The Average Cost of Airfare: How Much Is a Plane Ticket?

The average cost of a domestic plane ticket is $366 as of the third quarter of 2024, according to the Department of Transportation. That’s down from $382 in the second quarter and about the same average price recorded in the third quarter of 2023.

The average cost of an international economy-class plane ticket is $1,217, according to FCM and Corporate Traveler. Keep in mind the cost of international airfare fluctuates more than domestic plane tickets depending on destination. It costs much more to fly to Japan from the United States than it does to fly to Canada, for example.

How much a plane ticket costs depends on a number of factors, including the price of jet fuel, passenger demand, seat capacity, the number of carriers flying a route, and economic conditions like inflation and consumer confidence.

Motley Fool Money has the latest data on the average plane ticket costs, broken down by airport and route.

The average cost of a domestic plane ticket

The average cost of a domestic flight in the U.S. as of the third quarter of 2024 is $366. That’s about the same as prices were a year ago.

Domestic airfare plummeted to around $250 on average in the second and third quarters of 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The cost of domestic flights have since rebounded and have stayed above $350 on average since the second quarter of 2022.

The chart below shows the average cost of domestic airfare over time.

The average cost of domestic airfare in the U.S. by airport

The table below shows the average cost of domestic airfare by origin airport in the third quarter of 2024.

The most expensive flights originate from smaller and more remote airports, such as those in Guam and Alaska. The cheapest flights originate from secondary or regional airports served by low-cost carriers with limited routes. The busiest airports -- LAX, ORD, DEN -- have average domestic airfare costs close to the national average.

The most and least expensive cities to fly out of in the U.S. for domestic flights

The most expensive domestic U.S. flights originate from Guam and Alaska. Domestic flights out of Guam International airport are the most expensive, costing $1,659 on average. The second most expensive airport to depart from for domestic travel is Unalaska Airport in the Alaskan Aleutian Islands, costing an average of $1,305.

The most expensive airport to depart from for domestic travel in the continental U.S. is Telluride Regional airport in Colorado. The average cost of domestic airfare out of Telluride is $818.

The least expensive airports to fly out of for domestic travel are spread out across secondary and regional airports across the U.S. They include Branson Airport in Missouri ($91), Hagerstown Regional in Maryland ($95), and Mobile International in Alabama ($99).

The most and least expensive domestic flights in the U.S.

The most expensive city-pair flights within the U.S. either cover long distances between major airports, like New York City to San Francisco ($478 on average) or Los Angeles to New York City ($450 on average), or cover moderate distances between a smaller airport on flights with limited seats and a major airport, like Aspen to New York City ($634) or Eagle, Colorado, which services the Vail region, to Miami ($601 on average).

The least expensive domestic routes are served by ultra-low-cost carriers, like Allegiant and Spirit, connect secondary airports and leisure routes, and tend to be between mid-size cities and Florida and Utah vacation hubs. Examples include Phoenix to Provo, Utah serviced by Allegiant ($83 on average), Allentown, Pennsylvania to Sanford, Florida serviced by Allegiant ($83 on average), and Latrobe, Pennsylvania to Orlando, Florida serviced by Spirit ($86 on average).

International airfare price statistics

The average cost of an international plane ticket departing from the United States is $1,217 according to FCM and Corporate Traveler. International plane ticket prices vary widely based on route. A flight from Texas to Mexico or New York to Canada will be much cheaper than flying from Florida to France or California to Australia.

Hopper, a travel booking company, marks the following airfare prices as "good deals" to different international regions from the U.S.

How to save on plane tickets

Planning ahead and using credit cards and apps can make flights more affordable. Here are a few tips to help you save.

• Use a travel credit card or credit card points: Many travel credit cards offer points or miles for everyday purchases which can be redeemed for flights. Some cards include perks like a free checked bag or airport lounge access. Motley Fool Money has breakdowns of the best travel credit cards and the best airline credit cards if you want to dive deeper.
• Monitor plane ticket prices: Flight prices can change daily, so setting up price alerts can alert you to a deal when prices drop. Be patient and let the deals come to you.
• Avoid peak travel days: Airline tickets are usually more expensive on the weekends and during holidays. If you can be flexible, look to book mid-week, particularly Tuesday or Wednesday, to snag a cheaper seat.

A little planning and flexibility can go a long way in finding a cheaper flight -- which keeps more money in your pocket for the fun parts of your trip.