BTS Releases 4th-Quarter 2012 Air Fare Data; 4th-Quarter 2012 Domestic Air Fare Almost Unchanged from 4th Quarter 2011 (Adjusted for Inflation)

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BTS 21-13

Monday, May 6, 2013

Contact: Dave Smallen

Tel: 202-366-5568

 

BTS Releases 4th-Quarter 2012 Air Fare Data;

  4th-Quarter 2012 Domestic Air Fare Almost Unchanged from 4th Quarter 2011 (Adjusted for Inflation)

  

 

The average domestic air fare declined to $374 in the fourth quarter of 2012, down 0.2 percent from the average fare of $375 in the fourth quarter of 2011, measured in 2012 dollars (Table 1), the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reported today.  Huntsville, Ala., had the highest average fare, $544, while Atlantic City, N.J., had the lowest, $157 (Table 6). 

 

The fourth-quarter 2012 fare in 2012 dollars was down 16.7 percent from the average fare of $449 in 2000, the highest of any fourth quarter adjusted for inflation (Table 2).  

 

BTS, a part of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration, reports average fares based on domestic itinerary fares. Itinerary fares consist of round-trip fares unless the customer does not purchase a return trip. In that case, the one-way fare is included. Fares are based on the total ticket value which consists of the price charged by the airlines plus any additional taxes and fees levied by an outside entity at the time of purchase. Fares include only the price paid at the time of the ticket purchase and do not include other fees, such as baggage fees, paid at the airport or onboard the aircraft. Averages do not include frequent-flyer or “zero fares” or abnormally high reported fares.

 

Passenger airlines collected 70.7 percent of their total revenue from passenger fares during the first nine months of 2012, down from 1990 when 87.6 percent of airline revenue was received from fares (Table 1A).

 

From 2000 to 2012, inflation-adjusted fares declined 16.7 percent while there was an overall increase in consumer prices of 32.0 percent. In the 17 years from 1995, inflation-adjusted fares declined 13.1 percent compared to a 49.6 percent increase in consumer prices (Table 2). See BTS Air Fare web page for historic data.

 

Quarter-to-Quarter Change

Inflation-adjusted fourth-quarter fares rose 2.6 percent from the third quarter of 2012 (Table 3). Quarter-to-quarter changes may be affected by seasonal factors.

 

Air Fares in Unadjusted Dollars

Not adjusted for inflation, the $374 fourth-quarter 2012 average fare was the highest average fare for any fourth quarter since BTS began collecting air fare records in 1995. The previous fourth-quarter high was $368 in 2011 (Table 4).

 

Unadjusted fourth-quarter 2012 fares were up 1.9 percent from the third quarter of 2012 (Table 5). Quarter-to-quarter changes may be affected by seasonal factors such as the number of passengers. See Tables 13-16 for additional unadjusted fare data by airport.

 

Fares by Airport

See Tables 6-8 for data about the top 100 airports based on 2011 originating passengers. All figures in 2012 dollars.

 

Table 6: Five highest and five lowest average fares in the fourth quarter: Huntsville had the highest average fare ($544) while Atlantic City had the lowest ($157). For the Top 100 Airports, see Table 10 on the BTS website.

 

Table 7: Five largest increases and five largest decreases in 2012 dollars from the fourth quarter of 2011 to the fourth quarter of 2012: Newport News/Williamsburg, Va., had the largest increase (29.2 percent) and Colorado Springs, CO, had the largest decrease (22.1 percent). For the Top 100 Airports, see Table 11 on the BTS website.

 

Table 8: Five largest increases and five largest decreases in 2012 dollars from the fourth quarter of 2000 to the fourth quarter of 2012: Newport News/Williamsburg had the largest increase (23.1 percent) and Atlantic City had the largest decrease (47.5 percent). For the Top 100 Airports, see Table 12 on the BTS website.

 

For additional data, see Top 100 Airports, Rankings  or All Airports. Since average fares are based on the Origin and Destination Survey 10 percent ticket sample, averages for airports with smaller samples may be less reliable. Fares for Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico airports are not included in rankings but are available on the web page. First-quarter 2013 average fare data will be released on July 24. 

 

 

Table 1. 4th Quarter Average Fare 1995-2012, Adjusted for Inflation 

 

Average Fare in 2012 dollars ($)

Year-to-Year Percent Change in Average Fare (4Q to 4Q) (%)

Cumulative Percent Change in Average Fare (4Q 1995 to 4Q of each year) (%)

1995

430

-

-

1996

403

-6.4

-6.4

1997

418

3.7

-2.9

1998

443

6.0

2.9

1999

434

-2.1

0.8

2000

449

3.5

4.3

2001

390

-13.2

-9.5

2002

392

0.6

-8.9

2003

393

0.4

-8.6

2004

359

-8.8

-16.7

2005

367

2.4

-14.7

2006

362

-1.4

-15.9

2007

360

-0.4

-16.3

2008

377

4.6

-12.4

2009

340

-9.9

-21.0

2010

351

3.1

-18.5

2011

375

6.9

-12.9

2012

374

-0.2

-13.1

              

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics

Note: Percent change based on unrounded numbers 

 

 

Table 1A. Passenger Airline Revenue from Fares 1990-2012  

Year

Revenue from Passenger Fares as Percent of Total Scheduled Passenger Airline Revenue* (%)

1990

87.6

1995

85.6

2000

84.1

2001

82.7

2002

82.3

2003

79.5

2004

76.6

2005

75.0

2006

74.4

2007

74.3

2008

72.9

2009

70.2

2010

71.3

2011

71.0

2012 (1Q)

70.0

2012 (2Q)

70.8

2012 (3Q)

71.2

2012 (thru 3Q)

70.7

 

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, P-12

* Scheduled passenger airline total revenue is the sum of the following Schedule P12 accounts with account numbers: Reservation cancellation fees (3919.1), Baggage fees (3906.2), Miscellaneous Operating Revenue (3919.2), Transport-Related Revenue (4898) and Passenger Revenue (Fares) (3901).

 

 

Table 2. Percent Changes to 2012 in Average Domestic Average Fares and the Inflation Rate* by Year Since 1995

(4th Quarter to 4th Quarter for fares; Dec to Dec for inflation) 

Since 4th Quarter ...

Duration in Years

Average Fare in 2012 dollars ($)

Percent Change in Average Fare to 4th Quarter 2012 (%)

Inflation Rate Change to Dec 2012

2012

 

374

   

2011

1

375

-0.2

1.7

2010

2

351

6.6

4.8

         

2009

3

340

9.9

6.3

2008

4

377

-0.9

9.2

2007

5

360

3.7

9.3

2006

6

362

3.3

13.8

2005

7

367

1.8

16.7

         

2004

8

359

4.2

20.7

2003

9

393

-5.0

24.6

2002

10

392

-4.6

26.9

2001

11

390

-4.0

29.9

2000

12

449

-16.7

32.0

         

1999

13

434

-13.8

36.4

1998

14

443

-15.6

40.1

1997

15

418

-10.5

42.3

1996

16

403

-7.2

44.8

1995

17

430

-13.1

49.6

 

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics

* Rate calculated using Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index

 

 

Table 3. Adjusted Average Domestic Airline Fares by Quarter

Average Fare and Percent Change by Quarter 

           

Quarter/Year

Average Domestic Fare (2012$)

Average Fare in 2012 dollars ($)

Quarter-to-Quarter Percent Change in Average Fare (%)

3Q 2010

357

 

4Q 2010

351

-1.8

1Q 2011

365

4.2

2Q 2011

376

2.9

3Q 2011

365

-2.9

4Q 2011

375

2.7

1Q 2012

373

-0.5

2Q 2012

385

3.2

3Q 2012

364

-5.4

4Q 2012

374

2.6

 

SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics

Note: Percent change based on unrounded numbers

Note: Quarter-to-quarter changes may be affected by seasonal factors.

 

Table 4. Unadjusted 4th Quarter Average Fares, 1995-2012

Average Fare in current dollars ($)

Year-to-Year Percent Change in Average Fare (4Q to 4Q) (%)

Cumulative Percent Change in Average Fare (4Q 1995 to 4Q of each year) (%)

 
 

1995

288

 

1996

278

-3.3

-3.3

 

1997

294

5.5

2.0

 

1998

316

7.7

9.9

 

1999

318

0.6

10.5

 

2000

340

7.0

18.2

 

2001

300

-11.8

4.2

 

2002

309

3.0

7.3

 

2003

316

2.2

9.7

 

2004

297

-5.9

3.3

 

2005

315

5.9

9.4

 

2006

318

1.1

10.6

 

2007

330

3.6

14.6

 

2008

345

4.7

20.0

 

2009

320

-7.4

11.1

 

2010

335

4.7

16.3

 

2011

368

10.0

28.0

 

2012

374

1.5

29.7

 

 

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics

Note: Percent change based on unrounded numbers

 

Table 5. Unadjusted Average Domestic Airline Fares by Quarter

Average Fare and Percent Change by Quarter

Quarter/Year

Average Domestic Fare (current$)

Average Fare in current dollars ($)

Quarter-to-Quarter Percent Change in Average Fare (%)

3Q 2010

340

-0.3

4Q 2010

335

-1.5

1Q 2011

356

6.3

2Q 2011

370

3.9

3Q 2011

361

-2.4

4Q 2011

368

2.1

1Q 2012

373

1.2

2Q 2012

385

3.2

3Q 2012

367

-4.6

4Q 2012

374

1.9

 

SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics

Note: Percent change based on unrounded numbers

Note: Quarter-to-quarter changes may be affected by seasonal factors.

 

 

Table 6. Airports with Highest and Lowest U.S. Domestic Average Itinerary Fares 4th Quarter 2012

Top 100 Airports* Based on 2011 U.S. Originating Domestic Passengers

Rank

Origin

4th Quarter 2012 ($)

 

     Highest Average Fares

 

1

Huntsville, AL

544

2

Cincinnati, OH

518

3

Houston Bush, TX

501

4

Washington Dulles

493

5

Newark-Liberty, NJ

484

   
 

Average Fare at All Airports

374

   
 

     Lowest Average Fares

 

1

Atlantic City, NJ

157

2

Long Beach, CA

234

3

Fort Lauderdale, FL

267

4

Las Vegas, NV

268

5

Orlando, FL

276

 

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics

* Not including Alaska, Hawaii or Puerto Rico

Note: Percent change based on unrounded numbers

 

 

Table 7. One-Year Change by Airport: Top 5 Percentage Increases and Decreases in U.S. Domestic Average Itinerary Fare, 4th Quarter 2011 to 4th Quarter 2012

Top 100 Airports* Based on 2011 U.S. Originating Domestic Passengers, Fares Adjusted for Inflation

Rank

Origin

4th Quarter 2011 (2012$)

4th Quarter 2012 (2012$)

Percent Change (%)

 

     Largest Increases

 

 

 

1

Newport News/Williamsburg, VA

334

431

29.2

2

Huntsville, AL

482

544

12.9

3

Houston Hobby, TX

309

336

8.5

4

Milwaukee, WI

310

332

7.3

5

Knoxville, TN

433

463

7.1

       
 

Average Fare at All Airports

375

374

-0.2

       
 

Largest Decreases

   

1

Colorado Springs, CO

477

372

-22.1

2

Atlantic City, NJ

192

157

-17.9

3

Des Moines, IA

429

387

-9.8

4

Burbank/Glendale/Pasadena, CA

304

282

-7.4

5

Atlanta, GA

385

361

-6.2

 

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics

* Not including Alaska, Hawaii or Puerto Rico

Note: Percent change based on unrounded numbers

 

 

 

 

Table 8. 12-Year Change by Airport: Top 5 Percentage Increases and Decreases in U.S. Domestic Average Itinerary Fare, 2000-2012

Top 100 Airports* Based on 2011 U.S. Originating Domestic Passengers, Fares Adjusted for Inflation

Rank

Origin

4th Quarter 2000 (2012$)

4th Quarter 2012 (2012$)

Percent Change (%)

 

     Largest Increases

 

 

 

1

Newport News/Williamsburg, VA

350

431

23.1

2

Houston Hobby, TX

289

336

16.1

3

Burbank/Glendale/Pasadena, CA

248

282

13.6

4

Reno, NV

292

327

12.3

5

El Paso, TX

341

378

11.0

       
 

Average Fare at All Airports

449

374

-16.7

       
 

     Largest Decreases

     

1

Atlantic City, NJ

300

157

-47.5

2

White Plains, NY

728

390

-46.4

3

Denver, CO

552

320

-42.0

4

Long Beach, CA

396

234

-41.0

5

Charlotte, NC

654

397

-39.2

 

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics

* Not including Alaska, Hawaii or Puerto Rico

Note: Percent change based on unrounded numbers

 

For air fares for the following airports, go to http://apps.bts.gov/xml/atpi/src/index.xml

 

Multiple airport areas for which a single average fare calculation is available are: Boston, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Washington, DC.

 

Airports covered by average fare calculations are:

Alabama.

Birmingham, Huntsville

Arizona

Phoenix, Tucson

Arkansas:

Little Rock

California:            

Burbank, Fresno, Long Beach, Los Angeles Intl, Oakland,

Ontario/San Bernardino, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Ana (Orange County)

Colorado

Colorado Springs, Denver

Connecticut

Hartford

District of Columbia

Dulles, Reagan National

Florida

Ft. Lauderdale, Ft. Myers, Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando, Pensacola,

Tampa, West Palm Beach

Georgia

Atlanta

Idaho

Boise

Illinois

Chicago Midway, Chicago O'Hare

Indiana

Indianapolis

Iowa

Des Moines

Kansas

Wichita

Kentucky

Louisville

Louisiana

New Orleans

Maine

Portland

Maryland

Baltimore

Massachusetts

Boston

Michigan

Detroit, Flint, Grand Rapids

Minnesota

Minneapolis/St. Paul

Mississippi

Jackson/Vicksburg

Missouri

Kansas City, St. Louis

Nebraska

Omaha

Nevada

Las Vegas, Reno

New Hampshire

Manchester

New Jersey

Atlantic City, Newark

New Mexico

Albuquerque

New York

Albany, Buffalo, Islip, New York JFK, New York LaGuardia, Rochester, Syracuse, White Plains

 

 

North Carolina

Charlotte, Greensboro, Raleigh/Durham

Ohio

Akron/Canton, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City, Tulsa

Oregon

Portland

Pennsylvania

Harrisburg, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh

Rhode Island

Providence

South Carolina

Charleston, Greenville-Spartanburg

Tennessee

Knoxville, Memphis, Nashville

Texas

Austin, Dallas Love, Dallas/Ft. Worth, El Paso, Houston Bush,

 

Houston Hobby, San Antonio

Utah

Salt Lake City

Vermont

Burlington

Virginia

Newport News/Williamsburg, Norfolk, Richmond

Washington

Bellingham, Seattle, Spokane

Wisconsin

Madison, Milwaukee

 

 

 

 

 

-END-