Long-Haul Flights Are Cheaper Than Last Year, Data Shows
Planning an international trip this year? You could be in luck, if you’re willing to fly far. Long-haul trips are cheaper than last year, according to data released this week from flight-tracking company Hopper.
For example, flights between the U.S. and Asia are down 11% this year over last, averaging $1,087, with capacity up 6% from 2024. Europe flights are down 6% at $754, Hopper data shows. Flights to Africa and the Middle East are flat compared with last year, while flights to South America are down 4% to $685, and Mexico and Central America flights from the U.S. are up 9% to $469.
Meanwhile, domestic U.S. ticket prices are on the rise, as airlines have become more cautious about capacity growth in the U.S. and face aircraft delivery delays from Boeing and Airbus.
The cheaper international trips come as airlines have increased capacity to popular destinations and as demand growth has leveled out compared with post-pandemic surges, when travelers raced to book trips abroad after travel restrictions were lifted. Favorable exchange rates for travelers using U.S. dollars in many countries, including hotspot Japan, have boosted demand.
International visitors to Japan surged nearly 50% in the first 11 months of 2024 to close to 33.4 million people, according to Japanese government data. Travel-search site Kayak said flights to Asia are the cheapest in at least three years, with interest from customers on the rise. Japanese cities Tokyo, Sapporo and Osaka are posting the biggest percentage increases in searches, Kayak noted.
It also said airfares are lower across the Caribbean, with cheaper tickets to Dominica (down 21% over last year), and Barbados and St. Lucia, which are down 17% compared with last year, Kayak said. Travelers flying this year are also more interested in business class, a trend carriers like Delta have capitalized on. Kayak estimates that searches for those four-digit business class fares are up 19% over last year.
