"Sometimes your go-to airport is neither the cheapest nor most affordable option..."
By
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/alison-fox-author-pic-15f25761041b477aaf424ceca6618580.jpg "The Cheapest States and Airports for Domestic Flights, According to a New Study (1)")
Alison Fox is a Travel + Leisure contributor. She has also written for Parents.com, The Wall Street Journal, and amNewYork. When she’s not in New York City, she can be found at the beach or on the slopes.
Published on May 9, 2022
Summer travel is nearly in full swing — and summer prices are too — but thankfully, there are still deals to be found, especially if vacationers are strategic about which airports they fly out of.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/newark-airport-DMESTCAIRPRT0522-2db43c828b974e158065d9631f317724.jpg "The Cheapest States and Airports for Domestic Flights, According to a New Study (2)")
New Jersey happens to be the cheapest state to fly out of nationally with an average domestic flight price of just $205.60, according to a study by loan company NetCredit that was shared with Travel + Leisure. The Garden State also laid claim to the cheapest airport in the United States in Atlantic City International Airport, which the study noted is often served by budget carrier Spirit Airlines and where flights average only $109.43. In comparison, New Jersey's other major airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, averages more than $300 per flight.
New Jersey was followed by Florida where domestic flights average $257.36. The state also happens to have five of the top 10 cheapest airports in the country, including several in the popular Orlando area.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/flight-cost-map-MAP0522-b340340bac204c98941b5e7e2c411e55.png "The Cheapest States and Airports for Domestic Flights, According to a New Study (3)")
The study, which used statistics from the Bureau of Transportation as well as local salary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, "researched the average ticket price for 142 airports."
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/flight-airport-MAP0522-22e08746e9fc42318b3a8210fe4ca1e7.png "The Cheapest States and Airports for Domestic Flights, According to a New Study (4)")
While some airports weren't as cheap as others, they were still considered affordable, especially in comparison to local salaries. California's Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport, for example, had an average ticket price of $306.53, but the study found Californians need just 3.94% of the average monthly paycheck to fly.
On the other end of the spectrum is Alabama's Huntsville International Airport, which came in as the most expensive airport hub in the country with average ticket prices topping $456.17.
And while Vermont was the state with the second-highest average ticket price in the country (at over $413), it actually ranks seventh for affordability due to higher salaries.
Alison Fox is a contributing writer for Travel + Leisure. When she's not in New York City, she likes to spend her time at the beach or exploring new destinations and hopes to visit every country in the world. Follow her adventures on Instagram.
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Tell us why!
