Why summer airfare just got more expensive—and what airlines aren’t telling you
Summer airfare is climbing fast as jet fuel prices spike 82 percent over the Iran conflict. Here’s what airlines aren’t telling you—and how to protect your trip.
FUEL SURCHARGES
Is it safe to book a summer vacation yet?
The U.S. and Iran are reportedly close to a deal that would end the war, lift sanctions, release frozen Iranian funds, and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Travel companies say the worst is priced in. Airbnb expects second-quarter bookings to drop one percentage point across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific. Booking Holdings cut its full-year revenue forecast through June. Iranian lawmakers called the U.S. proposal a wish list. Before booking, check State Department advisories at Level 3 or Level 4, examine flight routes for airspace closures, buy cancel-for-any-reason insurance, and pay only with a credit card.
Your airline is lying to you about fuel surcharges
Airlines sure have a funny way of saying thank you.
After you spend years obsessively funneling every purchase through their co-branded credit cards and sitting in its cramped economy class seats, you finally go to redeem your “free” flight—only to find a $1,400 bill waiting for you at checkout.
The loyalty trap: When travel rewards programs turn against you
Remember when travel rewards programs actuallyrewarded you? You collected points, earned status, and got “free” flights.
So why does it all feel like a trap now?
Are airline tickets too expensive?
If you haven’t looked at airfares lately, you might want to sit down before you read this. The numbers on the screen aren’t a glitch. They’re the shocking new reality of a Middle East conflict.