Why is flying to Australia so expensive right now?

The steady rise in jet fuel prices may have fallen, but reduced airline capacity, high demand and debt repayment all pay their part in keeping fares sky-high, explains Dr David Beirman, Adjunct Fellow Tourism, University of Technology Sydney, and author of Tourism Crises and Destination Recovery.



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But even compared to pre-pandemic prices, airfares are lower. Average U.S. airfares are more than 6.5% lower in September 2023 than they were in September 2019, meaning prices aren't just lower than they were last year, but even lower than what they were pre-pandemic.

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In our experience, while fantastic deals can pop up at any time, the best time to book a flight (what we call the Goldilocks Window) is 1–3 months ahead for domestic travel and 2–8 months ahead for international travel—unless your trip is around a popular holiday or peak travel time, or you have very specific travel ...

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Qantas ticket prices: airline says cost to fly may rise, blames expensive jet fuel. Qantas has flagged it may increase already high ticket prices in response to rising jet fuel costs, in a pricing decision that would heap further pressure on an airline trying to rebuild its tarnished brand.

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See what people are asking about expensive flights right now. Why are flights so expensive in 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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Now, with travel restrictions easing across the world and higher operating costs to deal with (like higher jet fuel prices), airlines are salivating to serve travel-deprived consumers — and for a major profit. As a result, ticket prices are near all-time highs at the moment.

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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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The best time to book a flight is one to three months before your departure for domestic airline tickets and two to eight months prior for international flights. “We call these the 'Goldilocks windows,'” Scott Keyes, founder of Going.com, tells AFAR. “Not too early, not too late—just right in the middle.”

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Average domestic airfare price by day
  • Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the cheapest days to fly domestically.
  • Saturday and Monday flights can help you avoid the Sunday rush.
  • Wednesdays and Thursdays are the cheapest day to fly internationally.
  • Book one to three months in advance.
  • Set a price alert.


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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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Instead, flights tend to be the most inexpensive when you book between four months and three weeks before your departure date. According to CheapAir.com, you can expect rates to go up after that period.1 There may, of course, be some compounding factors that can affect this.

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Top tips for finding cheap flights to Australia. Book at least 1 week before departure in order to get a below-average price. High season is considered to be January, November and December. The cheapest month to fly from the United States is October.

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