Why Are Flights So Expensive?

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While it may be hard to imagine now, there was once a time when most travel went through travel agents.

Flights, hotels, and excursions were almost mystical when it came to pricing.

Having access to costs and fluctuations was out of the public’s hands.

Back then, you just had to take someone else’s word for it.

Thanks to technology, we not only can see what an airline has to offer, we can compare their prices to any other carrier.

Sometimes that happens right on the same site.

Now that you have the power to see for yourself, the first thought might be, “Why are all of these flights so expensive?”

We’re here to break down what goes into those numbers that enable you to get from A to B so quickly.

Timing is Everything

To begin with, time frames are king.

Go to Google and look up a flight to anywhere.

Take a look at the calendar at the top of the page.

You can scroll here through the next year to get a brief overview of what you should expect for securing tickets.

Immediately, you’ll notice some times of the year are more expensive than others.

Also, these are just the prices you see right now.

As an experiment, take a screenshot and make a note to check back in one month.

Don’t be shocked to find the tickets you thought about reserving have increased in price.

Not only is it important when you go, but how far out the tickets are being booked.

Fly in the winter and book two months in advance to get the best deal.

That works for most flights but do research.

If you aren’t in a hurry, it’s worth it to your wallet to schedule smart.

Expensive Expenses

Along with the timing of it all, flying is high maintenance.

Every airline has to factor in all the things you don’t see in order to stay in business.

Some of those topics have to do with fuel, labor, and even inflation.

Just take a look at Iceland‘s budget carrier, WOW Air.

In an effort to bump up tourism in the island nation, WOW offered prices so low in the states that you might have wondered how they were staying in business.

For example, from Boston‘s Logan International Airport, you could fly to Reykjavík for less than $100.

That’s a several-hour flight over the Atlantic.

This wasn’t just a limited-time promotion, prices that low were a constant for WOW.

Even though the planes were often packed, the expenses eventually outweighed the profit.

The company fell so far into debt that one of its planes was repossessed by the manufacturer for lack of payment.

Unfortunately, many flyers were left high and dry with little assistance from other airlines.

What happened to WOW Air is precisely why there aren’t more super-budget airlines.

Even the ones that are, like Spirit, are often ridiculed for the lack of comfort or perks, like TV.

Pricing of fuel is often fluctuating, which is another uncontrollable expense that can cause mayhem.

Also, there are certain numbers of support staff needed in the sky, and all that comes with a mighty price tag.

Unforeseen Circumstances

If it’s not the timing or expenses, it’s the unknown.

This is something most homeowners can relate to.

When you sign up for homeowners insurance, or even car insurance, one clause in it is about an Act of God.

What that means is they are liable to help repair damages when something happens to your home or car that was delivered from Mother Nature.

Those are things you can’t help and cannot stop.

The same logic applies to flights.

Even if you booked your ticket to Haiti three months in advance, nothing is going to stop the tropical storm or hurricane that touches down the night before you head out.

That means you are unlikely to still be going.

When flights kick back up again, and you go to rebook your ticket with quickness, shock might follow.

That great price you reserved a season ago has now gone up dramatically.

You can either save that ticket for a later time or pay an upcharge.

The best example that anyone would understand is the pandemic.

For a time, everything was shut down.

When flying started getting off the ground again, the demand was surprisingly high.

Due to the surge, prices went up.

Not only was the amount a lot but many employees had been let go during the initial crisis.

Now, there simply wasn’t enough staff to properly operate at the level from a year prior.

Getting a ticket was much more of a squeeze when fewer planes were in the skies.