Get ready for another summer of packed flights, soaring airfares and record delays. How many times have you read that lead — or one just like it — in the recent past?
Well, don’t believe everything you read. As I recently noted, the jury is still out on the record delays claim. Packed flights, I’ll give you.
Soaring airfares? No way.
I asked my friends over at Farecast to run a few numbers on airline ticket prices, and the results will come as a shocker — particularly to my colleagues in the traditional media who seem to be praying for a trifecta this vacation season.
While the perception may be that fares are higher than ever, domestic airfares are actually two percent lower than last year at this time, according to Farecast.
Farecast also identified the best and worst routes.
Your best bet is Las Vegas. For example:
San Francisco – Las Vegas (-28 percent)
Atlanta – Las Vegas (-23 percent)
Detroit – Las Vegas (-20 percent)
New York to Florida is also a bahgan, dahlings. For instance:
Newark – Fort Lauderdale (-26 percent)
Newark – Miami (-23 percent)
Newark – Orlando (-22 percent)
But there are exceptions, of course.
Detroit – Orlando (+20 percent)
Los Angeles – Las Vegas (+15 percent)
Minneapolis – Denver (+14 percent)
Bottom line: airfares remain a pretty good deal.
And now, more than ever, we’re getting exactly what we paid for.
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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