Highest Fares In Cincinnati, Lowest Fare At Atlantic City
Average domestic air fares in the first quarter of 2008 were up
4.4 percent from the first quarter of 2007 in the largest
year-to-year increase since second quarter 2006, according to
numbers released Wednesday by the US Department of
Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS).
Still, average fares remained 4.6 percent below the
January-to-March high set in 2001.
BTS, a part of the Research and Innovative Technology
Administration, reported that average fares increased 11.7 percent
from the first quarter of 1995 to the first quarter of 2008
compared to a cumulative 41.0 percent inflation rate. First quarter
2008 fares increased 4.4 percent from the first quarter of 2007
compared to a 4.0 percent inflation rate.
The average domestic itinerary fare in the first quarter of 2008
of $332 was the highest average fare since the second quarter of
2006. The first-quarter 2008 average fare was up 10.1 percent from
the post-9/11 first-quarter low of $301 in 2005.
Average fares are based on domestic itinerary fares, round-trip
or one-way for which no return is purchased. Fares include taxes
and fees. Averages do not include frequent-flyer or "zero fares,"
or a few abnormally high reported fares.
Fares in the first quarter of 2008
rose 1.5 percent from the fourth-quarter 2007 average of $327. BTS
notes quarter-to-quarter changes may be affected by seasonal
factors.
Of the top 100 airports based on originating passengers, the
highest first-quarter average fares were in Cincinnati; followed by
Greenville/Spartanburg, SC; Madison, WI; Knoxville, TN; and Grand
Rapids, MI. The lowest fares in the top 100 airports were at
Atlantic City, NJ followed by Dallas Love, TX; Burbank, CA; Ft.
Lauderdale, FL; and Las Vegas.
The largest year-to-year average fare increase for the first
quarter among the 100 largest airports, ranked by originating
passengers, was 15.6 percent in Boston followed by Washington
Dulles; Houston Bush; Washington Reagan National; and Chicago
Midway.
The biggest year-to-year average decrease was 48.6 percent
Atlantic City, NJ followed by Charleston, SC; Ft. Lauderdale, FL;
San Francisco; and Atlanta. The largest average fare increase from
the first quarter of 1995 was 187.2 percent at Dallas Love,
followed by Lubbock, TX; Houston Hobby; El Paso, TX; and Las
Vegas.
The largest average fare decrease from the first quarter of 1995
to the first quarter of 2007 was 34.6 percent in White Plains, NY.
The other top five average fare decreases over this period took
place at Manchester, NH; Newburgh, NY; Jackson, MS; and
Pittsburgh.