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U.S. Department of Transportation U.S. Department of Transportation Icon United States Department of Transportation United States Department of Transportation

Annual and Fourth-Quarter 2019 Air Fare Data

Wednesday, April 22, 2020
Date: Wednesday, April 22, 2020
 

The 2019 average domestic itinerary air fare of $355 was the lowest inflation-adjusted annual fare since the Bureau of Transportation Statistics began collecting such records in 1995, down 0.3% from the previous low of $356 in 2018.

During the year, fares dropped in the third quarter to $346, inflation-adjusted, the lowest quarterly fare on record. In the fourth quarter, fares rose to $357, up 2.1% from the $349 fare in the fourth quarter of 2018.

Annual Air Fares

 
Inflation-adjusted
Annual 2019 fare ($355):
From Previous Year: Down 1.7% from 2018 ($356)
All Years: Down 29.5% from the highest fare for any year, $503 in 2000
Start of BTS records: Down 27.6% from 1995 ($490)
Recent high: Down 17.1% from 2014 ($428)
 
Unadjusted
Annual 2019 fare ($355):
From Previous Year: Up 1.5% from 2018 ($350)
All Years: Down 10.5% from the highest fare for any year, $396 in 2014
Start of BTS records: Up 21.4% from 1995 ($292) (compared to 67.9% consumer price increase)
Recent low: Up 14.3% from 2009 ($310)
 
Fare calculations by BTS
Itinerary Fares: Round-trips, but includes one-ways if no return is purchased.
Breakout of trip types: one-way, 39% ($255); round-trip: 61%, ($426).

 

 
Based on a random sample of 10% of the tickets.
Total ticket value: The price charged by airlines at time of ticket purchase.
Included: Additional taxes and fees levied by an outside entity at time of ticket purchase.
Not included: Fees for optional services, such as baggage fees.

 

Other Revenue: In recent years, airlines increasingly obtained additional revenue from passenger fees, as well as from other sources. U.S. passenger airlines collected 73.7% of total operating revenue of $108.7 billion from passenger fares during the first nine months of 2019, down from 87.6% in 1995.

Results for average fares are based on the BTS Origin & Destination Survey, a 10% sample of airline tickets used during the quarter. For results based on all itinerary fares for 2019, the standard error is 0.18. The median fare for the year was $293.00.

 

Fourth Quarter 2019 Air Fares

 

U.S. domestic air fares in the fourth quarter of 2019 was $357. This average fare was the all-time low for any fourth quarter, inflation-adjusted, down 1.9% from the previous low in 2017.

 

Adjusted for inflation, (constant 2019 dollars) the 4Q 2019 air fare was:

  • Down 2.7% from 4Q 2018 ($366)
  • Up 3.1% from 3Q 2019 ($346)
  • Down 16.5% from 4Q 2014 ($427)

 

Itinerary Fares: Round-trips, but includes one-way tickets if no return is purchased.
Breakout of trip types: one-way, 37% ($253); round-trip, 63% ($428).

 

 
Fourth Quarter 2019 fare ($357):
Compared to All Fourth Quarters: Down 29.4% from the highest 4Q fare, $505 in 2000.
Compared to All Quarters: Down 31.2% from the highest fare for any quarter, $518 in 1Q 1999.
Start of BTS records: Down 29.6% from 1Q 1995 ($506).
Recent high: Down 16.7% from 2Q 2014 ($428).
Recent low:  Up 1.8% from 3Q 2018 ($350).
All-time low: Up 3.1% from the all-time low 3Q 2019 ($346).
All-time fourth-quarter low:  4Q 2019 was the all-time low, down 1.9% from the previous low 4Q 2017 ($364).

 

 
Fourth Quarter 2019 fare ($357):
Trend: Up 3.3% from 3Q 2019 ($345)
Compared to All Fourth Quarters: Down 9.8% from the highest 4Q fare, $395 in 2014
Compared to All Quarters: Down 9.9% from the highest fare for any quarter, $396 in 2Q 2014
Start of BTS records: Up 20.1% from 1Q 1995 ($297) (compared to 67.9% consumer price increase)
Recent low: Up 6.2% from 3Q 2017 ($336)
Recent high: Down 9.9% from 2Q 2014 ($396)
All-time low: Up 29.3% from 2Q 1996 ($276).
All-time fourth-quarter low: Up 28.1% from 4Q 1996 ($278).

 

 

 

Highest: Nine airports with 2M+ originating passengers ($368)
Lowest: Seven airports with 1.5 to 1.9 million originating passengers ($337)

 

Additional data: see Top 100 Airports or All Airports. First Quarter 2020 average fare data will be released July 21.

 

Standard error: Results for average fares are based on the BTS Origin & Destination Survey, a 10% sample of airline tickets used during the quarter. Averages for airports with smaller samples may be less reliable.

 

Note: Results for average fares are based on the BTS Origin & Destination Survey, a 10% sample of airline tickets used during the quarter. For Q4 2019 results based on all itinerary fares, the standard error is 0.31 and the median fare is $296.00. The 90% confidence interval ranges from $356.07 to $356.97. For results based on round-trip fares, the standard error is 0.38 and the median fare is $370. The 90% confidence interval ranges from $428.04 to $429.16. For results based on one-way fares, the standard error is 0.27 and the median fare is $199. The 90% confidence interval ranges from $252.75 to $253.89.