Last-minute travelers might be in luck as international airfares have plunged below $1,000 for the first time since mid-March – but experts are warning it will likely be just a brief respite as the effects from the war in Iran keep fuel costs elevated.
The average international ticket dropped to $980 last week, the lowest level since the week of March 23, when prices hit $954, according to Kayak, which tracks weekly flight searches.
Destinations with the largest price drops included Seoul, South Korea, which was down 15% to $1,207; Shanghai, China, where prices fell 15% to $1,378; and Naples, Italy, which is down 11% to $1,022.
Other cities with lower airfares last week included Stockholm, Sweden; Vienna, Austria; Athens, Greece; Dublin, Ireland; Paris, France; and Madrid, Spain.
“When you see a price that looks good to you, hop on it. Even though they’re cooling off a bit, you just never know,” said Brian Kelly, founder of travel website “The Points Guy.”
“Waiting around in 2026 has not been a great strategy,” he told The Post.
Carriers are easing prices in an attempt to win over cash-strapped customers as airlines face relatively weak demand, according to experts.
“In general, travel between the US and Europe is down significantly from where it has been in the past,” Joe Adamski, managing director of ProcureAbility, a supply chain consultancy, told The Post.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup – which is holding matches across 11 US cities, including at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium – was largely expected to boost tourism, but those figures have been underwhelming, according to Adamski.
European reluctance to travel to the US over immigration concerns and “way, way overpriced tickets” for the events have kept World Cup-related tourism lower than expected, he said.
Travel is one of the first non-necessity expenses on the chopping block when consumers are looking to cut back, according to Kelly – so the lower prices last week seem like a desperate effort from airlines to fill seats.
“The airlines need to fill planes,” Kelly told The Post. “People will just cut back on travel. People will take a road trip, people will stay domestic.”
For customers looking for deals, Kelly advised they book now for travel in August and September.
Prices are still more than 17% higher than this time last year, when the average international airfare was $834, since the Middle East conflict has disrupted global jet fuel supplies – hiking operating expenses for airlines.
The US jet fuel price hit $2.90 a gallon on Monday, according to the Argus US Jet Fuel Index – up 16% from its pre-war price of roughly $2.50 a gallon. In April, it was up roughly 95% from pre-war levels.
Though President Trump on Sunday announced that the US has struck a peace deal with Iran, analysts have warned that it could take months for gasoline prices to fully drop down — especially after damages to Middle Eastern energy facilities.
But experts said it’s highly unlikely that airlines are switching their ticket prices based on day-to-day movements, because baseline fares are set ahead of time – and based on the price they paid for their dwindling jet fuel supplies weeks earlier.
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