US Cities Experiencing The Largest Increase In Airfare – What To Do

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the massive crew shortage have led to an increase in airline tickets not seen since 1963 for a single month. 

Some cities, though, are having a harder time than others. That’s according to a new study looking at the surge in airfare this year.

CheapAir.com, looked at 128 million airfares in April in cities across the United States and determined that even the cheapest domestic flight is up 26% over 2021.

This is especially true in cities with smaller airports that serve smaller metro regions

According to the study, the cities with the largest increases include:

1. Dayton, OH up 42%, – $109 more for each airline ticket
2. Flint, MI up 38%, – $103 more for each airline ticket
3. Greensboro, NC up 38%, – $95 more for each airline ticket
4. Des Moines, IA up 36%, – $99 more for each airline ticket
5. Spokane, WA up 35%, – $107 more for each airline ticket
6. Akron, OH up 34%, – $94 more for each airline ticket
7. Cincinnati, OH up 34%, – $79 more for each airline ticket
8. Little Rock, AR up 34%, – $96 more for each airline ticket
9. West Palm Beach, FL up 34%, – $97 more for each airline ticket
10. Grand Rapids, MI up 33%, – $89 more for each airline ticket

See the full ranking list of 74 U.S. cities here.

“The desire for travel came back so intensely, industry experts coined a new term for this post-pandemic enthusiasm – revenge travel,” the company wrote in the study. “Business travel hasn’t rebounded quite as fast, but it too is on an upswing. With accelerated demand in a still capacity-strapped industry – fares are trending up, and show no sign of slowing.”

Increases were also seen in airports near larger cities, but they were not as considerable. 

Domestic tickets at Newark Liberty International Airport, for example, increased by 17 percent this year compared to 2021, whereas citizens of Houston, Texas, only received a 15% increase. According to the study, Manchester-Boston Regional Airport witnessed the smallest increase in domestic flight prices this year, at just 14%.

There are a number of strategies travelers can keep in mind to combat the current rising in airfare prices. Those include:

1. Booking tickets 76 days in advance on average
2. For the better deals travel in January and February. For summer vacations, travel in August for better prices and fewer crowds. 
3. Wednesday is the least expensive day to take a flight.  
4. Check specific itineraries for the best times to book holidays.
5. Use booking protection which reimburses travelers up to $100 per airline ticket if prices drop after purchase.