Flying costs less in 2024. But not for certain destinations

Americans traveling this summer have generally seen plane ticket prices drop, a welcome trend after last year’s sticker shock.

But plane tickets remain more expensive in 2024 for certain regions and destinations, mainly for trips abroad, according to the data.

For example, an average roundtrip flight to Tokyo, Japan — one of the top hotspots for U.S. tourists — costs $1,372 this summer, up 2% from 2023, according to travel site Hopper .

Flights to Canada, South America and the Middle East and Africa regions are also up 6%, 2% and 1%, respectively, compared to summer 2023, Hopper found .

Of course, there are significant variations between cities and countries across such vast regions and continents.

For example, while the price of a round-trip ticket to Asia is stable compared to a year ago, prices for some destinations have increased: by 65% ​​(to $3,196) for an average flight to Sakata, a coastal city in northeastern Japan. ; by 42% (to $4,190) in Ipoh, one of Malaysia’s largest cities; and 35 percent (to $4,092) in Udon Thani, in northeastern Thailand, according to Hopper.

High prices in some Asian cities affect many American tourists since the continent is their second-busiest international travel destination, Hopper said.

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Flights are also up to some major hubs in South America, according to Hopper: by 16% (to $955) to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; by 34% (to $667) in Lima, Peru; and 13% (to $826) in Santiago, Chile, for example.

Average fares to Europe, Americans’ most popular overseas trip, are down 8% in summer 2024 from last year, when they reached record levels. But they remain high in some regions like Friedrichshafen and Memmingen, in southern Germany, and Bratislava, in Slovakia. Prices there have increased by 265%, 109% and 99% respectively.

“Last year was an extraordinarily expensive year,” said Hayley Berg, senior economist at Hopper.

International travel has been particularly costly as consumers have unleashed pent-up demand for overseas travel following Covid-19 restrictions, many countries have reopened their borders to foreign visitors, airlines have worked to reinstate their flight schedules and jet fuel prices skyrocketed.

Some of these dynamics have not yet relaxed in certain areas. Additionally, some destinations have their own supply and demand factors that keep prices high.

Overall, however, travelers received a large price reduction.

Average airfares for flights from the United States decreased 5.8% over the year between April 2023 and April 2024, according to the Consumer Price Index. They are down almost 1% in the last month alone.

“Most of the time what we’re seeing (now) is a huge improvement on most routes,” Berg said. “I expect this to continue.”

However, Americans may feel like flight prices are rising largely because of some airline trends, like higher fees for checked bags, said Sally French, a travel expert at NerdWallet.

The main carriers, including Alaska Airlines, American airlines, Delta Airlines, JetBlue Airways And United Airlines for example, this year they increased their checked baggage fees.

While these fee hikes are typically $5 more per bag, it can add up, especially for round-trip fares for families, French said.

“It can completely inflate the cost of your trip,” she said.

There are ways to save, however, such as flying with certain airlines, combining bags, or even trying to forgo checking a bag altogether. If you know you’ll need to check a bag, doing it before the flight checks in will likely save you money as well.

Booking a flight well in advance — at least one to three months before a domestic trip and three to four months before an international trip — is another way to save on flight costs, French said. Airlines generally don’t slash their airfares at the last minute, unlike many hotels, for example, she said.

Other ways to save include flexibility with travel time – perhaps visiting a destination during a shoulder season instead of its peak season, or taking a midweek flight rather than the weekend . Don’t forget to use rewards like frequent flyer miles and perks like travel insurance offered by some credit cards.