As you already know, some cities are cheaper to fly out of than others, but which ones? The U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics has compiled a list of the average domestic fares at some of the busiest U.S. airports.
In this article, I’ll look at average round-trip airfares originating from 10 of the busiest U.S. airports. The list is based on the Bureau’s statistics for the second quarter of 2022, the latest period available as of this writing.
The cities are listed in order of airport passenger volume based on Bureau data.
Average Fares at 10 High-Volume U.S. Airports
| Passenger Volume Ranking | Airport / City | Average Domestic Airfare |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | LAX/Los Angeles | $447.52 |
| 2. | ORD/Chicago-O’Hare | $386.59 |
| 3. | ATL/Atlanta | $411.54 |
| 4. | DEN/Denver | $361.14 |
| 5. | EWR/Newark | $424.69 |
| 6. | SEA/Seattle | $437.21 |
| 7. | DFW-Dallas-Fort Worth | $434.42 |
| 8. | PHX/Phoenix | $407.12 |
| 9. | MCO/Orlando | $292.35 |
| 10. | BOS/Boston | $404.80 |
See the complete list from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
More Ways To Save on Travel
Basing your trips on inexpensive flights from big cities is just one way to lower your travel costs. Let’s look at three additional ways you can save on travel, according to money expert Clark Howard:
Flights: Use the Right Tools
Clark loves looking for fares on websites that show multiple airlines, which you can use to compare prices.
“What I do is I go do a multi-airline search. I use Google Flights,” Clark says. “Whatever source you find that is a good multi-airline search site, I’d do that.”
Read our guide on how to save with Google Flights.
Hotels: Book a Refundable Room
Clark says he always books a refundable room at the best rate he can find well in advance of his trip. As his travel date approaches, he looks for cheaper rates.
“What I do is heavily concentrate on Hotwire and Priceline, two sources where you don’t know where you’re staying until you book non-refundable,” he says.
He says he typically finds hotel rooms much cheaper than the one he originally booked. “If you do it my way, most of the time you’re going to save big bucks!”
Read about Clark’s money-saving hotel booking process.
Car Rental: Re-Shop Your Rate
Because many car rental companies allow you to book without payment, you can save money by booking and then comparison shopping again right before your trip.
“When I book my flight weeks or months before the actual date of travel, I also book my car rental at the same time,” Clark says. “Then a week before my travel date, I re-shop the car rental rate. At least 90% of the time, I find that I can book a new car cheaper at the last minute, so I just let my old reservation go.”
Read about how I saved nearly 50% on a rental car.
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