Have airline fares really gone down?

CHEAP AIRLINES BETTER WATCH OUT FOR DELTA AND AMERICAN

Quarta Media

Flights are getting cheaper, which is good news for consumers — but bad news for some industry players.

So-called “legacy” airlines like Delta Air Lines and American Airlines have started charging cheaper fares and muscling in on territory that used to be held more securely by the likes of Spirit Airlines and Southwest Airlines.

Graphic: (Quartz)

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks air fares as part of the basket of goods making up its consumer price index inflation gauge, and that measure says that fare growth has been negative for more than a year, a streak going back to April 2023. Demand for business trips (or lack thereof it) is a big reason why airlines like Delta and American are lowering prices.