Airfares spike globally
Airlines are raising fares this week after a sharp jet‑fuel price spike — Air France and KLM have already hiked long‑haul fares for tickets issued as of March 11 ( ). TSA staffing shortages and ongoing fuel instability are compounding travel disruption advice: book early, stay flexible on dates, and watch for last‑minute cancellations or reroutes ( ).
Air France‑KLM said it will add about €50 to typical long‑haul economy return fares for tickets issued from March 11, 2026. (marketscreener.com) IATA data shows average jet‑fuel prices reached roughly $175 per barrel in mid‑March, up from about $94 in mid‑February. (agbi.com) IATA measured jet‑fuel at about 106% higher than a month earlier for the week ended March 20, 2026. (cnbc.com) Cathay Pacific announced it will roughly double fuel surcharges for tickets issued on or after March 18, 2026, lifting long‑haul per‑sector surcharges from about $72.90 to $149.20. (airtraveler.club) Qantas said international fares are rising with route‑specific increases averaging around 5% as jet‑fuel costs jump. (bloomberg.com) Air New Zealand suspended its FY2026 earnings guidance, called the fuel spike “unprecedented,” and implemented initial fare adjustments. (marketscreener.com) Scandinavian carrier SAS has canceled several hundred March flights and warned it may cut roughly 1,000 flights in April while adding temporary fuel surcharges and trimming capacity. (aviationnews-online.com) United told investors recent fare actions on some routes have pushed prices about 15–20% higher, reflecting route‑level repricing as carriers respond to fuel costs. (adept.travel) Executives at Delta, American and United each reported roughly $400 million in higher fuel costs so far this quarter. (forbes.com) About 50,000 TSA officers continue to work without regular pay during the partial federal shutdown, a factor linked to growing security‑checkpoint delays at U.S. airports. (usatoday.com) Some airports, including Houston’s Bush and Hobby, recorded officer call‑out rates above 40%, and ICE agents have been deployed locally to help manage screening lines. (time.com)
