Consumer Airfare Report · 2026 Q1
What a domestic ticket actually costs, route by route.
Fare Anchor shows what domestic airfares actually cost, route by route, using the Consumer Airfare Report the U.S. Department of Transportation publishes every quarter. We do not sell tickets or publish promo codes.
The national picture
Across the 960 routes that appear in both quarters, the median 2026 Q1 fare was $262, against $245 in 2025 Q1 — up $16 (6.6%). This median is computed over the routes present in both quarters, not over every route. Fares are average one-way fares paid, including taxes and fees, for the quarter.
The 10 busiest routes
| Route | Passengers/day | Avg. fare | Largest carrier | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami, FL (Metropolitan Area) → New York City, NY (Metropolitan Area) | 18659 | $238 | Delta | 26% |
| Los Angeles, CA (Metropolitan Area) → San Francisco, CA (Metropolitan Area) | 15083 | $201 | Southwest | 51% |
| New York City, NY (Metropolitan Area) → Orlando, FL | 12092 | $190 | JetBlue | 27% |
| Los Angeles, CA (Metropolitan Area) → New York City, NY (Metropolitan Area) | 10752 | $454 | United | 31% |
| New York City, NY (Metropolitan Area) → West Palm Beach/Palm Beach, FL | 7853 | $263 | JetBlue | 40% |
| Chicago, IL → New York City, NY (Metropolitan Area) | 7766 | $191 | United | 46% |
| New York City, NY (Metropolitan Area) → San Francisco, CA (Metropolitan Area) | 7028 | $518 | United | 37% |
| Atlanta, GA (Metropolitan Area) → New York City, NY (Metropolitan Area) | 6980 | $204 | Delta | 52% |
| Las Vegas, NV → Los Angeles, CA (Metropolitan Area) | 6146 | $158 | Southwest | 53% |
| Los Angeles, CA (Metropolitan Area) → Seattle, WA | 5998 | $209 | Alaska | 65% |