Last year, the Sunday following Thanksgiving was the busiest travel day of the year, with over 2.9 million people flying domestically in the United States. A few days before Christmas also topped the list of busiest days, with nearly 2.8 million people flying on December 22. With such heavy demand around the holidays, airfare can get particularly expensive – and runways particularly crowded.
With this in mind, SmartAsset ranked the 75 largest U.S. mainland airports based on domestic airfare prices, increases and flight delays.
Key Findings
- Despite a 6.1% decrease in airfare, this airport remains the most expensive. Domestic airfare out of Washington-Dulles International Airport (IAD) is the most expensive at an average of $483.66. Last year, these flights out of Washington, D.C. averaged just over $515.
- San Francisco International (SFO) has become the second-most expensive airport. Ranking third-most expensive for the same quarter in 2023, domestic airfare out of SFO ranked second-most expensive this year at $472.97. This was after a 1.4% increase year over year, helping SFO overtake Tucson International Airport (TUS).
- Domestic airfare dropped by 13% from this airport. Minneapolis-St. Paul International (MSP) saw the average domestic airfare drop by 13.0% year over year, going from $421.57 in Q2 2023 to $366.91 in Q2 2024. Most of this decrease was concentrated between Q2 and Q1 of this year.
- On average, 27% of flights are delayed. For the largest 30 airports with available data, the range of flights taking off on time varies significantly. Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) has the highest rate of flights leaving on time at 81.97%, compared to only 60.15% of domestic flights out of Miami International Airport (MIA).
Top 10 Airports With the Most Expensive Domestic Flights
Airports are ranked based on the average domestic airfare according to the latest data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
- IAD: Washington Dulles International
- Location: Washington-Dulles, DC
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2024: $483.66
- Change in price since Q1: -2.5%
- Average domestic airfare, Q1 2024: $495.93
- Change in price over one year: -6.1%
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2023: $515.15
- Number of passengers in 2023: 292,444
- SFO: San Francisco International
- Location: San Francisco, CA
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2024: $472.97
- Change in price since Q1: 6.5%
- Average domestic airfare, Q1 2024: $444.09
- Change in price over one year: 1.4%
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2023: $466.42
- Number of passengers in 2023: 811,808
- TUS: Tucson International
- Location: Tucson, AZ
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2024: $456.90
- Change in price since Q1: 4.5%
- Average domestic airfare, Q1 2024: $437.36
- Change in price over one year: -3.8%
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2023: $474.84
- Number of passengers in 2023: 101,796
- OKC: Will Rogers World
- Location: Oklahoma City, OK
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2024: $446.45
- Change in price since Q1: 2.0%
- Average domestic airfare, Q1 2024: $437.71
- Change in price over one year: -1.2%
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2023: $452.04
- Number of passengers in 2023: 114,953
- SNA: John Wayne Airport-Orange County
- Location: Santa Ana, CA
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2024: $438.39
- Change in price since Q1: 7.4%
- Average domestic airfare, Q1 2024: $408.31
- Change in price over one year: 9.2%
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2023: $401.44
- Number of passengers in 2023: 268,194
- GEG: Spokane International
- Location: Spokane, WA
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2024: $437.18
- Change in price since Q1: -1.1%
- Average domestic airfare, Q1 2024: $442.10
- Change in price over one year: -3.0%
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2023: $450.88
- Number of passengers in 2023: 107,983
- SLC: Salt Lake City International
- Location: Salt Lake City, UT
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2024: $432.10
- Change in price since Q1: -2.2%
- Average domestic airfare, Q1 2024: $441.86
- Change in price over one year: -4.4%
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2023: $452.03
- Number of passengers in 2023: 404,065
- TUL: Tulsa International
- Location: Tulsa, OK
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2024: $432.03
- Change in price since Q1: -2.8%
- Average domestic airfare, Q1 2024: $444.25
- Change in price over one year: -2.8%
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2023: $444.47
- Number of passengers in 2023: 84,388
- JFK: John F. Kennedy International
- Location: New York-JFK, NY
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2024: $430.44
- Change in price since Q1: -3.1%
- Average domestic airfare, Q1 2024: $444.19
- Change in price over one year: 2.0%
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2023: $421.94
- Number of passengers in 2023: 715,113
- CLT: Charlotte Douglas International
- Location: Charlotte, NC
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2024: $429.99
- Change in price since Q1: -4.0%
- Average domestic airfare, Q1 2024: $447.92
- Change in price over one year: -4.5%
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2023: $450.32
- Number of passengers in 2023: 406,215
Airports With the 10 Highest Increases in Domestic Airfare Over One Year
Major airports are ranked by the percent increase in domestic airfare between Q2 2024 and Q2 2023.
- SNA: John Wayne Airport-Orange County
- Location: Santa Ana, CA
- Change in price over one year: 9.2%
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2024: $438.39
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2023: $401.44
- Change in price since Q1, 2024: 7.4%
- Average domestic airfare, Q1 2024: $408.31
- Number of passengers in 2023: 268,194
- BUR: Bob Hope
- Location: Burbank, CA
- Change in price over one year: 4.2%
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2024: $316.59
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2023: $303.81
- Change in price since Q1, 2024: 2.5%
- Average domestic airfare, Q1 2024: $308.72
- Number of passengers in 2023: 166,485
- LAS: Harry Reid International
- Location: Las Vegas, NV
- Change in price over one year: 4.0%
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2024: $284.41
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2023: $273.47
- Change in price since Q1, 2024: -2.6%
- Average domestic airfare, Q1 2024: $292.04
- Number of passengers in 2023: 672,945
- AUS: Austin - Bergstrom International
- Location: Austin, TX
- Change in price over one year: 3.7%
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2024: $394.60
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2023: $380.51
- Change in price since Q1, 2024: 1.8%
- Average domestic airfare, Q1 2024: $387.58
- Number of passengers in 2023: 468,640
- CHS: Charleston AFB/International
- Location: Charleston, SC
- Change in price over one year: 2.7%
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2024: $356.34
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2023: $347.02
- Change in price since Q1, 2024: -6.1%
- Average domestic airfare, Q1 2024: $379.69
- Number of passengers in 2023: 138,997
- OAK: Metro Oakland International
- Location: Oakland, CA
- Change in price over one year: 2.3%
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2024: $320.97
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2023: $313.87
- Change in price since Q1, 2024: 5.7%
- Average domestic airfare, Q1 2024: $303.55
- Number of passengers in 2023: 268,118
- EWR: Newark Liberty International
- Location: Newark, NJ
- Change in price over one year: 2.2%
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2024: $420.93
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2023: $411.70
- Change in price since Q1, 2024: -2.7%
- Average domestic airfare, Q1 2024: $432.68
- Number of passengers in 2023: 930,056
- JFK: John F. Kennedy International
- Location: New York-JFK, NY
- Change in price over one year: 2.0%
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2024: $430.44
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2023: $421.94
- Change in price since Q1, 2024: -3.1%
- Average domestic airfare, Q1 2024: $444.19
- Number of passengers in 2023: 715,113
- ATL: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International
- Location: Atlanta, GA
- Change in price over one year: 1.4%
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2024: $403.55
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2023: $397.90
- Change in price since Q1, 2024: -3.4%
- Average domestic airfare, Q1 2024: $417.79
- Number of passengers in 2023: 981,435
- SFO: San Francisco International
- Location: San Francisco, CA
- Change in price over one year: 1.4%
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2024: $472.97
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2023: $466.42
- Change in price since Q1, 2024: 6.5%
- Average domestic airfare, Q1 2024: $444.09
- Number of passengers in 2023: 811,808
Airports With the 10 Highest Increases in Domestic Airfare Over One Quarter
Major airports are ranked by the percent increase in domestic airfare between Q2 2024 and Q1 2024.
- SNA: John Wayne Airport-Orange County
- Location: Santa Ana, CA
- Change in price since Q1: 7.4%
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2024: $438.39
- Average domestic airfare, Q1 2024: $408.31
- Change in price over one year: 9.2%
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2023: $401.44
- Number of passengers in 2023: 268,194
- LGB: Long Beach Airport
- Location: Long Beach, CA
- Change in price since Q1: 7.2%
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2024: $323.61
- Average domestic airfare, Q1 2024: $301.98
- Change in price over one year: 0.4%
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2023: $322.18
- Number of passengers in 2023: 91,391
- SFO: San Francisco International
- Location: San Francisco, CA
- Change in price since Q1: 6.5%
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2024: $472.97
- Average domestic airfare, Q1 2024: $444.09
- Change in price over one year: 1.4%
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2023: $466.42
- Number of passengers in 2023: 811,808
- SJC: Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International
- Location: San Jose, CA
- Change in price since Q1: 6.1%
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2024: $350.21
- Average domestic airfare, Q1 2024: $330.02
- Change in price over one year: 1.0%
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2023: $346.71
- Number of passengers in 2023: 293,529
- OAK: Metro Oakland International
- Location: Oakland, CA
- Change in price since Q1: 5.7%
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2024: $320.97
- Average domestic airfare, Q1 2024: $303.55
- Change in price over one year: 2.3%
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2023: $313.87
- Number of passengers in 2023: 268,118
- SMF: Sacramento International
- Location: Sacramento, CA
- Change in price since Q1: 5.4%
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2024: $399.19
- Average domestic airfare, Q1 2024: $378.71
- Change in price over one year: -2.1%
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2023: $407.74
- Number of passengers in 2023: 346,768
- SEA: Seattle/Tacoma International
- Location: Seattle, WA
- Change in price since Q1: 5.0%
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2024: $408.91
- Average domestic airfare, Q1 2024: $389.42
- Change in price over one year: -0.2%
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2023: $409.93
- Number of passengers in 2023: 861,535
- SYR: Syracuse Hancock International
- Location: Syracuse, NY
- Change in price since Q1: 4.8%
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2024: $377.23
- Average domestic airfare, Q1 2024: $360.04
- Change in price over one year: -3.8%
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2023: $392.16
- Number of passengers in 2023: 87,283
- BDL: Bradley International
- Location: Hartford, CT
- Change in price since Q1: 4.5%
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2024: $390.17
- Average domestic airfare, Q1 2024: $373.35
- Change in price over one year: -1.9%
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2023: $397.92
- Number of passengers in 2023: 196,921
- TUS: Tucson International
- Location: Tucson, AZ
- Change in price since Q1: 4.5%
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2024: $456.90
- Average domestic airfare, Q1 2024: $437.36
- Change in price over one year: -3.8%
- Average domestic airfare, Q2 2023: $474.84
- Number of passengers in 2023: 101,796
Data and Methodology
This study included the largest 75 U.S. mainland airports based on passengers served in 2023. Airports were ranked based on average domestic airfare based on the latest Bureau of Transportation Statistics data (Q2 2024). Price changes over one quarter and one year were also considered.
Questions about our study? Contact press@smartasset.com
Photo credit: ©iStock/izusek
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