Planning on Traveling This Summer? Here's why your flight costs so much.

You’d think crossing an ocean would cost more than crossing a few states, but this summer, U.S. flyers are getting a surprising reality check. Flying overseas burns far more jet fuel than a quick flight across the country, yet domestic airfare has climbed much faster than international fares. Domestic flight prices have risen 23.2% since March 2025, compared to just 11.5% for international flights over the same period — making this the most expensive summer to fly within the U.S. in the past four years.

Why is it costing more to see family at home than to fly abroad?

International flights use roughly 15,000 to 30,000 gallons of fuel per trip, compared to 1,800 to 2,700 gallons for a domestic flight. Fuel alone would suggest overseas trips should cost more. But airline pricing isn't driven by fuel costs alone — and families are feeling the gap.

Jet fuel prices nearly doubled during the recent conflict with Iran, as shipping slowed through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow passage that roughly a fifth of the world's oil moves through. Airlines braced for major losses, and Willie Walsh, outgoing head of the International Air Transport Association, warned industry profits could be cut in half this year.

Unlike gas prices, which hit drivers the moment they fill up, airfare doesn't move in lockstep with fuel costs. A family booking a flight today may be paying for fuel price spikes from months ago — even though airlines haven't passed along the full increase.

Some of the added cost also comes from airlines simply choosing to fly fewer routes and prioritize higher-paying seats. American Airlines announced it will suspend six domestic routes in August and September, citing higher fuel costs. International flights haven't seen the same shifts in demand, and there are fewer of them to begin with, so airlines don't need to adjust as aggressively to keep those planes full.

What should families expect from flights this summer and beyond?

Even with the Strait of Hormuz reopened and jet fuel prices falling — now around $2.87 a gallon, down from nearly $5 in April — airfare isn't following fuel costs back down. Airlines were still raising prices as recently as two weeks ago.

For families already juggling rising costs everywhere else — groceries, housing, childcare — the price of simply getting everyone together for a family vacation is an added strain.