BTS 4-13 BTS Releases 3rd-Quarter 2012 Air Fare Data;
Top 100 Airports: Highest Fares at Huntsville, Lowest Fares at Atlantic City Average domestic air fares rose to $367 in the third quarter of 2012, up 1.8 percent from the average fare of $361 in the third quarter of 2011, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reported today. Huntsville, Ala., had the highest average fare, $522, while Atlantic City, N.J., had the lowest, $133. Not adjusted for inflation, the $367 third-quarter 2012 average fare is the fifth-highest average fare for any quarter since BTS began collecting air fare records in 1995. The highest was $385 in the second quarter of 2012. The previous third-quarter high was $361 in 2011. Third-quarter 2012 fares were $243 in 1995 dollars, down 18.1 percent from the average fare of $297 in 2000, the inflation-adjusted high for any third quarter. BTS, a part of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration, reports average fares based on domestic itinerary fares. Itinerary fares consist of round-trip fares unless the customer does not purchase a return trip. In that case, the one-way fare is included. Fares are based on the total ticket value which consists of the price charged by the airlines plus any additional taxes and fees levied by an outside entity at the time of purchase. Fares include only the price paid at the time of the ticket purchase and do not include other fees, such as baggage fees, paid at the airport or onboard the aircraft. Averages do not include frequent-flyer or “zero fares” or abnormally high reported fares. Passenger airlines collected 71.2 percent of their total revenue from passenger fares during the third quarter of 2012, down from 1990 when 87.6 percent of airline revenue was received from fares. Unadjusted third-quarter fares increased 9.0 percent from the third quarter of 2000 to the third quarter of 2012. During those 12 years, inflation-adjusted fares declined 18.1 percent while there was an overall increase in consumer prices of 33.2 percent. In the 17 years from 1995, unadjusted air fares rose 27.7 percent compared to a 15.5 percent decline in inflation-adjusted fares and a 51.0 percent increase in consumer prices. Unadjusted third-quarter 2012 fares were up 19.6 percent from the recession low of $307 in 2009. See BTS Air Fare Release for summary tables and additional data. See BTS Air Fare web page for historic data. ###
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BTS Releases 3rd-Quarter 2012 Air Fare Data
