The cheapest airports to fly from in Philadelphia's Tri-State area
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The best bet for cheap domestic flights in the Tri-State area may be Philadelphia International Airport.
Why it matters: Nothing beats the February blues like planning your summer travel — and being smart about which airports you use may help you save a buck.
By the numbers: Average domestic airfare out of PHL ran $365 in the third quarter of 2024.
- That's a dollar cheaper than the national average.
Meanwhile, you could pay a premium to hop on a flight at other nearby airports.
- Airfare for domestic flights out of Wilkes-Barre Scranton International Airport cost a hefty $475, on average.
- At Harrisburg International Airport: $439, on average.
- Newark Liberty International Airport: $403.
The intrigue: While far smaller and with limited service, Wilmington Airport ILG averages around $150, and airfare at Trenton-Mercer Airport — where Frontier is a major carrier — is around $152.
- At Atlantic City International Airport, flights cost on average $133.
Zoom out: Vacation hotspots like Las Vegas and Orlando, Florida, had some of the cheapest departures among the 50 busiest airports for domestic travel.
State of play: Passenger volume is up at PHL.
- Nearly 31 million passengers passed through the airport's terminals in 2024, up almost 10% from the previous year and the most passengers since 2019.
Plus: New flight destinations are on tap this year at PHL, including to Milan starting May 23.
- Frontier just announced new routes to Austin and Los Angeles starting May 22.
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 may drive up the average fare.
- Conversely, a heavy presence of budget airlines may reduce the average fare.
- Competition among airlines comes into play too, says Zach Griff, senior reporter at The Points Guy — especially at hubs where one carrier holds pricing power.
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.