How much did an average US domestic plane ticket cost?
An average US domestic plane ticket cost $292 in 1995 and $387 in 2025: 33% more.
Over the same years, prices in general (US inflation, measured by the consumer price index, CPI) rose about 2.1 times. That makes $292 in 1995 worth about $617 in 2025 money. So, after inflation, it is cheaper than in 1995: about 37% less in real terms.
The biggest change between two listed years came between 2020 and 2025, when it went up 33%, from $292 to $387.
Plane ticket: price by year
| Year | Price | In 2025 dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | $292 | $617 |
| 2000 | $339 | $634 |
| 2005 | $307 | $506 |
| 2010 | $336 | $496 |
| 2015 | $377 | $512 |
| 2020 | $292 | $363 |
| 2025 | $387 | $387 |
"In 2025 dollars" adjusts each amount for inflation with the CPI, so the years can be compared fairly. How this works.
Where the numbers come from
Figures as published by the source below.
Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics: Average Air Fares Dropped to All-Time Low in 2020 (BTS news release, Figure 1 table, unadjusted). View the source.
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