'It is ridiculous': Travelers see higher airfares ahead of holiday season
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Airfares cost 6% more than last year, according to AAA, that expects air travel will see a 14% increase over last year, with nearly 7.2 million Americans expected to fly.
At Raleigh-Durham International Airport, some passengers already got a head start to their holiday vacation.
But with higher airfares this year, people like Hunter Helton, who flew in from Hawaii on Saturday, said he had to limit his travel.
"I only come home once a year now because it's just way too much to come back and forth," Helton said. "So, it's definitely affected that."
Domestic trips in January will cost travelers $208 per round trip ticket, up to 7% compared to 2022, according to travel booking app Hopper.
"International trips will also be more expensive next year, with international airfare expected to increase to all regions of the world compared to this time last year," Hopper reports.
For Jemma Alsalaam, who's originally from Boston, said she noticed the price difference in the summer.
"I hope they come down, because people definitely want to be able to travel and see their families," Alsalaam said. "Overall, things are getting too expensive. It is ridiculous."
Hopper said factors such as demand, inflation, jet fuel costs and limited seating supply are driving higher prices in 2023, and demand for travel has not yet waned.
