While travelers have felt the pain of expensive airfare, a new report reveals a clever way that can help save money.
The Department of Transportation regularly publishes a ranking of the cheapest, and most expensive, airports within the United States based on the price of an average round-trip ticket. In its most recent filing, the range of airfare prices varies widely from a low $90, to an expensive $1,600 ticket.
Within the data, the ranking shows how driving a few extra miles can help a traveler save dramatically on their flight. For example, a round-trip flight from Orlando International Airport was listed at $269.61, however just 30 miles away, a round-trip ticket from Sanford International Airport averages only $116.79. Low-cost carriers such as Avelo Airlines operate from Sanford, which can help lower the price of airfare, and provide
Overall, the cheapest airport in America was Branson, MO, which had an average fare of just $90.76. Other inexpensive airports include Mobile, AL ($98.75), Columbus, OH ($124.36), Provo, UT ($126.15), and Phoenix, AZ ($132.37).
Several other airports within the state of Florida also had cheaper airfare, such as Lakeland ($131.55) and Punta Gorda ($129.30).
On the opposite end of the spectrum, the most expensive airports tended to be in remote, and hard-to-reach destinations, such as Alaska’s Adak Island, Cold Bay, and Valdez, which each cost over $1,000 for an average one-way fare. Flights to Unalaska, AK, which is home to Dutch Harbor, costs an average of $1,304.81. The most expensive airport to fly to was Guam, with an average price of $1,658.81.
The report was published by the Department of Transportation on January 14, 2025, and covers the third quarter of 2024, which provides a snapshot of the airfares across the United States. The report found that the national average for airfare was $365.64.
