U.S. Domestic Fares Rise 4 Percent in Fourth Quarter

Average domestic air fares in the fourth quarter of 2007 were up 4 percent from the prior year, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS).

BTS reported that the average domestic fare was $331, the highest fourth-quarter average since 2001 but 2.7 percent below the high mark set in 2000.

The 10 airports with the highest average domestic fare were Anchorage ($539.21); Cincinnati ($531.73); San Francisco ($427.58); Madison, Wis. ($426.02); Knoxville, Tenn. ($425.10); Grand Rapids, Mich. ($419.45); Washington Dulles ($404.18); Houston Bush ($397.45); Des Moines, Iowa ($389.49); and Newark ($389.30).

The 10 airports recording the highest rate increases were Houston Bush (16.2 percent), Washington Reagan (13.3 percent), Boston Logan (13.2 percent), Washington Dulles (11.9 percent), Honolulu (11.6 percent), Charlotte (10.8 percent), Detroit (9.5 percent), Chicago Midway (8.8 percent), Philadelphia (8.6 percent) and Houston Hobby (8.1 percent).