Tourists take photos at Shinsekai with Tsutenkaku Tower in view in Osaka, Japan, on December 12, 2024.
Kichul Shin | Nurfoto | fake images
Are you planning an international trip this year? You might get lucky if you're willing to fly away.
Long-haul travel is cheaper than last year, according to data released this week by flight tracking company Hopper.
For example, through mid-2025, flights between the US and Asia are down 11% this year from last, averaging $1,087, and capacity is up 6% from 2024. to Europe are down 6%, to $754, Hopper data shows.
Flights to Africa and the Middle East remain stable compared to last year, while flights to South America are down 4% to $685, and flights to Mexico and Central America from the United States are up 9% to $469.
Meanwhile, domestic ticket prices in the US are rising as airlines have become more cautious about capacity growth in the US and face delays in aircraft deliveries due to boeing and Airbus.
But cheaper international travel comes as airlines have increased capacity to popular destinations and as demand growth has leveled off compared to post-pandemic increases, when travelers rushed to book trips abroad after that travel restrictions were lifted. Fares rose as airlines faced labor and aircraft shortages due to the pandemic.
As airlines increased capacity, fares in Europe late last year were the lowest in years.
“We're definitely not at a point where there's pent-up demand,” said Scott Keyes, founder of the travel app Going, formerly known as Scott's Cheap Flights.
Favorable exchange rates for travelers using US dollars in many countries, including hotspot Japan, have boosted demand. International visitors to Japan increased almost 50% in the first 11 months of 2024, reaching nearly 33.4 million people, according to Japanese government data.
Travel search site Kayak He said flights to Asia are the cheapest in at least three years, and customer interest is increasing. Japanese cities Tokyo, Sapporo and Osaka are seeing the largest percentage increases in searches, Kayak noted.
Tourists sit in front of the Patong Beach sign by the sea on the island of Phuket, southern Thailand, on November 29, 2024.
Chanakarn Laosarakham | AFP | fake images
He also said airfares are lower across the Caribbean, with cheaper tickets to Dominica (down 21% from last year) and Barbados and St. Lucia, which are down 17% compared to last year, he said. Kayak.
Travelers flying this year are also more interested in business class, a trend like that of airlines like Deltawhich begins on Friday airline earnings for 2025, have capitalized.
Kayak estimates that searches for those four-digit business class fares are up 19% from last year.
