Washington Dulles International Airport is one of the most expensive airports in the nation, according to a travel report on the top 100 airports released Wednesday. With an average price tag of $419.48 including taxes and fees for domestic flights, Dulles — a hub for United Airlines — ranked ninth, well above the national average of $339.71 in the third quarter of 2010, according to the federal Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport ranked 25th, while Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall, a hub of discount carrier Southwest Airlines, ranked 84th.
Pricing is determined by individual airlines, not the airports themselves, so airports that serve as a hub are often dominated by an individual carrier. Travel expert Terry Trippler said these price discrepancies reflect the law of supply and demand.
After the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, prices “were so low because too many seats were available,” Trippler said. “The airlines were constantly putting something on sale simply because fewer people were traveling.”
Now, he says, fewer seats are available, meaning fewer deals. This is one reason why the national average rose $33 from the same time in 2009. July to September was the first quarter of lower rates after a year of constant increase.
Both Reagan and Dulles posted growth for the first time since 2007, serving 41.8 million passengers last year.
The study did not take into account baggage fees, frequent flyer discounts, or “zero fares.”
Newark Liberty International Airport had the highest fare, $469, while the rarely used Atlantic City airport’s average was lowest at $153.
“Newark is a hub for Continental and people have started to realize it is the closest airport to Manhattan,” Trippler said. “But Continental isn’t known to give away their seats, they are very price-conscious.”
Though now below the peak prices in 2008, Trippler said fares are rising. Since 2000, fares have risen less than 1 percent, despite a 25.8 percent increase in consumer prices.
Trippler said airport rental, landing fees, labor costs and fuel costs have climbed.
He said fares will increase or hold steady for the foreseeable future.
