SFO is the third-costliest U.S. airport for domestic flights

By the numbers: Average domestic airfare out of San Francisco International ran $425 in the third quarter of 2024.

• That's almost $60 more the average for all U.S. airports, $366.
• Dulles outbounds went for $473 on average while John Wayne departures cost $428.
• Flights out of neighboring airports SJC in San José and OAK in Oakland go for $323 and $314 on average.

The other side: Vacation hotspots like Las Vegas and Orlando, Florida had some of the cheapest departures among the country's 50 busiest airports for domestic travel.

• You could leave Ft. Lauderdale, Florida 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," Griff said.

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.