According to the recent airfare report issued by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the average domestic fare at Wichita Eisenhower National Airport increased 3% in the 3rd quarter 2017 over 3rd quarter 2016. The average fare was $386.23 compared to $374.06. *
Wichita’s fare is less than the average fare at Tulsa and Oklahoma City and is 35% less than it was in Q3 2000, before low-fare airlines entered the market.
Quarter 3 Fares Across Airports
| Airport Name | Q3 2000 Fare | Q3 2016 Fare | Q3 2017 Fare | 2017-2016 Fare Diff. | 2017-2000 Fare Diff. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wichita | $598.43 | $374.06 | $386.23 | $12.17 | $0.03 | -$212.2 | -$0.35 |
| Tulsa | $437.33 | $407.05 | $402.38 | -$4.67 | -$0.01 | -$34.95 | -$0.08 |
| Oklahoma City | $441.94 | $410.81 | $390.16 | -$20.65 | -$0.05 | -$51.78 | -$0.12 |
| Kansas City | $395.76 | $345.35 | $338.17 | -$7.18 | -$0.02 | -$57.59 | -$0.15 |
| U.S. Average | $477.87 | $344.86 | $335.83 | -$9.03 | -$0.03 | -$142.04 | -$0.30 |
*Inflation adjusted fares. Average fares are based on domestic itinerary fares, round-trip or one-way for which no return is purchased.
Southwest Airlines is the low-fare leader with an average domestic fare of $141.10.
Quarter 3 Fares Across Airlines
| Airline | Q3 2016 | Q3 2017 | 2017-2016 | 2017-2016 % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American | $202.85 | $216.11 | $13.26 | 7% |
| Alaska | $225.85 | |||
| Delta | $212.99 | $212.86 | -$0.13 | 0% |
| Allegiant** | $61.74 | $59.44 | -$2.30 | -4% |
| United | $212.2 | $219.21 | $7.01 | 3% |
| Southwest | $136.64 | $141.1 | $4.45 | 3% |
**Allegiant is an ultra low-cost carrier; offering very cheap fares but unbundling all fees and offer infrequent service. Allegiant is not in the same class as the other carriers and is not an apples-to-apples comparison.
