2025 Annual Average Domestic Air Fare Decreases from 2024

BTS 26-37

In the third quarter of 2025, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) transitioned to a new collection of passenger tickets, and launched the Origin-Destination Survey of Airline Passengers (OD40) program. Prior to the third quarter (Q3) of 2025, the ticket sampling collection was performed on a 10% basis. Beginning July 1, 2025, the ticket sampling collection changed to a 40% basis of all U.S. air carriers that operate scheduled passenger service. The Domestic Average Fares in this report and data tables are based on the 40% sampling. Fares prior to Q3 2025 will remain based on the 10% ticket sampling. The Annual Fares are a combination of the 10% and 40% fares. Find more information about the transition to the OD40 can be found on the BTS OD-40 page.

2025 Annual Fare Decreases 1.8%, Adjusted for Inflation, from Previous Year

The 2025 annual average domestic itinerary air fare of $387 decreased 1.8% from the 2024 inflation-adjusted annual fare of $394.

Annual Air Fares

Inflation-adjusted

• Annual 2025 fare: $387
• All years: Down 39.0% from the highest fare for any year, $634 in 2000
• Start of BTS records in 1995: Down 37.3% from 1995 ($618)
• Recent high: Down 7.0% from 2022 ($416)

Unadjusted

• Annual 2025 fare: $387
• From previous year: Up 0.9% from 2024 ($384)
• All years: Down 2.4% from the highest fare for any year, $396 in 2014
• Start of BTS records in 1995: Up 32.5% ($292) (compared to 111.4% consumer price index increase)
• Recent low: Up 26.1% from 2021 ($307)

Based on a sampling of 10% of tickets, up to June 2025, 40% after June, to December 2025.

• Total ticket value: The price charged by airlines at time of ticket purchase.
• Included: All fees and charges levied by an air carrier required for the passenger to board the aircraft. Also, additional taxes and fees levied by an outside entity at time of ticket purchase.
• Not included: Fees for optional services, such as baggage fees.

Fourth Quarter 2025 Air Fares

The average U.S. domestic air fare increased in the fourth quarter of 2025 to $405, up 9.2% from the third quarter 2025 inflation-adjusted fare of $370.

Itinerary Fares: Round-trips, but includes one-way tickets if no return is purchased.
Breakout of trip types: one-way, 44% ($283); round-trip, 56% ($493).

Fare calculations by BTS

*Based on a sample of approximately 40% of tickets sold.

• Total ticket value: The price charged by airlines at time of ticket purchase.
• Included: All fees and charges levied by an air carrier required for the passenger to board the aircraft. Also, additional taxes and fees levied by an outside entity at time of ticket purchase.
• Not included: Fees for optional services, such as baggage fees, seat upgrades, and selecting an assigned seat on the aircraft.

Note: Fares starting in Q3 2025 represents the new OD40% Collection fares

Inflation-Adjusted Average Air Fares

Fourth Quarter 2025 fare ($405):
Compared to all fourth quarters: Down 36.1% from the highest 4Q fare, $634 in 2000.

• Compared to all quarters: Down 38.1% from the highest fare for any quarter, $653 in 1Q 1999.
• Start of BTS records: Down 36.6% from 1Q 1995 ($638).
• Recent high: Down 8.1% from 2Q 2022 ($440).
• Recent low: Up 26.2% from 1Q 2021 ($320).
• All-time low: Up 32.5% from the previous low 3Q 2020 ($305).
• All-time fourth quarter low: Up 24.6% from the previous low 4Q 2020 ($325).

Other Revenue: In recent years, airlines have increasingly obtained additional revenue from passenger fees, as well as from other sources. U.S. passenger airlines collected 73.4% of total operating revenue of $138.9 billion from passenger fares during the nine months of 2025, down from 88.5% in 1990.

Unadjusted Average Air Fares

Fourth Quarter 2025 fare ($405):

• Trend: Up 9.3% from 3Q 2025 ($370).
• Compared to all fourth quarters: Up 1.7% from the highest 4Q fare, $398 in 2024.
• Compared to all quarters: Up 0.6% from the highest fare for any quarter, $402 in 2Q 2014.
• Start of BTS records: Up 36.2% from 1Q 1995 ($297) (compared to 111.1% consumer price increase).
• Recent low: Up 55.5% from 1Q 2021 ($260).
• Recent high: Up 1.7% from 4Q 2024 ($398).
• All-time low: Up 65.3% from 3Q 2020 ($245).

• All-time fourth-quarter low: Up 55.2% from 4Q 2020 ($260).

Fares by Airport

Fares by airport group:

• Highest: 11 airports with 2.0 million plus originating passengers ($412)
• Lowest: 14 airports with 1.0-1.49 million originating passengers ($392)

Additional data: see Top 100 Airports or All Airports.

The next press release date for the first quarter of 2026 is still being determined.