Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) was the most expensive airport in the US for domestic flights last year. The average domestic roundtrip at Dulles was almost $500, putting it ahead of San Francisco and Charlotte in the national Top 3.
Dulles ranks as most expensive domestic US airport
The Washington DC airport has long had a reputation as a pricey airport due to its extensive international links and proximity to the US capital city. According to US Department of Transportation (DOT) data, IAD was the most expensive US airport for domestic airfares in 2022 with an average roundtrip coming in at $494.78.
This is ahead of San Francisco International Airport (SFO) – which came in second at $456.86 – followed by Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) at $444.42, with Portland International Airport (PDX) and Detroit Metro Airport (DTW) tying for fourth at $425.35.
At the other end, Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) came in as the cheapest airport at $264.24, followed by Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International ($271.78), Orlando International ($273.35), Oakland International ($288.23), and Chicago Midway International ($303.05).
Photo: EQRoy/Shutterstock
The biggest improvement in cost was seen at San Diego International Airport (SAN), which jumped from 38th last year to 22nd, while Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) also improved from 26th to 15th in the affordability rankings. Two airports tied for first place in terms of the biggest decline in affordability – Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) – which both lost nine spots in the rankings.
New VIP facility touted
Living up to its reputation as a costly airport, Dulles is eyeing up a state-of-the-art VIP facility. According to a report from Fox 5 DC, the airport is mulling over the development of a separate facility to handle VIP travelers.
Along with a range of high-end amenities, the facility would boast its own TSA and baggage check-ins and chauffeurs to take travelers directly to their waiting aircraft.
Airfares jump in a year
The average domestic ticket price rose by a considerable 14.1% (adjusted for inflation) from 2021 to 2022, up by 23.2% without adjustment. This marks two consecutive years of rising airfares, although 2021 saw only a minor 0.3% increase from 2020. FinanceBuzz reports that average fares across the country’s busiest 45 airports went up by over $50 year-on-year – the biggest increase was seen at Charlotte, where the average price went up $87.82, closely followed by Dulles International at $86.70.
Photo:Â Kristi Blokhin via Shutterstock
In 2021, there were only two US airports with average domestic roundtrips exceeding $400 – Dulles and San Francisco – but this jumped to 11 in 2022. However, airfare has been steadily declining in the past few decades, dropping from over $550 in 1995 to mostly below the $400-mark since 2019 – the average domestic fare in 2022 was $378 and is trending upwards to hit the pre-COVID $400 mark.
Have you flown out of Washington Dulles International Airport recently? How did the price of your ticket compare to other airports? Let us know in the comments.
Source: FinanceBuzz, Fox 5 DC
