Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS)

Average Air Fares

City-level data - select up to 3 airports or metropolitan areas and click Submit button. Graphics scales may vary by city.

Spirit Airlines data for the six quarters from the fourth quarter of 2007 to the first quarter of 2009, which had been withheld from previous releases pending revision, have been updated and are included in this release. The addition of Spiritメs data resulted in changes to the list of top 100 airports based on 2008 originating passengers. Atlantic City, NJ, which was not included because Spirit operates more than 90 percent of the flights there, is now added to the Top 100 listings. It replaces Lubbock, TX. The changes in the top 100 list were described mistakenly in the first version of this release. Data for Lubbock is available on this page. Atlantic City average fares in the July 23, 2008 press release were based on incorrect data.

Average fares in cities in which Southwest Airlines has a large market share may not be comparable for the period before 1998. Before 1998, Southwest reported all passengers as one-way passengers with one-way fares. Beginning 3rd Quarter 1998, the Department of Transportation removed the reporting exemption and Southwest began reporting complete round-trip journeys. Southwest's reported fares roughly doubled after the reporting change.

BTS average fares are based on the total ticket value which consists of the price charged by the airlines plus any additional taxes and fees levied by an outside entity at the time of purchase. Fares include only the price paid at the time of the ticket purchase and do not include other fees, such as baggage fees, paid at the airport or onboard the aircraft. Averages do not include frequent-flyer or "zero fares" or a few abnormally high reported fares.

 
 
 


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