JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Planning to catch a flight? Expect to drop some extra dough.
Jet fuel has spiked to the highest level in more than two years.
“If you’re paying 75% more than you were a year ago to gas up your car, I think you can relate to the plight airlines are facing when they have to pump tens of thousands of gallons of fuel into every one of their planes to transport us,” said Henry Harteveldt with Atmosphere Research.
There’s also a big demand for flights.
Delta and American Airlines say the demand they’re seeing right now is unprecedented. Both airlines are charging about 8 to 10% more than usual. Travel experts suggest rising prices could make customers think twice about vacationing.
“I think people will travel, but will they travel by air? It all depends on how much airfares go up,” said Henry Harteveldt.
“I think this summer we could actually see a lot of people staying closer to home if these gas prices continue to increase,” said Bill Eisele, Texas A&M Transportation.
AAA says the average price nationally for a gallon of gas is 4.26. That is down eight cents from a week ago.
However, fuel prices typically rise during spring and summer because of travel demand.
If you’re debating whether it’s smarter to drive or fly experts recommend weighing out all options.
If you want to fly book early. If you plan on driving keep track of gas prices, weigh out the costs.