Prices for domestic flights continued to rise in May 2022, increasing 30 percent over May 2019 levels and 6.2 percent over April 2022. This, according to Adobe Analytics, marks the fourth consecutive month where prices have risen over pre-pandemic levels (April 2022 up 27 percent; March 2022 up 20 percent; February 2022 up 5 percent). Prices have also increased significantly over the course of the year, rising 47 percent since January 2022.
Domestic flight bookings in May 2022 drove $8.3 billion in online spend, a 6.2 percent increase from the month prior ($7.8 billion), and equivalent to over $500 million more in consumer spend. Bookings, however, are down by 2.3 percent on a monthly basis, showing the impact of elevated prices.
Compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019, spend and bookings remain elevated. In May 2022, online spend is up 29 percent compared to May 2019, and bookings are up by 4.4 percent. Year-to-date, consumers have spent a total of $37.1 billion online for domestic flights—nearly double what was spent in the first five months of 2021 ($19.2 billion).
Inflation in ticket prices continues to impact consumer purchasing power: While online spend in May is up 29 percent versus 2019 levels, actual bookings are up by just 4.4 percent (as cited above). Like previous months, the wide gap shows that consumers have been paying considerably more for the same amount of service.
Looking Ahead
High prices are beginning to impact summer plans (trips that land between June 2022 and August 2022). Domestic bookings for summer travel are down 2 percent compared to this point in 2019 (through the end of May); spend is up by 11 percent, however, showing the impact of higher fares.
Based on arrival sites, the top 10 domestic destinations for those traveling this summer include: Bozeman, MT; Orlando, FL; Kailua-Kona, HI; Fort Meyers, FL; Long Beach, CA; Austin, TX; Pensacola, FL; Seattle, WA; Kahului, HI; Honolulu, HI (based on lift, not volume).
Source: Adobe Analytics
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