2023 marked a record year for U.S. air travel despite sharp increases in ticket prices since before the pandemic. While there is some hope for relief moving into 2024, airline prices remain high. To help travelers navigate this new normal, Upgraded Points analyzed the most recent airfare data from the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics, and calculated average ticket prices for every flight segment in the U.S.
Domestic airfares increased sharply in recent years, but remain low relative to historic levels. Image Credit: Upgraded Points
Following a sharp decline at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, average ticket prices for domestic flights booked in the U.S., including both roundtrip and one-way itineraries, increased from a low of $245 in mid-2020 to a record high of $397 in the first half of 2022. This 62% change, driven by a surge in travel demand post-pandemic, marked the fastest increase on record. Though average prices have slightly decreased since then, Americans are still paying an average of $368 for their airfares.
It’s worth noting that, despite the perception of high prices, when adjusted for inflation, airfares are currently more affordable than in previous years. Compared to the early 2000s, today’s ticket prices are approximately 40% lower after accounting for inflation. For reference, the average airfare in early 2001 was $348, equivalent to over $600 in today’s dollars.
Source: Upgraded Points analysis of U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics data
Total airfares increase with distance, but cost per mile declines. Image Credit: Upgraded Points
Distance traveled is one of the primary factors that dictates airfares. U.S. flyers traveling under 1,000 miles can expect to pay around $200 or less each way. Longer flights, over 2,000 miles, average around $346. Despite the overall ticket cost increasing with distance, long-distance flights provide better value per mile. The price per mile drops rapidly from an average of $0.85 for flights under 250 miles to just $0.15 for flights over 2,000 miles.
When comparing flying to driving, driving is usually cheaper for trips under 250 miles. However, once the trip exceeds 250 miles, flying often becomes the more affordable option. With standard driving reimbursement rates at $0.655 per mile, flying is generally cost-effective for all but the shortest trips.
Among all U.S. domestic flights, the highest-priced itineraries share similar characteristics: they connect major cities to popular resort and vacation destinations. Specifically, seven of the top 10 most expensive flights connect travelers in Florida and New York with the mountain destinations of Aspen and Vail (Eagle Airport) in Colorado, as well as Sun Valley in Idaho. Similarly, two of the top 10 connect San Francisco and Los Angeles to Nantucket, a popular summer destination for affluent travelers. At $770 one way, the Aspen, CO to West Palm Beach/Palm Beach, FL segment is the most expensive flight in the U.S., and is 25% more expensive than a year ago.
Source: Upgraded Points analysis of U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics data
Certain domestic flights are ~2X more expensive than expected given their length. Image Credit: Upgraded Points
Certain flights stand out based on either their overall price or price per mile. As previously mentioned, flights between Colorado and the East Coast, with one-way fares exceeding $650, and those connecting the West Coast with Nantucket fall into this category. Despite their high overall prices, these flights average around $0.33 per mile, only moderately above the average.
Conversely, some of the shortest flights tend to be the priciest on a per-mile basis. For instance, the 135-mile trip between Philadelphia and Washington, DC, averages $365 each way, an astonishing $2.71 per mile. Similar high pricing relative to distance is observed for flights between Cleveland and Detroit, as well as Aspen to Denver.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, some of the best-value flights per mile are found between various U.S. cities and Sanford, FL, the operating base for ultra-low-cost carrier Allegiant Air. Travelers can discover many medium- and long-distance flights in and out of Sanford for around $100 or less. The most economical flight in the U.S. on a per-mile basis is between Sanford and Las Vegas, averaging just $88, or $0.04 per mile.
Below is a complete breakdown of average airfare for more than 6,000 domestic flight itineraries in the U.S. The analysis was conducted by Upgraded Points, using data from the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics. For more information on the data, see the methodology section.
Photo Credit: Babaroga / Shutterstock
The data used in this study is from the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics’ Domestic Airline Consumer Airfare Report. The statistics shown are for one-way trips, aggregated as directionless city pairs. Airfares for each city pair include both nonstop and connecting itineraries, and were calculated using a weighted average of Q1–Q3 2023 data—the latest available—based on passenger volume. The distance metric is the nonstop distance even if a nonstop option is not available. Only city-pair markets with data available for both 2023 and 2022 were included.
For complete results, see The Most Expensive Flights in the U.S. on Upgraded Points.
