In the world of plane tickets and travel demand, some very odd things are afoot.
While Bureau of Labor Statistics numbers show that the average ticket price fell from $410 to $275 or nearly 19% between 2022 and 2023, getting to certain European cities is more expensive than ever amid a spike in visitors finally taking holidays put off by the pandemic.
DON'T MISS: This Is How Much Plane Ticket Prices Have Fallen Amid Lower Inflation
As averages almost always fail to account for one's individual case, getting a travel deal this summer will come down to hunting around and picking less popular destinations.
Expedia/TheStreet
(Some) Prices 'Have Moderated,' Says Expedia Chief Executive
In an interview for CNBC's "Squawk Box" show, Expedia (EXPE) -) CEO Peter M. Kern said that while the cost of getting to some international destinations is still "sky-high," the downward push is coming from both domestic and certain destinations in Asia.
"Domestic has eased off a bit this summer because people flowed out to international," Kern told anchor Andrew Ross Sorkin while also adding that many Asian destinations are still "not so packed." "There aren't as many [international] plane routes, those planes are full but domestic flights are slightly less full so prices have moderated."
Lower prices for Asian destinations are driven both by many of the countries' slower path to opening up to tourists (while almost all have done so months ore even years ago, some tourists still perceive them as having stricter restrictions) as well as distance from the U.S..
Even with a low-price ticket, going to Tokyo or Singapore takes more planning and vacation days than a hopover to London from the East Coast.
While airfare has always been heavily influenced by demand, this summer has seen some particularly stark differences — someone wanting to go to Paris or Madrid can expect to pay through the roof while travelers staying in North America can score serious deals.
Tickets to Asia are also significantly cheaper than they were a few years ago but, due to the distance, will still set one back at least four figures.
Here's How Plane Prices Are 'Moving To Where People Can Go'
"It is basically moving to where people can go," Kern continued. "Last summer, people maybe couldn't go to Europe, now they can go to Europe. Asia's opening up."
Another recent analysis by flight deal tracker Thrifty Traveler has seen flights to Calgary (the city closest to Banff National Park) from many U.S. cities drop to the $300 range from the $800-and-up tickets seen last year as well as routes from San Diego to Maui for $148.
"We've even seen the return of sub-$100 domestic flights," wrote Thrifty Traveler's Gunnar Olson. "That was unthinkable last summer when domestic flight prices were regularly in the $400s and $500s roundtrip."
According to several industry analysts, travel to Europe is also expected to peak in the coming months — even aside from the unusual demand seen this year, the summer has always been a more expensive time to travel given the large number of families taking advantage of warm weather and summer holidays.
But even with more deals to be had, both the impact and perception of inflation is still keeping many from going away. Another survey from NerdWallet found that 23% of Americans are not taking a trip this summer for financial reasons.
