Higher airfare prices causing vacationers to adjust travel plans

(WGGB/WSHM) — The warm weather may give travelers the urge to take to the skies, but with ticket costs high for many, people are adjusting their plans.

It’s no secret that everything is expensive these days and flying is no exception. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, the average domestic fare in 2023 totaled $382, up nearly one percent from 2022′s average of $378.

“Prices have still been high…They’ve been pretty high for when they first came out of the gate last year and I think mainly due to the increased demand in travel,” said AAA Northeast Travel Advisor Wendy Marley.

With summertime travel just around the corner, Marley noted that demand isn’t the only reason for the uptick in cost. She noted that fuel surcharges are still high too.

“The fuel charges, unfortunately, isn’t something that you can avoid. They buy their fuel in bulk ahead of time at contracted rates, so it depends at the time they’re doing it,” Marley explained.

High costs are exactly why travelers we spoke with Tuesday are making alternative arrangements. Debbie Brodie is hitting the road for her family trip to Seattle.

[Reporter: how far of a drive that gonna be?]

“I think it’s like 3,000 [miles] coast to coast,” Brodie said.

Meantime, Springfield resident Yazeb Alasadl said he’s putting off his annual summer trip home to Jordan and he hopes prices will decline in the winter.

“Ticket prices every year is getting more expensive, like if you want to go back home, it was before like $1,000. Now, it’s like $1,500…$2,000,” Alasadl said.

We checked in with Bradley International Airport. They told us last summer they saw an estimated 1.6 million travelers flying in and out of the airport and, with an increase in air travel predicted across the country this summer, they expect the number this year to align with or be higher than last year.

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