CheapAir.com published its first year-over-year airfare study to uncover how much the cost of domestic flights have increased compared to this time last year (March-April 19, 2021), by comparing 128 million airfares in markets across the United States. Due to accelerated travel demand, staffing shortages and inflation, it is no surprise fares are up an average of 26 percent nationwide compared to 2021. The study also revealed there is a significant variance based on which city travelers are departing from—smaller cities are seeing the greatest increase in average fare while bigger cities are experiencing the least change in price.



According to the study, cities with the biggest increase in airfares have smaller airports, servicing smaller metropolitan areas. The main factor impacting these results are the limited number of flights and airlines operating out of these airports as travel demand ramps up. The top ten cities with the largest fare spikes on average compared to 2021 include:

1. Dayton, OH up 42%, resulting in about $109 more for each airline ticket
2. Flint, MI up 38%, resulting in about $103 more for each airline ticket
3. Greensboro, NC up 38%, resulting in about $95 more for each airline ticket
4. Des Moines, IA up 36%, resulting in about $99 more for each airline ticket
5. Spokane, WA up 35%, resulting in about $107 more for each airline ticket
6. Akron, OH up 34%, resulting in about $94 more for each airline ticket
7. Cincinnati, OH up 34%, resulting in about $79 more for each airline ticket
8. Little Rock, AR up 34%, resulting in about $96 more for each airline ticket
9. West Palm Beach, FL up 34%, resulting in about $97 more for each airline ticket
10. Grand Rapids, MI up 33%, resulting in about $89 more for each airline ticket

On the other hand, big U.S. cities offer the best value, having the smallest increase in airfare from 2021 to 2022. The cities which offer the best departure value on average include:

• Manchester-Boston Regional Airport 14%, resulting in about $48 more for each airline ticket
• Houston 15%, resulting in about $40 more for each airline ticket
• New York/Newark 17%, resulting in about $37 more for each airline ticket
• San Francisco 17%, resulting in about $48 more for each airline ticket
• Boston 19%, resulting in about $48 more for each airline ticket
• Washington 19%, resulting in about $43 more for each airline ticket

To combat rising airfare prices this summer, travelers can follow these tips on the best times to buy based on the results of CheapAir.com's 2022 Annual Domestic Airfare Study.

1. Best time to buy: The best time to buy is, on average, 76 days in advance, so plan ahead and book early.
2. Depart midweek: Flying out on a Wednesday is the least expensive day to take a flight.
3. Cheapest month to travel: January and February are the cheapest months to travel. For summer vacations, travel in August for better deals and fewer crowds.