This summer travel season is expected to be a busy one. With demand for international travel surging, prices have followed. CheapAir.com recently published its International Year-Over-Year Airfare Trend Study. The study compares 128 million airfares in markets across the U.S., and the numbers show that some cities have faced more dramatic fare increases than others when it comes to international travel.
International airfare has increased across the board—the study reveals an average 18% increase from all cities—but flights from five U.S. cities increased more than 20%. Philadelphia travelers are taking the biggest hit, as international fares increased 23.5% in the last year. After Philly, Miami, (23.4%), Tampa (22.2%), Charlotte (22.1%) and Fort Lauderdale (21.5%) have seen the biggest surges in international airfare.
Fares to international destinations increased across the board, except to the South Pacific/Oceana region—which includes Australia and New Zealand—where fares show a slight 3% decrease. Fares to Europe are up 23% from last year, with Canada (22.4%) and Asia (21.9%) showing big increases as well.
If you haven’t booked international travel yet this year, prepare for sticker shock. But if you start your search early, look for off-season fares or pick a midweek flight you might increase your odds of a better deal.