Can't Afford to Fly? What Are You Willing to Give Up?

00A new survey of data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics says what many of us already know: it’s too expensive to travel by air.

But, the news release from SmartAsset puts a name to our pain: Delta Airlines.

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Delta is the dominant airline at MSP, accounting for 70% of the seats available. The release says that dominance has led to MSP becoming the third most expensive airport in the nation, with an average ticket of $456.

The only more expensive American airports are Anchorage and Washington Dulles. On the other side of the spectrum, Las Vegas has the lowest fares in the nation, averaging $270. The Las Vegas airport is also the largest casino in Nevada, but I digress….

Officials say airfares across the nation increased by 16% in the first quarter of 2023. At MSP, officials say other large airlines are hesitant to bring more routes into MSP and get into a fare war with an established carrier. While Delta did not comment on the story, the airline has doubled down on its high-class image. They’ve made their clubs and SkyMiles program more exclusive and are trying to appeal to a “premium leisure” traveler. If you want to fly, get used to paying more for certain seats and other conveniences.

Enter Sun Country Airlines. CEO Jude Bricker plans to add another 10% to the carrier’s capacity next year in a plan to offer one-way flights for under $100. They say anyone living within 90 miles of MSP and paying their own money for flights should fly Sun Country.

That leads to an interesting problem. We have two choices: a high-priced major airline, or a no-frills low-cost carrier.

Here’s the question we’ll tackle on WJON’s “Rush Hour”. In return for a $99 one-way flight, what are you willing to give up? What perks are you willing to do without? How many things, that are now expected to be complimentary, are you willing to pay for or do without in return for a cheaper flight?

Leave your comments on Facebook, and we’ll talk about it Thursday afternoon on WJON.