Airline ticket prices surge on major US routes as fuel costs climb

War in the Middle East has pushed fuel costs and airfares sharply higher. Brent crude is up more than 50% over the past month, to around $101 a barrel, while the Argus US Jet Fuel Index has climbed 72% over the same period. Jet fuel is typically airlines' biggest expense after labor, and most American carriers do not hedge heavily against fuel costs.

Deutsche Bank's data, which looks at the lowest published fares available 21 days before travel, shows steep fare increases on three routes: New York–Los Angeles, New York–London, and US mainland to the Caribbean. The published fare does not necessarily mean a ticket has been purchased for that amount.

Transcontinental flights have seen the largest week-over-week jumps, with the average rising from $167 to $414 and spiking 107% in the past week. New York–Los Angeles, the country's busiest domestic route, had a capacity of 3.4 million seats out of JFK Airport last year, per OAG.

United States, New York

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