The price of an airline ticket may not be as expensive as you think
The way the airlines are raising fares and adding surcharges everywhere, it’s not surprising that people think flying is becoming unaffordable.
In fact, a study done by Travelocity, FareCompare.com and Harrell Associates, at the request of USA Today, shows that summer fares have gone up from 12% all the way up to 200% in some markets.
According to Farecompare.com, a flight from San Francisco to Washington was $580 or $2,320 for four people. That’s an increase of $920 compared to last summer.
But Cheapflights.com says it’s not all doom-and-gloom.
In their analysis, called “travelnomics,” fares aren’t all that different compared to six months ago. Studying 13 of their most popular routes, Cheapflights found that seven out of 13 stayed within $50, four out of 13 remained within $100, and only two out of 13 increased more than $100.
Carl Schwartz, Chief Travel Officer at Cheapflights.com says that although the soaring fuel prices are putting financial pressure on the airlines, they realize that if they want people to fly, it needs to remain affordable.
Even after fuel charges are tacked on, Cheapflights’ analysts say that, in some cases, travelers are now paying less than they did in 2000. For example, the average domestic flight from San Francisco in the fourth quarter of 2000 was $455.96. In the first quarter of 2007, it was $438.21. In the first quarter of 2008, it was $395.94.
Of course there are markets where prices did increase from the first quarter of 2007 to the first quarter of 2008, but if you’re flexible enough, you can still cut your costs. Schwartz said that if travelers take their time in searching and become more flexible and open in terms of when and where they go, they can still find a good deal. One of the ways you can get a better deal is to consider alternate airports. Another way is to plan ahead. If you see a good fare in your price range, book it now.
You can download the “travelnomics” report in PDF format here.
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4 Responses to “The price of an airline ticket may not be as expensive as you think”
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By far the best way to deal with the all the difficulties that air travel entails is to choose destinations that do not require flying. You’ll have a much more enjoyable vacation that way.
The one article on this site that shined alittle light on the industry and the first reply (Hapgood) was, dont fly.
The media is doing a disservice to the flying public………….yes, airfares have gone up. But, in MOST CASES, it’s still CHEAPER TO DRIVE. Image that!
Everyone has the mentality to think, how dare the airlines UP their FARES……like you have a “right” to cheap air travel. When in reality, fares were forced up by OIL PRICES.
And, You dont think AIRLINE EMPLOYEES will subsidize your fares AGAIN with their salaries and benefits, like most of them did after 9-11 through bankruptcies? Hardly! In the next few years, all those employees will want to recoup their losses in contract negotiations. Air fares will need to cover decent wages as well.
The media is doing a disservice to the flying public………….yes, airfares have gone up. But, in MOST CASES, it’s still CHEAPER “THEN” DRIVING. Image that!
LOL, major typo!
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/addiction-cheap-airfares-causing-our/story.aspx?guid=%7B9A56401B%2DF6F2%2D411D%2D9947%2D77EC4ACE0009%7D&siteid=yhoof
Leap ahead to mid-2008: Travelers can still book coast-to-coast roundtrips for $198 — which would be about $500 in 1981 dollars adjusted for inflation — and add-on fees are now the industry norm. It’s no wonder airlines are squeezed when we’re paying 40 cents on the dollar nearly three decades later.
Call it the free market meets the tyranny of the masses armed with technology. Consumers wanted cheap fares, the Internet gave us the instantaneous means to find them, and now our tightfistedness has brought a vital industry to the verge of collapse.
Even consumer advocates acknowledge the anarchy that’s resulted 30 years after the Civil Aeronautics Board stopped setting fares and routes. Deregulation has spawned a second-rate system offering little more than Greyhound buses with wings that make five