SARASOTA, Fla — Airline fares have jumped 47 percent since January and remain higher than they were before the pandemic, which could be leading to a slowdown in the number of seats airlines can sell.
So, an ultra-low-cost carrier is testing out an "inflation-relief" discount that it hopes will have passengers booking more of its flights.
Avelo Airlines announced Thursday that it would offer a 50-percent discount on nonstop flights between Sarasota Bradenton International Airport and Tweed New Haven Airport in Connecticut. In a press release announcing the promotion, Avelo said it offers a "convenient and affordable gateway to the New York and New England regions."
The Texas-based airline said passengers can try the promotion by using promo code HALFOFF at AveloAir.com when buying a flight through June 23, 2022.
"There are no blackout dates on the discount available on travel completed by November 9, 2022," the airline said.
Nationwide, bookings for flights within the United States fell 2.3 percent in May compared with April, research firm Adobe Digital Insights said Tuesday. The value of those sales rose 6 percent, however, to $8.3 billion, because of price increases.
Prices for U.S. flights in May were 30 percent higher than the same month in 2019 – the fourth straight month in which fares topped pre-pandemic levels. May prices were up 6 percent over April, according to Adobe, which based numbers on transactions at six of the largest 10 U.S. airlines.
“While some consumers have been able to stomach the higher fares, especially for those who delayed travel plans during the pandemic, the dip in bookings shows that some are rethinking their appetite for getting on a plane,” said Vivek Pandya, lead analyst for Adobe.
Airfares are among many factors contributing to the highest inflation rate that Americans have seen in 40 years.
Airline officials say demand for travel is strong after two years of the pandemic. As for the prices, they say they need to raise fares to cover surging jet fuel prices.
The number of air travelers in the U.S. has rebounded to nearly 90 percent of 2019 levels, according to government figures. International travel has lagged domestic travel, but it could get a boost from the Biden administration’s decision to end the requirement to show a negative test for COVID-19 before flying to the U.S.
United Airlines said Monday that searches for international trips increased 7 percent in the three days after the administration announced it would drop the testing requirement. The airline said many of the searches were for summer travel to Europe, Mexico and the Caribbean.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
