How much was a plane ticket in 1975?

Back in 1975, things were simple. All fares were refundable and bundled with a plethora of services. According to a contemporary edition of the OAG North American Edition, the cheapest unrestricted one-way flight on American Airlines cost $138 including taxes.



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Until the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978, airlines were considered a public utility and airfares were set by the federal government, which ensured airlines always made more than enough money. Even after deregulation, a basic domestic round-trip airfare in 1979 averaged $615.82 in today's money.

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Very expensive In the 21st century, air travel is relatively cheap, but in the 1950s, you could expect to pay 40% or more for the same ticket you buy today. A ticket on TWA in 1955 from Chicago to Phoenix, for example, cost $138 round-trip. Adjusted for inflation, that's $1,168.

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A plane ticket in the 1920s cost just $5.

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Since commercial flights are pressurized to 6000 – 8000 ft, older adults with stable cardiovascular disease should be able to fly without risk.

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Average ticket prices have been steadily decreasing since 1980. In fact, tickets are close to their lowest prices ever. But from 1950 to 1980, flying was different. Before 1978, fares and routes in the US were closely regulated by the federal government, and many routes had fixed minimum prices.

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The average cost of a domestic flight in the U.S. hovers around $380 in 2023, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS).

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Were plane crashes common in the 70s? From 1970 to 2021, the 1970s was the deadliest decade with 3,133 plane crashes and 24,512 deaths.

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Expedia's report also notes travelers can look forward to a 3 percent decrease in booking airfare in 2024, compared to the higher prices of 2022.

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In November 1950, Pan American World Airways observed the 15th anniversary of its first trans-Pacific flight from San Francisco to Honolulu, Midway, Wake, Guam and Manila. The first flight was made by the China Clipper which carried the first air mail from San Francisco to Manila.

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According to the Wall Street Journal, the average round trip domestic ticket in 1980 cost $592.55. Even with bag fees, water fees, oxygen fees and whatever other fee Spirit charges, the average cost in 2010 was $337.97. The moral of that story: you get what you pay for.

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A flight in 1963 cost $43 ($340 with inflation), and about $360 in 2015. The most expensive an average ticket has ever been was in 2000, when a ticket cost $409 ($581 with inflation).

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Airline tickets are at some of the highest prices the industry has seen in a while, but $66,000 for a single plane ticket? That's the price of the world's most expensive commercial airplane ticket, a one-way flight on Etihad Airways from New York City/JFK to Abu Dhabi.

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Such speed didn't come cheap, though: A transatlantic flight required the high-maintenance aircraft to gulp jet fuel at the rate of one ton per seat, and the average round-trip price was $12,000.

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