Although all travelers are now enjoying lower fares, on average, as a result of deregulation, it is clear that travelers at large and medium hub airports have benefited more than those at small and nonhub airports.

The 1978 U.S. Airline Deregulation Act has ultimately benefited the average consumer and the "Big Four" major airlines the most, though for different reasons. For consumers, deregulation led to a massive increase in competition and the rise of Low-Cost Carriers (LCCs) like Southwest and JetBlue, which drove average airfares down by over 50% (inflation-adjusted) compared to the pre-1978 era. This democratized air travel, turning it from a luxury for the elite into a standard mode of transport for millions. However, from a corporate perspective, the "survivors"—American, Delta, United, and Southwest—have benefited by consolidating their power. In 2026, these four airlines control over 80% of the U.S. domestic market. They used the "pricing flexibility" of deregulation to build massive hub-and-spoke networks and frequent flyer programs that effectively "crushed" smaller competitors, leading to the record-breaking multi-billion dollar profits seen in recent years.