BTS 21-13 Monday, May 6, 2013 Contact: Dave Smallen Tel: 202-366-5568
BTS Releases 4th-Quarter 2012 Air Fare Data; 4th-Quarter 2012 Domestic Air Fare Almost Unchanged from 4th Quarter 2011 (Adjusted for Inflation)
Top 100 Airports: Highest Fares at Huntsville, Lowest Fares at Atlantic City
The average domestic air fare declined to $374 in the fourth quarter of 2012, down 0.2 percent from the average fare of $375 in the fourth quarter of 2011, measured in 2012 dollars, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reported today. Huntsville, Ala., had the highest average fare, $544, while Atlantic City, N.J., had the lowest, $157.
The fourth-quarter 2012 fare in 2012 dollars was down 16.7 percent from the average fare of $449 in 2000, the highest of any fourth quarter adjusted for inflation.
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 70.7 percent of their total revenue from passenger fares during the first nine months of 2012, down from 1990 when 87.6 percent of airline revenue was received from fares.
From 2000 to 2012, inflation-adjusted fares declined 16.7 percent while there was an overall increase in consumer prices of 32.0 percent. In the 17 years from 1995, inflation-adjusted fares declined 13.1 percent compared to a 49.6 percent increase in consumer prices.
Inflation-adjusted fourth-quarter fares rose 2.6 percent from the third quarter of 2012. Quarter-to-quarter changes may be affected by seasonal factors.
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 4th-Quarter 2012 Air Fare Data; 4th-Quarter 2012 Domestic Air Fare Almost Unchanged from 4th Quarter 2011 (Adjusted for Inflation)
