Why Are Airfares So High This Summer?

Airfare costs are up 26.7 percent compared to this time last year, making airline tickets one of the fastest growing costs in the current inflation picture. United Airlines has already raised its fares 15 to 20 percent and said publicly that prices are not coming down anytime soon. The cause is a global fuel price spike tied to the Iran war and disruptions to oil shipping routes in the Middle East. None of that is in your control. What is in your control is how you respond to it. Here is what I would do.

Written by Courtney Donovan, founder of The Queens and Carryons Club. I have 23 years in the travel industry and I am watching this market the same way you are.

Why Are Airfares So High Right Now?

Jet fuel accounts for roughly 25 to 30 percent of an airline's operating costs. When oil prices spike, fares follow. The 2026 Iran war disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical corridor for global oil transport and sent fuel costs sharply higher starting in early spring. Airlines responded by raising ticket prices and in some cases cutting routes they could no longer afford to fly profitably.

The ultra low cost carrier Spirit Airlines ceased operations, removing one of the last carriers keeping budget fare competition alive on high traffic leisure routes. Fewer budget carriers means less price competition and fares at the lower end of the market have less downward pressure on them.

The short version: fares are high, the reasons are real and airline experts are not forecasting a significant drop before the end of summer. Book accordingly.

Should You Still Book or Wait for Prices to Drop?

Book now. That is the consensus from aviation analysts right now and it is not optimism.

Summer round trip domestic economy prices are currently running about 27 percent higher than they were at this point last year. Award pricing using miles is up nearly 25 percent for domestic flights as well. Points are not the free pass they were in recent years though they still help offset the cost.

If you are sitting on a trip you are thinking about booking, the window to act is now. Waiting on peak summer dates is very unlikely to produce a better price.

The One Exception. August Might Actually Be Your Friend.

Here is the one piece of actual good news in this picture. August fares have historically dropped compared to June and July because more American families are packing their summer trips into the early part of the season as school calendars shift earlier. The cheapest days to fly this summer cluster heavily in early and mid August.

If your trip has any date flexibility at all, shifting into August could make a meaningful difference in what you pay, both for the flight and for the destination itself. Crowds are thinner and hotel prices tend to follow the same pattern as airfares when demand drops.

Specific Things That Will Actually Save You Money Right Now

• Book directly and avoid basic economy. Basic economy fares look cheaper upfront but come with restrictions that cost you money if anything changes. Seat selection fees, bag fees and change fees can push a basic economy ticket above what a standard fare would have cost. For plus size travelers who need to be strategic about seat selection, basic economy is almost never the right call because you lose the ability to choose your seat in advance.
• Use miles now even if the redemption rate is not perfect. Award pricing is up but your miles are not earning you anything sitting in an account. A less than ideal redemption that gets you on a flight this summer is more valuable than waiting for a rate that may not arrive before your travel dates do.
• Check the bag fees before you book. Airlines including Alaska, American, Delta, JetBlue and United have all raised checked bag fees in 2026 to offset fuel costs. The base ticket price you see in a search does not include those fees. A flight that looks $40 cheaper than a competitor may cost more once you add a checked bag on each end of the trip.
• Fly midweek. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday departures are consistently cheaper than Friday through Monday. If your schedule has any flexibility this is one of the easiest adjustments with real price impact.
• Compare nearby airports. If you are within reasonable distance of two or more airports, check both. A connecting flight through a different hub can sometimes reduce the fare meaningfully even on the same airline.
• Search flexible dates on Google Flights. The calendar view shows which days are cheapest on a specific route at a glance. Set a price alert once you have a route in mind so you are notified if the fare drops before you are ready to commit.
• Consider fall travel instead. If your trip has any destination or date flexibility, September and October travel is shaping up to be significantly less expensive than summer 2026 dates. Crowds are smaller, hotels are cheaper and the weather in most destinations is still excellent. Caribbean travel in October is one of the best value propositions in travel right now.

What This Means Specifically for Plus Size Travelers

Higher base fares make the math on upgrades more complicated. A few things worth thinking through before you book.

If you fly Delta regularly on routes that use Airbus A220 aircraft, those seats run 18.6 inches wide and often make a paid upgrade unnecessary. Knowing your aircraft type before you book lets you make a more informed decision about whether an upgrade is actually needed on that specific flight. For the full breakdown of which airlines have the widest economy seats in 2026, that post covers every major carrier with current numbers.

If you typically buy a second seat for comfort on longer flights, price that out early. Second seat availability can change and buying both seats as far in advance as possible gives you the best chance at getting the seats you want at a manageable combined price.

If you are weighing Comfort Plus or a premium economy upgrade, check whether the route justifies it. On a flight under two hours the math often does not add up. On a four or five hour domestic flight or any international segment, the upgrade to a wider seat with more pitch is worth running the numbers.

A Note on Miles and Points Right Now

Miles and points are worth less per dollar of airfare than they were two years ago because award prices have risen alongside cash prices. That does not mean they are useless. It means you need to be more intentional about how you use them.

Transfer bonuses from credit card programs to airline partners can increase the value of what you already have. Trip credits from past cancellations or schedule changes are worth digging for right now. Credits do not grow in value and many have expiration windows. This is the summer to use them, not save them.