |
While price changes may seem drastic, some of the spikes are due to cheaper airfares seen during the pandemic. He points out that it is still lower than it has been in the last few months.
We’re past the ‘sweet spot’ for the cheapest holiday airfare, but some days around Thanksgiving and Christmas are better for flying than others, according to travel guides.
