All this talk of higher airfares begs for some perspective. The Bureau of Transportation Statistics just released its latest airfare data, which showed a record drop in ticket prices.
The government’s numbers are pretty jaw-dropping: Domestic air fares plummeted 9.1 percent in the first quarter of 2009 from the fourth quarter of 2008, the biggest quarter-to-quarter fall on record.
Here’s the full report.
Here’s a breakdown:
Highest fares
1. Huntsville, Ala. $505
2. Cincinnati $446
3. Grand Rapids, Mich. $418
4. Savannah, Ga. $405
5. Des Moines, Ia. $403
Lowest fares
1. Long Beach, Calif. $207
2. Oakland, Calif. $227
3. Burbank/Glendale/Pasadena, Calif. $231
4. Dallas Love, Tex. $231
5. Las Vegas $235
Just a note or two on these numbers. Yes, I am aware that it’s the third quarter. And fares have been creeping upward lately. Still, the first-quarter drop is unprecedented, any way you look at it. And if it happened before, it can happen again.
Like … maybe this fall?
Christopher Elliott is the author of Scammed: How to Save Your Money and Find Better Service in a World of Schemes, Swindles, and Shady Deals. Critics have called it “eye-opening” and “inspiring” — it’ll “grab your attention and won’t let go.” Order your copy now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or iTunes.
Elliott is consumer advocate 
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