Why is airfare twice as much as two years ago?

[satorifound]

Gas is not twice as much. UGH UGH UGH I really don't want to pay $900 in airfare. I want the $200 a pop tickets I got last time. LOL

 

[Redarrow5150]

Well for one the economy has improved while the cost of JET FUEL and to refine has gone up.

 

[goofy4tink]

I guess it all depends. My airfare is about $40 more than I paid two years ago. No, I'm not finding those $79 one ways from Boston to Orlando anymore, but I'm pretty happy with $109 or so.

 

[satorifound]

I guess it all depends. My airfare is about $40 more than I paid two years ago. No, I'm not finding those $79 one ways from Boston to Orlando anymore, but I'm pretty happy with $109 or so.

Well we paid $225 on SW two years ago (DEN-MCO) and now they want $400 before taxes are added in.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

Supply and demand. Demand has recovered dramatically, but the airlines decreased their capacity during the downturn. They have little incentive to fly planes less than full, as they lose money that way, so they've learned to keep planes fuller, fly less often and in turn have fares that are more profitable (note your $225 round trip airfare is probably still unprofitable, and the $400 fair may be close but most likely still unprofitable).

 

[francie57]

Guess we got lucky. We booked our Aug. airfare from Hartford to MCO last Sept. and paid the lowest price we have paid in a few years. We got non-stop roundtrip for $179 with all taxes and fees. Last year the airfare was over $300 and the year before just over $250. But as others have said, airlines have cut down their flight schedules so there are less seats to fill. That leads to less seats at really reduced prices.

 

[kaytieeldr]

And fuel isn't the only thing that costs the airlines more: insurance, taxes, rental fees (they don't own the terminals or the rights to fly from/to any given airport), salaries, advertising, maintenance... Many more costs I'm just not considering at the moment.

 

[DebbieB]

Airlines were bleeding red ink 2 years ago, they had to raise prices to stay in business.

 

[Paging Tom Morrow]

Gas is up 55% since 6/1/2009.

Labor costs generally increase about 3% per year (although some airlines negotiated better rates).

Other operating costs have increased as well.

 

[Lewisc]

Airlines have been able to reduce the number of flights to destinations like Orlando to accommodate the approximate number of passengers willing to pay a profitable fare.

 

[2binak]

Here is a history of what we've paid for airfare (per person) for the last few years. As you can see, with the exception of 2009, we pay roughly the same amount from year to year.

2008 $320
2009 $260
2010 $300
2011 $320

 

[satorifound]

I think I am going to hold out on buying the airfare for a bit more and see if prices go down. I bought closer to the event last time...

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

While airfare may be twice as much today for a certain route you flew 2 years ago, it is not twice as much for all flights. Price depends on fuel costs, time of year, route competition, etc.

 

[ancestry]

The prices for ours are about the same as they were two years ago. We average anywhere from $200 - $300 per person to Orlando. $200 is on the really lucky end, traveling at a slow time and during mid week. $300 is on the higher end for weekend flights. We usually don't travel during a holiday so I can't comment on that. Usually we end up somewhere in between at around $250 per person.

 

[tabby1881]

Our costs for the past few years flying the same week of the year:



2006 228.00 r/t pp
2007 218.00 r/t pp
2008 did not go
2009 320.00 r/t pp
2010 330.00 r/t pp


2008 the airfare would have been around 300.00 r/t pp. We go during our April school vacation. We were always able to get a good price up to 2008. Then it was as if the airlines realized that we had April vacation and what a popular time it was for travel to FL from our area. It was pretty good up till then...

 

[aubriee]

I go to WDW several times a year and for the last few years have paid $188.00-$220.00 pretty consistently. For our trip this past April 30th-May8th we paid $168.00. That's the cheapest I have ever found it out of DFW. For my upcoming Sept trip I paid $218.00. I'm still looking for my Nov/Dec trip. Flying out of DFW, if I can find it below $220.00 I buy it. With Southwest taking over Air Tran and no more Air Tran flights out of DFW after Nov 21st, I'm expecting airfare to skyrocket though.

 

[PRmamiDEdos]

I think I am going to hold out on buying the airfare for a bit more and see if prices go down. I bought closer to the event last time...

Don't wait too long. I know the news likes to speculate, but they said the other day that there will be record high fares coming this summer.

 

[mickey2000]

Its less seats with fewer flights and higher (future) fuel prices .