Charts show how the Iran war has pushed ticket prices sharply higher on 3 major US airline routes

"Brent crude is up more than 50% over the past month, to around $101 a barrel. Jet fuel costs are rising faster. The Argus US Jet Fuel Index is up 72% over the same period. That spells difficulty for airlines because jet fuel is typically their biggest expense after labor. While many airlines around the world hedge against fuel costs, most American ones do not."

"Cross-country flights, often known in the industry as transcontinental flights, have seen the biggest week-over-week spike - more than double, on average. The average price of a transcontinental flight has risen from $167 to $414, Deutsche Bank's analysis showed. In the past week, the average has spiked 107%. United Airlines is offering flights from Washington Dulles Airport to San Francisco for $502, up from $149 a month ago."

"New York to Los Angeles is the country's busiest domestic route, with a capacity of 3.4 million seats out of JFK Airport last year, according to OAG data. New York to London is the country's most popular international route, and the 10th-busiest in the world. Nearly 4 million seats were scheduled on flights between JFK and Heathrow last year, per OAG."

Middle East tensions have triggered significant volatility in oil markets, with Brent crude rising over 50% to approximately $101 per barrel. Jet fuel costs have increased even more dramatically, up 72% over the same period. Since jet fuel represents airlines' largest expense after labor, these increases directly impact ticket prices. Most American airlines do not hedge against fuel costs, leaving them vulnerable to price spikes. Data from Deutsche Bank reveals sharp increases across major flight routes: transcontinental flights have more than doubled in price, with New York to Los Angeles averaging $414 compared to $167 previously. International routes like New York to London have also experienced significant price increases of approximately 40%.

Read at Business Insider