En español | Let's face it, boys and girls, the chances of getting a deal on airfare this year are slim. The airlines have already hiked airfare prices six times this year. To put it in perspective, last year the airlines raised prices four times the entire year, so you know we're in for a rough time, especially since it's just now summer.
If you're scratching you head as to why prices are going up, let me shed some light on the subject.
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1. Fuel prices
The number one reason why airlines are raising their airfares this year is because the price of fuel, as of this writing, is hovering at around $100 a barrel.
If you think that world events don't affect you, think again. The main force driving up these prices is the unrest in the Middle East and North Africa. In order to keep their profits steady, the airlines passes on the higher fuel costs to passengers by imposing fuel surcharges.
Most airlines, including legacy airlines such as American Airlines and budget airlines such as Southwest, recently placed a $10 surcharge on all domestic round-trip airfares. Fuel surcharges are even greater on international flights. JetBlue, for example, added a $45 one-way surcharge to its flights to the Caribbean. So not only are you going to feel the pinch at the pump, you'll feel it in the skies as well.
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