Before booking those spring break flights, you may want to double check those ticket prices: A new report has revealed airfare prices at Austin Bergstrom International Airport have skyrocketed higher than nearly every other U.S. airport. ABIA is also one of the most expensive airports in America in 2025.
The Austin airport climbed into the 14th spot in travel magazine Locals Insider's new rankings of "The Most and Least Affordable U.S. Airports." The report ranked 50 of the busiest U.S. airports based on average ticket prices for domestic flights using the latest available data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS).
The average price of a domestic flight at ABIA came out to $384.64, which is the 14th priciest fare nationwide — higher than the national average airfare.
"In 2025, airline ticket prices have increased by 7.1 percent year-over-year, and the average airfare is $365.64, according to the most recent data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics," the report said.
Furthermore, Austin flights booked in 2025 are more expensive now than they were a year ago, the report added. Current average ticket prices are nearly 8 percent higher than they were in 2024.
Only John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, California eclipsed Austin with a near 12 percent price increase since last year.
The No. 1 most expensive airport in the U.S. in 2025 is Washington Dulles International Airport. Average airfares at IAD come out to $472.61, which is 1.4 percent more expensive than last year.
All major Texas airports
Austin Bergstrom wasn't the only expensive Texas airport that appeared in LocalsInsider's top 15 least affordable American airports.
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport is the 10th most expensive airport in the nation, with airfares soaring to $392.31 on average.
George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston ranked one spot behind Dallas, appearing as the 11th most expensive airport nationally. The average flight out of IAH will run travelers $391.86 on average.
Right behind Austin was the San Antonio International Airport, landing in the No. 15 spot. Average ticket prices in San Antonio are just 12 cents cheaper than Austin's, at $384.52.
Popular travel hack
With flights becoming more expensive, many travelers are turning towards an unusual method of getting to their destination.
The method is called "skip-lagging" – in which travelers book a flight with a layover but exit during the layover rather than continuing to the final destination, since flights with layovers are often more affordable than nonstop flights to the same city.
Austin, Dallas, and Houston all appeared among the report's list of top 25 U.S. cities where "skip-lagging" is gaining popularity.
While travelers can save money using this "hack," the report warns that they may get in trouble for it.
"Although skip-lagging provides travelers with the opportunity to bypass higher fares, it’s important to keep in mind that airlines discourage this travel hack, and they may even impose penalties on repeat offenders," the report said.
Instead, LocalsInsider suggests travelers book midweek flights one to three months in advance that depart on Tuesdays and Wednesdays (which tend to be cheaper than weekend flights), and search for regional airports that may offer more affordable airfare than major travel hubs. Google Flights also offers a helpful feature to help budget-savvy travelers track their flight pricing.
The top 10 most expensive American airports are:
- No. 1 – Washington Dulles International Airport
- No. 2 – John Wayne Airport–Orange County Airport
- No. 3 – San Francisco International Airport
- No. 4 – Salt Lake City International Airport
- No. 5 – Detroit Metro Wayne County Airport
- No. 6 – Newark Liberty International Airport
- No. 7 – Charlotte Douglas International Airport
- No. 8 – John F. Kennedy International Airport
- No. 9 – Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
- No. 10 – Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport
