MADISON, Wis. — Flying out of Madison may be convenient, but it can also prove expensive, according to a new national study of average airfares.
The study recently published by SmartAsset looked at the average airfare from the second quarter of this year — April, May, and June — and compared it to the average airfare from the second quarter of last year.
Among the study’s key findings: Dane County Regional Airport had one of the highest average airfares in the entire country, averaging $526 — the same average fare for flights out of Washington Dulles International Airport. Only one other airport in the country, Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport, had an average fare of more than $500 according to the study, coming in at $503.
Airfare has skyrocketed in the past year, in part due to inflation and the rising costs of jet fuel, and a high number of canceled flights. SmartAsset found the average airfare increased by more than 20% in April, May, and June of this year compared to the same time last year.
The national average for airfare was about $397 in the second quarter of 2022 — the first time since 2014 that the national average had topped $390, according to SmartAsset. Prices have now increased beyond the point where they were before the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, which sent prices plunging as most people avoided travel.
Experts say prices are unlikely to drop anytime soon with the holiday season approaching.
In order to get the best deal on your flights, experts recommend setting up alerts for flights to your desired destination and being flexible in your travel — and booking the flight when rates are at a point you’re comfortable paying.
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