by Herb Weisbaum, The ConsumerMan

Last updated May 6, 2026

Travel is always a challenge, but the war with Iran has added a new layer of turbulence for those planning to fly. The soaring cost of jet fuel—for most airlines, prices have more than doubled since the start of the war—has prompted domestic and international airlines to raise fares, add fuel surcharges, increase baggage fees, and reduce service by canceling flights.

Domestic airfares are up 18 percent year over year, and international fares are up 7.5 percent, according to the travel app Going.com. And there’s no way to know if prices will continue to increase.

Patrick DeHaan, a petroleum expert at GasBuddy, calls the spike “nothing short of astonishing,” and predicts that it may take more than a year for prices to return to normal.

“Every day that we continue to see the Strait of Hormuz closed is potentially another week that it will take for [fuel] prices to normalize,” DeHaan told Checkbook. 

Will Higher Airfares Become Permanent?

You might expect that airlines will lower ticket prices and luggage fees once oil prices return to normal but that’s not guaranteed.

“Airfares are set by people,” said syndicated travel columnist Christopher Elliott. “If you’re willing to pay a higher ticket price, then those ticket prices will be high. If people are not willing to pay them, then they will come down. It doesn’t matter if oil is cheap or expensive. Ultimately, the price of a ticket is set by the consumer.”

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said his company’s fares are currently 15 to 20 percent higher since the war began, but if customer demand remains strong, prices might not return to pre-war levels once hostilities end, he acknowledged during an earnings call in late April.

“The longer this lasts, the higher the probability goes that the pricing increases hold,” Kirby said.

Despite higher ticket prices, demand appears to be holding strong for the major carriers, at least so far, which will discourage them from reducing ticket prices once oil prices decline.

Industry analysts note that the reduced capacity resulting from Spirit Airlines’ collapse could drive prices even higher.

On a recent earnings call, Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian said his company would try to “retain any of the pricing strength” after fuel costs come down, Bloomberg reported.

What Fliers Need to Know

Airlines have already taken steps to boost revenue to offset higher fuel prices. This has created “the most unpredictable summer travel season since the pandemic,” Elliott said on a recent episode of Checkbook’s Consumerpedia podcast. “We just don’t know what’s going to happen.” 

Higher Ticket Prices

While domestic airfares are about 18 percent higher than last year, price spikes are far higher for some routes. For example, the average price to fly from New York to Los Angeles has nearly doubled since the start of the war: Before February 28, 2026, the cost of a round-trip ticket was about $350 to $400; now, it’s $700 to $800 dollars.

“If you can lock in a rate now, do it because prices are probably just going to go up,” Elliott advised. “And if you absolutely have to be at a destination at a certain time, let’s say you have a hotel reservation, you might want to consider a backup plane ticket.”

In this scenario, you’d buy one less expensive, non-refundable fare and a more expensive, fully refundable ticket to use if the first flight is delayed or canceled.

Elliott also recommends considering “cancel for any reason” travel insurance. It’s more expensive than basic travel insurance, usually about 10 to 12 percent of the total trip cost.

“If you really want that peace of mind, you want to be able to cancel your trip for any reason, not just for one of the covered reasons that are in a garden-variety travel insurance policy. Cancel-for-any-reason coverage can be worth it,” Elliott said.

Higher Baggage Fees

All six major U.S. airlines have increased their checked bag fees. Most now charge $45 for the first checked bag on a one-way flight and $55 for the second.

Raising baggage fees allows airlines to generate more revenue without raising the base fare. As with ticket prices, industry analysts don’t expect baggage fees to decline once the global oil supply returns to normal.

Other than limiting yourself to carry-on luggage or earning frequent flier elite status, the easiest way to check your bags for free is to get an airline credit card.

For example, with the United Explorer Card from Chase, the primary cardholder and one companion traveler each receive one free checked bag when traveling on the same reservation. The card has a $150 annual fee (waived for the first year). United charges $50+ per checked bag. The free baggage handling benefit of the credit card will pay for the annual fee after only a few flights.

Fewer Flights

U.S. airlines have already reduced flights through the summer travel season. Some international carriers, facing higher prices and fuel shortages, have also trimmed their schedules.

Delta has suspended some flights from major hubs, including John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, Boston Logan International Airport, and Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport. 

United Airlines said it was “tactically pruning flying that’s temporarily unprofitable in the face of high oil prices.”

Some international carriers, including Air Canada, Lufthansa, KLM, SAS, and Air New Zealand, have made significant reductions to their flight schedules. In mid-April, German airline Lufthansa announced it would eliminate 20,000 European short-haul flights over the summer, blaming rising fuel prices for making these routes “unprofitable.”

Air Canada suspended flights from Montreal and Toronto to JFK until the fall. 

Fraud Alert: Scammers Target Stranded Passengers

You’re stuck at the airport because your flight was delayed or canceled, and you want to speak with someone at the airline to book another flight. Be careful! If you ask a search engine to find an airline’s phone number, you could find yourself on the phone with a fraudster.

Scammers have bought ads posing as various airlines or travel services that appear at the top of search results. They also create fake airline websites that mimic the real ones.

Call the toll-free number in the bogus ad or on the phony website, and you’ll talk to a fraudster who’ll pretend to be with the airline. They’ll gladly help rebook your flight, after you provide them with a credit card number.

These imposter travel scams have been going on for years, but they seem to be getting worse. Fall for one, and you’ll wind up with an expensive ticket or a charge for a ticket that doesn’t exist.

“Scammers are increasingly capitalizing on the chaos of travel by using ‘imposter’ ads to intercept passengers at their most frantic moments,” said John Breyault, who runs the National Consumers League’s Fraud.org website. “It’s a predatory tactic that turns a traveler’s need for a quick solution into a lucrative payday for fraudsters.”

The best, and sometimes quickest, way for stranded travelers to contact their airline is via their app. You could also talk to an airline representative at the airport if someone is available. 

Be prepared for the worst by finding and saving the airline’s customer service number (one you know is legit) before you leave home. 

Travel expert Elliott has this tip: If you call an airline’s toll-free customer service number and they pick up on the first ring, “it’s a scam,” because no airline does that. 

Have travel troubles?? Elliott Advocacy? is a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization that empowers consumers to solve their problems and helps those who can’t.

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Contributing editor Herb Weisbaum (“The ConsumerMan”) is an Emmy award-winning broadcaster and one of America's top consumer experts. He has been protecting consumers for more than 40 years, having covered the consumer beat for CBS News, The Today Show, and NBCNews.com. You can also find him on Facebook, Blue Sky, X, Instagram, and at ConsumerMan.com.