The most expensive — and cheapest — airports to fly from
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Washington Dulles International, John Wayne and San Francisco International are the costliest U.S. airports to fly out of domestically, per the latest Transportation Department data.
Why it matters: Nothing beats the February blues like planning your summer travel — and being smart about which airports you use might help you save a buck.
By the numbers: Average domestic airfare out of Dulles ran $473 in the third quarter of 2024.
- That's more than $100 over the average for all U.S. airports, $366.
- John Wayne departures cost an average $428, while San Francisco outbounds went for $425 on average.
The other side: Vacation hotspots like Las Vegas and Orlando had some of the cheapest departures among the country's 50 busiest airports for domestic travel.
- You could leave Ft. Lauderdale for a relatively measly $252 in Q3 '24, on average.
Between the lines: Lots of factors affect airports' average fares.
- If an airport has more work travelers buying business- or first-class tickets, for example, that could drive up the average fare.
- Conversely, a heavy presence of budget airlines could reduce the average fare (that's probably what's happening in places like Vegas and Florida).
What they're saying: Competition between airlines is another major factor, says Zach Griff, senior reporter at The Points Guy — especially at hubs dominated by one carrier, like United at Dulles.
- "If you're based at Dulles, you're at a disadvantage because very few other airlines are flying many of the routes that United flies. And United has monopoly pricing power, and so it raises airfares — it's a strict game of supply and demand."
Caveat: This is a snapshot in time, and airfare for some destinations can rise and fall over the year.
- The actual amount you'll pay for any given ticket will also, of course, depend on variables like the route, upgrades, schedules and so on.
The bottom line: If you're booking a trip and you have multiple nearby airports, consider all your options — there might be a better deal not too far away.
