Airfare Prices in 2026 — Which Routes Cost 50% More Than Last Year and Why
Written by
G. Brian Davis
Edited by
Zuri Anderson
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Airfares have jumped 24% compared to the same week last year, according to OAG Aviation. Most of that jump has taken place in just the last two months.
Some routes have leapt by 50% or more however, with many fares more than doubling. GOBankingRates takes a look at some flight routes getting pricier.
And if you need some ways to save on travel, here are some planning tips from ChatGPT.
Which Routes Cost 50% More
With jet fuel more than doubling in cost in a few short weeks (more on that momentarily), the routes that eat up the most fuel have seen the largest fare hikes.
To illustrate that point, Business Insider reports that the following routes have seen disproportionately high fare hikes:
- New York JFK to LAX: 157% (Delta Air, rise from $128 in late February to $329 in late March)
- Washington DC Dulles to San Francisco: 237% (United Air, rise from $149 in late February to $502 in late March)
- Newark to Seattle: 281% (Alaska Air, rise from $110 in late February to $419 in late March)
- New York JFK to London Heathrow: 197% (United Air, rise from $285 in late February to $846 in late March)
- Baltimore to Montego Bay, Jamaica: 129% (Southwest Air, rise from $232 in late February to $531 in late March)
- New York JFK to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic: 243% (JetBlue, rise from $165 in late February to $566 in late March)
- LAX to San Jose, Costa Rica: 161% (Alaska Air, rise from $204 in early March to $532 in late March)
If you’re planning a cross-country or international flight, beware.
Why Fares Have Skyrocketed
The obvious reason fares have taken off is higher fuel costs, of course. In late February, the Argus US Jet Fuel Index averaged $2.42 per gallon, according to Airlines.org. By Apr. 7, it hit $4.81, nearly doubling in six weeks.
But the leap in fuel prices only tells half the story. Fares have also risen because airlines have cancelled flights and reduced capacity, per CNBC. They save money by cutting lower-margin flights — reducing supply and further driving up fares.
Just as worrisome, ABC 7 New York reports that many airlines have hiked baggage fees. Unlike airfares, baggage fees are “sticky”: Airlines could simply keep them at the current higher rates, even after fuel prices drop. That raises the risk of permanently higher flying costs.
The bottom line: It’s not a great time to book a long flight. Or any flight, really.
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