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The days of 'fun flying' are long gone: How U.S. air travel became a nightmare

It came off as a rare moment of candor for the airline industry on Wednesday, when United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby told analysts and reporters that after a year of constant disruptions, including canceled and delayed flights, lost luggage and worse, passengers could expect more of that in 2023.

“The system simply can’t handle the volume today, much less the anticipated growth,” Kirby said. “There are a number of airlines who cannot fly their schedules. The customers are paying the price.”

The year 2022 was one of the most stress-inducing for consumer air travelers in recent memory. A surge in travel demand after airlines slashed resources during the pandemic caught carriers flat footed. Unable to adequately staff flights, they nevertheless continued to sell record-breaking numbers of tickets, resulting in more than one in five flights being delayed , according to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics — the highest rate of delays since 2014.

By Memorial Day last year , airfares were soaring, and flight cancellations started to mount. The situation worsened over the summer, as bouts of disruptive weather left passengers stranded and forced Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to call a meeting with airline CEOs.

While autumn was mostly free of disruptions, the year ended with a winter storm that brought airline travel to a standstill, especially at Southwest Airlines .

"The days of flying being fun are long over," said William McGee, a senior fellow for aviation and travel at the American Economic Liberties Project, a nonprofit, nonpartisan, anti-monopoly group. "People will settle for noneventful."

Not everyone agrees on the nature of the problem. According to Scott Mayerowitz, executive editor of The Points Guy travel website, on any given day, the current system is mostly fine.

"It’s only these few instances when things go wrong, that they go horribly wrong, and it causes severe problems for such large numbers of people," he said. "And it’s horrible if you’re one of those passengers — but the next week, everyone moves along and the system works."

Still, many agree about the short- and long-term challenges that plague the industry. Airlines will soon be hobbled by a lack of adequate staffing, something United's Kirby alluded to. On a more distant horizon are modernization and market reform efforts that analysts fear might be stymied by political obstacles.

Those issues are likely to linger as long as Washington gridlock prevails, analysts say.

Labor shortages

As the pandemic swooped in, air travel was among the industries most affected, as more than 90% of flights were grounded. Bloomberg News calculated that some 400,000 global airline industry workers were set to lose their jobs as a result of the pandemic.

Today, labor shortages exist throughout the economy, but the problem drags on in the air travel sector, where more extensive employee training is usually required.

“The question on everybody’s lips is, ‘Where have they all gone?’” said Tim Clark, president of Emirates Airline, at an event this summer, as reported by The Wall Street Journal . “There are hundreds of millions of people that have disappeared from the labor market.”

First and foremost among the airline industry's labor issues is a pilot shortage. By one estimate, some 12,000 more pilots are needed. Even before the pandemic, pilots were retiring in droves as the baby boom generation hit the federal mandatory pilot age limit of 65.

“The pilot shortage for the industry is real, and most airlines are simply not going to be able to realize their capacity plans because there simply aren’t enough pilots, at least not for the next five-plus years,” United's Kirby said on a quarterly earnings call last April.

But pilot unions have resisted calls for reform. Some fear that proposed changes could jeopardize safety. Others worry that with younger, less experienced pilots among their ranks, some collective bargaining leverage would be lost.

On its website , the Air Line Pilots Association, the nation's largest pilots union, calls the shortage a "myth" and accuses airline executives of trying to maximize profit — in part by refusing to reduce their flight schedules.

But even ALPA acknowledges more measures could be taken to "maintain a robust pilot pipeline," like helping students pay for flight training and subsidizing loans to cover it. Having more pilots available to work would ease the burden on the system.

Other stakeholders seem to be on the same page.

The trade group Airlines for America, which counts American Airlines, JetBlue, Southwest and others as members, told NBC News its carriers "have been working diligently to address operational challenges within our control by hiring additional staff and adjusting our schedules to improve reliability ." 

Sen. Lindsey Graham has introduced legislation to raise the pilot retirement age from 65 to 67. The bill is supported by the Regional Airline Association, which says that since 2019, 71% of airports have reduced flights, and nine airports have lost service completely as a result of the age limit.

“Under this legislation, approximately 5,000 pilots would have the opportunity to continue to fly over the next two years, and in turn, help keep communities connected to the air transportation system,” association senior director Drew Remos said, according to CNBC.

Outdated technology and infrastructure

There is near-universal agreement that the infrastructure underpinning segments of America's air travel system is outdated and vulnerable. That was on full display at the start of the year when a technology issue at the Federal Aviation Administration caused all planes to be grounded. The agency said it has continued to investigate, but Washington lawmakers said the glitch proved that more drastic changes were needed.

Rep. Sam Graves, R-Missouri, said the incident highlighted "a huge vulnerability in our air transportation system."

"Just as Southwest’s widespread disruption just a few weeks ago was inexcusable, so too is the DOT’s and FAA’s failure to properly maintain and operate the air traffic control system," he said.

The Southwest incident, too, was blamed in part on Southwest's aging scheduling system, which requires crew members to call into a central hotline to be rerouted when a disruption occurs.

The FAA has been working to implement what is known as the NextGen system to modernize the country's air traffic control system, one part of which still uses paper strips to coordinate flight schedules. Reuters recently referred to that aspect as "long-ridiculed."

“There’s a great deal of work needed to reduce the backlog of sustainment work, upgrades and replacement of buildings and equipment needed to operate our nation’s airspace safely,” FAA Deputy Administrator Bradley Mims said last April.

Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian has said additional federal funding is needed to speed up modernization.

“I lay this on the fact that we are not giving them the resources, the funding, the staffing, the tools, the technology they need to modernize the technology system," he told CNBC's "Squawk Box" recently.

"Hopefully, this will be the call to our political leaders in Washington that we need to do better,” Bastian added.

But Paul Hudson, president of the FlyersRights consumer advocacy group, said the Transportation Department already gets plenty of funding — and that the money is being misspent.

"I would like to see an audit of where the money is," Hudson told NBC News. "DOT has gotten an enormous increase, and either it's not being spent, or it's being spent on other things than what’s causing cancellations."  

But even this issue comes back to staffing. The FAA  said in 2020 it was more difficult  “to hire technical talent as quickly and effectively than in the past.”

Lawmakers across the political spectrum have called for an alternative solution: privatizing the air traffic control system. It's a step that other countries have taken, including Canada, whose NAV Canada system has been a privately operated nonprofit company since 1996.

"It's the gold standard of air traffic systems in the world," said Scott Lincicome, director of general economics at the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank. "It is efficient, innovative, and it is a nonprofit private company regulated by the government," Lincicome said, adding: "It’s a great example of what the US system could be if we could surmount our difficulties."

But Lincicome said there is entrenched resistance to that solution — and to many other practical ones put forward by consumer advocates of all political stripes.

"It doesn’t seem like there’s any appetite in Washington for that reform, regardless of the documented problems," Lincicome said. "It seems like a very tough nut to crack."

In the meantime, flyers in the U.S. will remain at the mercy of their individual airline. Already, U.S. airline passengers enjoy fewer rights than passengers in Europe, according to Eric Napoli, vice president of legal strategy at  AirHelp , a European-based consumer rights advocacy group. While European passengers are entitled to as much as 600 euros when there’s a flight disruption of more than three hours that’s not outside an airline’s control, travelers on U.S. flights are entitled merely to a refund — and even that can be hard to obtain.

"It’s difficult to claim compensation from airlines," Napoli said of airline passengers in the U.S. "They don’t have great protections."

Mayerowitz, with The Points Guy, said carriers would likely pass on the costs of stronger regulation to customers.

“Americans are used to $39 flights to Florida,” Mayerowitz said. “There’s probably not a desire by travelers to pay an extra $20 or $30 for each ticket in order to have these delay protections that they may or may not reap the benefits of” if their flight ends up being on time.

Airfares have been in a more or less steady decline since the mid-1990s, when adjusted for inflation. Compared with a ticket that cost an average of $558 in 1995, airfare in 2022 cost an average of $373, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics .

McGee, with the American Economic Liberties Project, says more comprehensive action is needed.

"It's nearing a breaking point, and this is not a one party issue," McGee said. "There's a general sense in the country; most Americans realize something is really wrong with this industry."

But Mayerowitz said that until those actions are taken, passengers should be realistic about what to expect when they take to the skies.

"Passengers should never lower their expectations, but should always prepare for the worst," Mayerowitz said. "We need to hold airlines and politicians accountable. Air travel should be predictable and consistent, and you shouldn’t have to wonder if air traffic control is going to be working today as you head to the airport.

"That said, every traveler should always have a backup plan, and a backup for their backup. And that’s especially true over holidays."

Rob Wile is a breaking business news reporter for NBC News Digital.

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The Federal Aviation Administration expects Thursday to be the busiest air travel day of the year so far, projecting it to be the start of summer travel ahead of the July 4th weekend.

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FAA Daily Air Traffic Report

Friday, June 28, 2024

Today's Air Traffic Report:

Wind may cause delays in Boston (BOS) and New York (JFK, EWR, LGA) . Thunderstorms could impact flights in Atlanta (ATL), Florida (FLL, MCO, MIA, TPA), Detroit (DTW), Houston (IAH, HOU), and Denver (DEN) . 

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Pilots: Check out the new  Graphical Forecasts for Aviation (GFA) Tool  from the Aviation Weather Center.

The FAA Air Traffic Report provides a reasonable expectation of any daily impacts to normal air traffic operations, i.e. arrival/departure delays,   ground stoppages, airport closures. This information is for air traffic operations planning purposes and is reliable as weather forecasts and other factors beyond our ability to control.

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TSA says it screened a record of nearly 3 million people Sunday, and bigger crowds are on the way

FILE - Passengers wait in a security line at Denver International Airport on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023. The TSA expects to break the 3 million mark on Friday, as many Americans get an early start on their July 4 travel plans. It’s just the start of what promises to be a busy summer. (AP Photo/Thomas Peipert, File)

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The number of air travelers moving through U.S. airports hit a record Sunday, and the new mark might not last through next weekend.

The Transportation Security Administration said it screened nearly 3 million people at airports Sunday, breaking a record set on May 24, the Friday before Memorial Day.

TSA forecasts that it will break the 3-million barrier on Friday, when many people will be getting an early start on their July 4 holiday travel plans.

“We expect this summer to be our busiest ever and summer travel usually peaks over the Independence Day holiday,” TSA Administrator David Pekoske said.

Sunday’s TSA count was 2,996,193, or about 45,000 more than the 2,951,163 who flowed through checkpoints on May 24. Seven of the 10 busiest days in TSA history have occurred this year, as travel continues to roar back from the coronavirus pandemic.

TSA expects to screen more than 32 million people between Thursday and July 8, the Monday after the holiday, for a daily average of 2.67 million. That would be a 5.4% increase over the July 4 period last year.

Airlines for America, a trade group representing the largest U.S. carriers, predicts that air travel this summer will rise 6.3% over last year.

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Taylor swift and travis kelce leave london eras tour show hand in hand after onstage surprise.

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So long, London.

Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift left her third and final Eras Tour show in London hand in hand, as seen in a fan video .

The Kansas City Chiefs player, 34, was spotted waiting for the pop star in an all-white outfit and a bucket hat as she chatted with someone on Sunday.

THEY ARE DRESSED NICE WHERE ARE THEY GOING?! pic.twitter.com/5h9AUKB8aP — Tayvis Nation 🏈🫶🏻 (@tayvisnation) June 23, 2024

After wrapping up her conversation, Swift stepped into frame in a pink dress and heels, reaching for her partner’s hand as they walked down a ramp.

“THEY ARE DRESSED NICE WHERE ARE THEY GOING?!” one X user asked.

Another gushed , “going on a date after a 3+ hour show?! and they say love is dead.”

Swift, also 34, kicked off her England performances on Friday and rolled right into another show on Saturday.

Kelce was spotted at Wembley Stadium for all three concerts, even making a surprise onstage appearance for the final show.

He joined two of her backup dancers during the “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” transition, fanning himself during the songwriter’s subsequent wardrobe change.

Swift will have a few days off before hitting the stage in Dublin next week.

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Kelce, who is in his NFL offseason, last attended one of his girlfriend’s shows in Paris in May, making headlines for dancing with Bradley Cooper and Gigi Hadid .

The athlete remained abroad for a Lake Como getaway with Swift.

The couple stayed in a luxurious private villa , which cost $21,000 per night, and he filmed his and brother Jason Kelce’s “New Heights” podcast from somewhere “in Europe.”

The tight end gushed about Swift’s “unbelievable” skills while urging listeners to catch her upcoming tour stops.

“It has her new ‘Tortured Poets Department,’ a handful of those songs in the new show, which means  there’s a new segment , new lights, new dancing and everything,” Travis said at the time. “I enjoyed every bit of it.”

The three-time Super Bowl winner hadn’t met Swift when he first attended an Eras Tour show in Missouri in July 2023 — although he did try to give her his phone number on a friendship bracelet.

While he was “disappointed” Swift didn’t talk to him at the time, news broke two months later that the duo were dating .

When the “Catching Kelce” alum next attended one of her shows in Buenos Aires in November 2023, the couple were caught on camera embracing and kissing .

He has since watched Swift perform in Singapore and Sydney, showing PDA both times.

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TSA predicts Friday will be its busiest day ever

RICHMOND, Va. --From the roadway to the runway, AAA expects Friday will be the busiest air travel day of the Fourth of July holiday, and TSA predicts it will be the busiest day on record.

TSA expects to screen more than 3 million people nationwide Friday. The previous record was set on Sunday, June 23rd, so if you are flying Friday, experts say you need to arrive at least two hours early for domestic flights and three hours for international trips.

Here in Virginia, AAA expects nearly 150,000 Virginians to jet off to their holiday destinations. That’s up 6 percent from last year and 5 percent from before the pandemic in 2019.

Across the U.S. 6 million people will fly for the Fourth of July. That's nearly seven percent higher than last year and more than 12 percent higher than 2019.

You can also save yourself sometime at the check-in counter by packing smart and weighing your bag ahead of time and be sure to have the liquids you plan to take through TSA in your carry-on bag easily accessible.

With 150,000 Virginians expected to fly for Fourth of July, every second counts to get you to your gate on time.

"If you're going to an airport that's not in your city, make sure you know the best route in case there are some backups along the way," explained AAA Mid-Atlantic's Morgan Dean. "Also build in time for that shuttle, if you're out in economy lot somewhere, you want to make sure you still have time to catch that shuttle, get on the shuttle, get over to the airport, go through all of those different things that you need to."

Richmond International Airport also wants to remind travelers, if you plan to fly with a firearm, it must be secured in your checked baggage, packed unloaded, locked in a hard-sided case and declared to the airline when you check in.

RIC has recovered 18 firearms at TSA checkpoints so far this year, compared to 17 all of last year.        Another tip, fireworks and sparklers are not allowed in either your carry-on or checked baggage on airplanes.       While the airports will be busy Friday, you can expect the roadways to be packed on Tuesday July 2 nd and Wednesday, July 3rd, as well as Sunday, July7 th and Monday, July 8th, as 60 million people are expected to hit the roads for the holiday.

You may want to try to avoid driving on those peak days, but if that’s not possible AAA suggests leaving very early in the morning or very late at night.

Depend on CBS 6 News and WTVR.com for in-depth coverage of this important local story. Anyone with more information can  email [email protected] to send a tip .

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• Flight Fort Lauderdale - Cancún (FLL - CUN) $182+
• Flight Chicago - Cancún (CHI - CUN) $186+
• Flight Houston - Cancún (HOU - CUN) $194+
• Flight Dallas - Cancún (DFW - CUN) $195+
• Flight Atlanta - Cancún (ATL - CUN) $197+
• Flight Philadelphia - Cancún (PHL - CUN) $201+
• Flight Miami - Cancún (MIA - CUN) $216+
• Flight Orlando - Cancún (ORL - CUN) $220+
• Flight Houston - Cancún (IAH - CUN) $226+
• Flight Baltimore - Cancún (BWI - CUN) $230+

Tokyo Flights

• Flight Honolulu - Tokyo (HNL - TYO) $474+
• Flight San Francisco - Tokyo (SFO - TYO) $617+
• Flight Los Angeles - Tokyo (LAX - TYO) $641+
• Flight San Jose - Tokyo (SJC - TYO) $646+
• Flight Phoenix - Tokyo (PHX - TYO) $697+
• Flight Las Vegas - Tokyo (LAS - TYO) $717+
• Flight Portland - Tokyo (PDX - TYO) $755+
• Flight Denver - Tokyo (DEN - TYO) $760+
• Flight Salt Lake City - Tokyo (SLC - TYO) $764+
• Flight Seattle - Tokyo (SEA - TYO) $792+

Chicago Flights

• Flight Atlanta - Chicago (ATL - CHI) $37+
• Flight Boston - Chicago (BOS - CHI) $41+
• Flight Philadelphia - Chicago (PHL - CHI) $47+
• Flight Denver - Chicago (DEN - CHI) $48+
• Flight Tampa - Chicago (TPA - CHI) $48+
• Flight New Orleans - Chicago (MSY - CHI) $50+
• Flight Fort Lauderdale - Chicago (FLL - CHI) $51+
• Flight Dallas - Chicago (DFW - CHI) $53+
• Flight Miami - Chicago (MIA - CHI) $53+
• Flight Charlotte - Chicago (CLT - CHI) $57+

Phoenix Flights

• Flight Las Vegas - Phoenix (LAS - PHX) $25+
• Flight Atlanta - Phoenix (ATL - PHX) $38+
• Flight San Diego - Phoenix (SAN - PHX) $51+
• Flight Dallas - Phoenix (DFW - PHX) $55+
• Flight Los Angeles - Phoenix (LAX - PHX) $58+
• Flight Santa Ana - Phoenix (SNA - PHX) $58+
• Flight Portland - Phoenix (PDX - PHX) $59+
• Flight Salt Lake City - Phoenix (SLC - PHX) $59+
• Flight Houston - Phoenix (IAH - PHX) $61+
• Flight Seattle - Phoenix (SEA - PHX) $68+

India Flights

• Flight New York - New Delhi (NYC - DEL) $553+
• Flight San Francisco - Mumbai (SFO - BOM) $581+
• Flight San Francisco - New Delhi (SFO - DEL) $586+
• Flight San Francisco - Bengaluru (SFO - BLR) $588+
• Flight New York - Mumbai (NYC - BOM) $624+
• Flight San Francisco - Chennai (SFO - MAA) $628+
• Flight New York - Ahmedabad (NYC - AMD) $629+
• Flight New York - Hyderabad (NYC - HYD) $640+
• Flight San Francisco - Hyderabad (SFO - HYD) $649+
• Flight Washington, D.C. - Hyderabad (WAS - HYD) $653+

Japan Flights

• Flight Honolulu - Tokyo (HNL - NRT) $474+
• Flight San Francisco - Tokyo (SFO - NRT) $617+
• Flight Los Angeles - Tokyo (LAX - NRT) $641+
• Flight San Jose - Tokyo (SJC - NRT) $646+
• Flight Honolulu - Osaka (HNL - KIX) $652+
• Flight Honolulu - Tokyo (HNL - HND) $659+
• Flight Portland - Tokyo (PDX - NRT) $755+
• Flight Denver - Tokyo (DEN - NRT) $760+
• Flight Los Angeles - Tokyo (LAX - HND) $765+
• Flight Los Angeles - Osaka (LAX - KIX) $768+

New York Flights

• Flight Fort Lauderdale - Newark (FLL - NYC) $39+
• Flight Miami - Newark (MIA - NYC) $40+
• Flight Charlotte - New York (CLT - NYC) $42+
• Flight Orlando - New York (ORL - NYC) $45+
• Flight Atlanta - New York (ATL - NYC) $47+
• Flight Chicago - New York (CHI - NYC) $70+
• Flight Boston - Newark (BOS - NYC) $76+
• Flight Dallas - Newark (DFW - NYC) $79+
• Flight Houston - Newark (IAH - NYC) $97+
• Flight Tampa - Newark (TPA - NYC) $97+

Miami Flights

• Flight New York - Miami (NYC - MIA) $33+
• Flight Dallas - Miami (DFW - MIA) $40+
• Flight Baltimore - Miami (BWI - MIA) $45+
• Flight Philadelphia - Miami (PHL - MIA) $46+
• Flight Cincinnati - Miami (CVG - MIA) $48+
• Flight Nashville - Miami (BNA - MIA) $49+
• Flight Atlanta - Miami (ATL - MIA) $50+
• Flight Chicago - Miami (CHI - MIA) $50+
• Flight Charlotte - Miami (CLT - MIA) $51+
• Flight Houston - Miami (IAH - MIA) $57+

Rome Flights

• Flight Miami - Rome (MIA - ROM) $380+
• Flight New York - Rome (NYC - ROM) $381+
• Flight Baltimore - Rome (BWI - ROM) $399+
• Flight Boston - Rome (BOS - ROM) $404+
• Flight San Francisco - Rome (SFO - ROM) $446+
• Flight Fort Lauderdale - Rome (FLL - ROM) $462+
• Flight Las Vegas - Rome (LAS - ROM) $493+
• Flight Los Angeles - Rome (LAX - ROM) $496+
• Flight Atlanta - Rome (ATL - ROM) $505+
• Flight Seattle - Rome (SEA - ROM) $558+

Seattle Flights

• Flight Las Vegas - Seattle (LAS - SEA) $53+
• Flight Phoenix - Seattle (PHX - SEA) $62+
• Flight Los Angeles - Seattle (LAX - SEA) $68+
• Flight San Diego - Seattle (SAN - SEA) $71+
• Flight Ontario - Seattle (ONT - SEA) $78+
• Flight Denver - Seattle (DEN - SEA) $83+
• Flight Salt Lake City - Seattle (SLC - SEA) $92+
• Flight San Jose - Seattle (SJC - SEA) $96+
• Flight Dallas - Seattle (DFW - SEA) $101+
• Flight Sacramento - Seattle (SMF - SEA) $113+

Fort Lauderdale Flights

• Flight Philadelphia - Fort Lauderdale (PHL - FLL) $36+
• Flight Atlanta - Fort Lauderdale (ATL - FLL) $39+
• Flight New York - Fort Lauderdale (NYC - FLL) $39+
• Flight Cleveland - Fort Lauderdale (CLE - FLL) $40+
• Flight Dallas - Fort Lauderdale (DFW - FLL) $40+
• Flight Richmond - Fort Lauderdale (RIC - FLL) $40+
• Flight Raleigh - Fort Lauderdale (RDU - FLL) $44+
• Flight Tampa - Fort Lauderdale (TPA - FLL) $47+
• Flight Nashville - Fort Lauderdale (BNA - FLL) $49+
• Flight Charlotte - Fort Lauderdale (CLT - FLL) $50+

Atlanta Flights

• Flight Fort Lauderdale - Atlanta (FLL - ATL) $39+
• Flight Houston - Atlanta (IAH - ATL) $42+
• Flight Houston - Atlanta (HOU - ATL) $42+
• Flight Tampa - Atlanta (TPA - ATL) $43+
• Flight Philadelphia - Atlanta (PHL - ATL) $45+
• Flight New York - Atlanta (NYC - ATL) $47+
• Flight Orlando - Atlanta (ORL - ATL) $48+
• Flight Baltimore - Atlanta (BWI - ATL) $49+
• Flight Chicago - Atlanta (CHI - ATL) $50+
• Flight Dallas - Atlanta (DFW - ATL) $52+

Boston Flights

• Flight Nashville - Boston (BNA - BOS) $61+
• Flight Charlotte - Boston (CLT - BOS) $62+
• Flight Philadelphia - Boston (PHL - BOS) $68+
• Flight Dallas - Boston (DFW - BOS) $70+
• Flight Fort Lauderdale - Boston (FLL - BOS) $70+
• Flight Orlando - Boston (ORL - BOS) $70+
• Flight Atlanta - Boston (ATL - BOS) $77+
• Flight Baltimore - Boston (BWI - BOS) $86+
• Flight Miami - Boston (MIA - BOS) $90+
• Flight Raleigh - Boston (RDU - BOS) $97+

United States Flights

• Flight Denver - Las Vegas (DEN - LAS) $48+
• Flight Dallas - Las Vegas (DFW - LAS) $51+
• Flight Philadelphia - Orlando (PHL - MCO) $52+
• Flight Boston - Miami (BOS - MIA) $71+
• Flight Minneapolis - Las Vegas (MSP - LAS) $78+
• Flight New York - Orlando (NYC - MCO) $78+
• Flight Minneapolis - Phoenix (MSP - PHX) $82+
• Flight Atlanta - Los Angeles (ATL - LAX) $83+
• Flight Atlanta - Las Vegas (ATL - LAS) $92+
• Flight Dallas - Los Angeles (DFW - LAX) $98+

Hawaii Flights

• Flight Honolulu - Hawaii (HNL - USHI) $92+
• Flight San Francisco - Hawaii (SFO - USHI) $152+
• Flight Los Angeles - Hawaii (LAX - USHI) $161+
• Flight San Diego - Hawaii (SAN - USHI) $167+
• Flight San Jose - Hawaii (SJC - USHI) $218+
• Flight Seattle - Hawaii (SEA - USHI) $257+
• Flight Oakland - Hawaii (OAK - USHI) $281+
• Flight Ontario - Hawaii (ONT - USHI) $293+
• Flight Sacramento - Hawaii (SMF - USHI) $297+
• Flight Las Vegas - Hawaii (LAS - USHI) $309+

London Flights

• Flight New York - London (NYC - LON) $284+
• Flight Boston - London (BOS - LON) $360+
• Flight Los Angeles - London (LAX - LON) $411+
• Flight San Francisco - London (SFO - LON) $451+
• Flight Miami - London (MIA - LON) $458+
• Flight Chicago - London (CHI - LON) $461+
• Flight Washington, D.C. - London (WAS - LON) $473+
• Flight Baltimore - London (BWI - LON) $499+
• Flight Atlanta - London (ATL - LON) $501+
• Flight Denver - London (DEN - LON) $515+

Paris Flights

• Flight Washington, D.C. - Paris (WAS - PAR) $277+
• Flight Boston - Paris (BOS - PAR) $288+
• Flight Baltimore - Paris (BWI - PAR) $292+
• Flight New Windsor - Paris (SWF - PAR) $293+
• Flight San Francisco - Paris (SFO - PAR) $371+
• Flight Chicago - Paris (CHI - PAR) $375+
• Flight New York - Paris (NYC - PAR) $380+
• Flight Miami - Paris (MIA - PAR) $388+
• Flight Philadelphia - Paris (PHL - PAR) $425+
• Flight Orlando - Paris (ORL - PAR) $440+

Manila Flights

• Flight Los Angeles - Manila (LAX - MNL) $685+
• Flight San Francisco - Manila (SFO - MNL) $694+
• Flight Honolulu - Manila (HNL - MNL) $709+
• Flight Ontario - Manila (ONT - MNL) $727+
• Flight Seattle - Manila (SEA - MNL) $753+
• Flight New York - Manila (NYC - MNL) $769+
• Flight Houston - Manila (IAH - MNL) $777+
• Flight Chicago - Manila (CHI - MNL) $814+
• Flight Boston - Manila (BOS - MNL) $869+
• Flight Phoenix - Manila (PHX - MNL) $871+

Denver Flights

• Flight Philadelphia - Denver (PHL - DEN) $37+
• Flight Salt Lake City - Denver (SLC - DEN) $41+
• Flight Los Angeles - Denver (LAX - DEN) $47+
• Flight Kansas City - Denver (MCI - DEN) $48+
• Flight St. Louis - Denver (STL - DEN) $57+
• Flight Las Vegas - Denver (LAS - DEN) $63+
• Flight San Diego - Denver (SAN - DEN) $68+
• Flight Ontario - Denver (ONT - DEN) $69+
• Flight Minneapolis - Denver (MSP - DEN) $70+
• Flight Houston - Denver (IAH - DEN) $72+

San Francisco Flights

• Flight Ontario - San Francisco (ONT - SFO) $41+
• Flight Los Angeles - San Francisco (LAX - SFO) $47+
• Flight Santa Ana - San Francisco (SNA - SFO) $53+
• Flight Las Vegas - San Francisco (LAS - SFO) $58+
• Flight Phoenix - San Francisco (PHX - SFO) $58+
• Flight Portland - San Francisco (PDX - SFO) $58+
• Flight Salt Lake City - San Francisco (SLC - SFO) $58+
• Flight San Diego - San Francisco (SAN - SFO) $66+
• Flight Denver - San Francisco (DEN - SFO) $73+
• Flight Atlanta - San Francisco (ATL - SFO) $117+

San Diego Flights

• Flight Las Vegas - San Diego (LAS - SAN) $35+
• Flight San Francisco - San Diego (SFO - SAN) $38+
• Flight San Jose - San Diego (SJC - SAN) $46+
• Flight Phoenix - San Diego (PHX - SAN) $56+
• Flight Oakland - San Diego (OAK - SAN) $59+
• Flight Sacramento - San Diego (SMF - SAN) $59+
• Flight Houston - San Diego (IAH - SAN) $68+
• Flight Dallas - San Diego (DFW - SAN) $69+
• Flight Portland - San Diego (PDX - SAN) $74+
• Flight Salt Lake City - San Diego (SLC - SAN) $75+

Punta Cana Flights

• Flight Fort Lauderdale - Punta Cana (FLL - PUJ) $179+
• Flight Philadelphia - Punta Cana (PHL - PUJ) $200+
• Flight Atlanta - Punta Cana (ATL - PUJ) $221+
• Flight Raleigh - Punta Cana (RDU - PUJ) $227+
• Flight Chicago - Punta Cana (CHI - PUJ) $228+
• Flight Tampa - Punta Cana (TPA - PUJ) $228+
• Flight Charlotte - Punta Cana (CLT - PUJ) $229+
• Flight Miami - Punta Cana (MIA - PUJ) $231+
• Flight New York - Punta Cana (NYC - PUJ) $233+
• Flight Baltimore - Punta Cana (BWI - PUJ) $240+

Europe Flights

• Flight Boston - Dublin (BOS - DUB) $270+
• Flight Boston - Lisbon (BOS - LIS) $304+
• Flight Miami - Madrid (MIA - MAD) $316+
• Flight Boston - Barcelona (BOS - BCN) $342+
• Flight New York - London (NYC - LHR) $379+
• Flight Miami - Barcelona (MIA - BCN) $387+
• Flight San Francisco - Madrid (SFO - MAD) $392+
• Flight San Francisco - Barcelona (SFO - BCN) $441+
• Flight Boston - London (BOS - LHR) $446+
• Flight New York - Athens (NYC - ATH) $448+

Florida Flights

• Flight New York - Florida (NYC - USFL) $33+
• Flight Philadelphia - Florida (PHL - USFL) $36+
• Flight Atlanta - Florida (ATL - USFL) $39+
• Flight Dallas - Florida (DFW - USFL) $40+
• Flight Baltimore - Florida (BWI - USFL) $45+
• Flight Charlotte - Florida (CLT - USFL) $51+
• Flight Boston - Florida (BOS - USFL) $71+
• Flight Hartford - Florida (BDL - USFL) $83+
• Flight Minneapolis - Florida (MSP - USFL) $98+
• Flight Los Angeles - Florida (LAX - USFL) $151+

Frequently asked questions

What do i need to know before booking a flight.

There are various factors to consider when booking a flight including cost, fare classes, baggage policies, the complications of flying long haul, and complying with airport regulations. To make your booking journey smoother KAYAK has developed a comprehensive flight guide including insights on finding affordable flights, packing efficiently, and utilizing the best travel tools.

What is the cheapest day of the week to book a flight?

The best day to book your flight depends on a number of factors, but there are general trends that you can follow to increase your chances of cheaper plane tickets. Based on an analysis of KAYAK data for all flights departing from inside United States over the last 12 months, the cheapest day to fly for domestic flights is Wednesday. For international flights, Tuesday had the cheapest tickets on average.

Which month of the year are flight prices lowest?

It’s well established that flights in the low season are generally cheaper than ticket prices during the high season. That means that knowing which month to find the lowest priced plane tickets will depend heavily on seasonality and your destination. While avoiding peak travel times can help you keep costs down, our data shows that the month with the lowest priced plane tickets for domestic flights based on all searches made on KAYAK in the last 12 months was January, while the most expensive was July. If you’re booking an international flight, then January is the cheapest month to fly and June the most expensive.

When is the best time to buy plane tickets - Last minute or in advance?

Last minute flight deals are definitely up for grabs but when exactly to purchase your plane tickets will depend on where you’re traveling to and from. Based on all data for flight searches made on KAYAK over the last 12 months, prices for domestic flights remained below the average price up to 1 weeks before departure. For international flights, deals could still be had up to 1 weeks prior to the departure date, with prices remaining below average. If you’re flexible, KAYAK brings you both advance and last minute one-way and round-trip flight deals.

Can flying international flights with a layover save money on airfare?

For many long-haul international flights, flying non-stop is not possible and you will have to fly with a layover. Some routes will offer both and you could consider flying with a layover for a number of reasons. Firstly, breaking up what would otherwise be a long-haul flight, taking a rest and then completing the journey might make the flight more manageable. Secondly, prices can also be lower than non-stop flights, so while it might take longer for you to reach your destination, you could save money. We’ve looked at prices over the last 12 months for the 100 most popular international destinations for KAYAK users and on average, prices for non-stop flights were cheaper than flights with a layover.

How does KAYAK find such low flight prices?

KAYAK processes over 2 billion flight queries annually and displays results from hundreds of airlines and third party sites, allowing it to find a variety of flight prices and options. It also displays results from 2M+ properties along with rental cars, vacation packages, activities and millions of verified reviews so users can see as many available travel options as possible.

How do I find the best flight deals on KAYAK?

A simple flight search at https://www.kayak.com/flights scans for prices on hundreds of travel sites in seconds. We gather flight deals from across the web and put them in one place. Then on the search results page you can use various filters to compare options for the same flight and easily choose the best flight deal from all of the deals coming straight from the travel sites to your screen, with no extra fee from KAYAK.

How can Hacker Fares save me money?

Hacker Fares allow you to combine one-way tickets on different airlines when it can save you money over a traditional round-trip ticket.

Does KAYAK query more flight providers than competitors?

Yes, KAYAK has access to more data and information than online travel agencies and consistently outperforms the competition in accuracy, globally.

How does KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy?

KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a given destination and date is likely to change within 7 days, so travelers know whether to wait or book now.

What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care?

Sometimes travel dates aren't set in stone. If your preferred travel dates have some wiggle room, flexible dates will show you flights up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. That way, you can see if leaving a day or two earlier will find you a better deal. You can also select the flexible "weekend" or "month" search options to widen your search range and find the cheapest price that works for you.

Search cheap flights with KAYAK. Search for the cheapest airline tickets for all the top airlines around the world, airports around the world and the top international flight routes . KAYAK searches hundreds of travel sites to help you find cheap airfare and book a flight that suits you best. Since KAYAK searches many plane tickets sites at once, you can find cheap tickets from cheap airlines and for trains and buses quickly.

KAYAK also helps you find the right hotels for your needs.