Why are airfares so high 2023?

Flights cost even more in early 2023 than they do now. Factors such as fuel costs, staffing shortages, aging IT infrastructure and hidden fees all contribute to expensive flights in 2023.



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Domestic airline prices are on the decline in 2023, finally retreating after spiking just a year ago. International fares are still high. After soaring in 2022, prices for domestic airline tickets are on the descent.

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Time your booking right
“For domestic flights, if you're talking peak season, it's about three to seven months in advance,” he says. “For international flights — [it's] four to 10 months.”

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Airlines are also facing the reality of not having enough pilots and flight attendants to run their flights, as well as higher labor costs. All of these forces have combined to create rising ticket prices.

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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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The general rule is that for domestic flights, travelers should start searching for flight tickets one to three months in advance. For international flights, the best prices are typically available from two to eight months in advance. Prices can also vary widely among airlines.

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Flights are generally the most inexpensive between four months and three weeks before your departure date. Seasonal changes and holidays can create price fluctuations in ticket prices. The day of the week that you book a flight does not affect the price.

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Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the cheapest days to fly domestically. The cheapest days to depart if you're flying within the U.S. are midweek — generally Tuesday or Wednesday. For economy tickets, Tuesdays are about 24% lower than peak prices on Sundays, which translates to savings of about $85 per ticket.

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World's Best Low-Cost Airlines 2023
  • AirAsia.
  • Scoot.
  • IndiGo.
  • Flynas.
  • Volotea.
  • Transavia France.
  • Sun Country Airlines.
  • Southwest Airlines.


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Is there a cheapest month to fly? If you're looking for a bargain month to travel, February is your best bet. Flights in January closely follow February for being most affordable. At the other end of the spectrum, December and July are the first and second most expensive months to travel, on average.

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When comparing Sunday flight prices to Friday, Expedia found that travelers save 5% on domestic flights and 15% on international flights. For the past four years, Sunday has been the best day of the week to book flights.

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The cheapest months to travel are:
  • November – early December.
  • Late January – March.


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It's likely that domestic airfares will continue to sink through the rest of 2023, says Keyes. But prices still tend to run higher in peak holiday periods. To watch for low fares, you can enter your itinerary at sites such as Google Flights and Kayak and receive e-mail alerts when prices drop.

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Tuesday Around Midnight is the Cheapest Time to Book
In general, flights were slightly cheaper at midnight earlier in the week (Monday through Wednesday). However, this is only applicable to about 1.6% of U.S. markets, meaning that it's not likely you'll find the same savings on your specific route.

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At midnight, fewer people travel and there is low last-minute reservation so to fill them, they release multiple offers. With these discounts, you can set aside some amount.

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How far in advance should you book flights? Passengers pay the lowest price, around 6% below the average fare, if they buy their tickets six weeks before their flight. That's the golden rule thousands of travel blogs and articles swear by.

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While KLM has already raised its prices this year after fuel prices rose significantly in the spring, the airline's new chief has explained that if Schiphol doesn't work fast to improve the situation and hire new workers, more price hikes will be inevitable in the new year.

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International airfare remains significantly higher than pre-pandemic given low supply of seats, high demand and overall higher costs, including high jet fuel prices, Berg said. A report by Hopper forecast airfare to Europe over the next six months to be 24% higher than pre-pandemic, on average.

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It mostly comes down to supply and demand. Demand is contributing to higher prices as travel continues to surge post-pandemic, Berg said. Sustained strong demand in 2023 continues to put additional pressure on prices, especially to and within regions where travel has only recently reopened like parts of Asia.

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More specifically, Tuesday at about 15:00 eastern time. This is because many airlines release weekly sales early on Tuesday, which creates competition between airlines to match prices.

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There's no sugarcoating it: Airfare is expensive. And while waiting until the last minute might sound like a good idea, it typically is cheaper to book your flights in advance. We are seeing fewer last-minute deals than in years past, especially when it comes to flights, a Kayak spokesperson tells Travel + Leisure.

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