Lower domestic airfares that travelers have enjoyed this summer will start to disappear after mid-September, with a new report predicting higher prices through the winter holidays.
US round-trip tickets cost about $257 on average, below both last year and the pre-pandemic levels of 2019, according to a consumer-travel index released Tuesday by booking app Hopper Inc. Fares are expected to climb about 10% to $283 in November and December as the slide that has punished some domestic airlines reverses.
Read More: US Airlines Eyeing a Summer Boom Are Slashing Prices Instead
International passengers won’t see much relief, with tickets remaining higher to Europe and Asia following a shift in demand toward overseas destinations. Fares to Asia are 59% above 2019 levels because flying capacity hasn’t fully returned on those routes, Hopper said. Prices will stay elevated until more flights are added.
Fares to Europe that reached record levels over the summer have moderated the last few weeks and will stabilize this fall on strong demand, Hopper said.
